Radio-frequency based catheter system and method for ablating biological tissues

Abstract

An improved radio-frequency based catheter system and method for ablating biological tissues within the body vessel of a patient comprises a radio-frequency (“RF”) generator for selectively generating high frequency energy in a deployable catheter having a RF co-axial transmission line with a hollow lumen, a RF antenna mounted on the distal portion of the catheter, and steering control lines in the lumen of the transmission line for steering catheter while being inserted into the body vessel and for deflecting the RF antenna to accommodate the contour of the body vessel where tissue ablation is needed. The RF generator having variable output frequency is adapted to generate and communicate RF energy to the RF antenna that minimizes reflected energy from the antenna-tissue interface. In application, the RF antenna establishes line of contact with the body vessel conformable to its internal contour to prescribe the precise tissue ablation pathway despite body vessel movements. The RF antenna is steered by the steering control lines to establish its body vessel conformation. The catheter system is energized and system senses the reflected RF power relative to its output power and adjusts the frequency of the power output to effect impedance match between the transmission line of the system and the tissue ablation load.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.