Clamp accessory and method for an ablation instrument

Abstract

An apparatus and method is provided as an accessory to an ablation device or instrument. The accessory includes a first and second jaw members adapted to work with an existing ablation device during ablation of biological tissue. The first jaw member includes a partial lumen adapted to accept and hold an ablation device therein. The accessory further includes a clamping means operably attached to the jaw members to facilitate placement and retention of target tissue therebetween. The accessory may incorporate a transmurality assessment system to determined whether the ablation is complete. The transmurality system may actively or passively obtain tissue characteristics indicating transmurality. These transmurality systems may includes two or more electrodes which each measure at least one of conduction time, conduction distance, conduction velocity, phase angle, and impedance through at least a portion of the targeted tissue to determine the transmurality of the ablation lesion.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.