Cardiac ablation system and method for treatment of cardiac arrhythmias and transmyocardial revascularization

A method for epicardial ablation comprising the steps of:

• gripping said epicardial surface with a gripper device comprising
• a plurality of arms, each arm having an inner and an outer surface, wherein at least one of said arms is moveable;
• and, an ablator wherein said ablator is disposed on said inner surface of at least one of said moveable arms;
• and
• applying said ablator to said epicardium such that cardiac conductive tissue is ablated.

An electrode system for epicardial ablation comprising:

• a probe comprising,
• an adjustable, flexible substrate, forming a substantially closed loop, the probe having a cross section and at least one contact surface;
• and
• at least one ablator located on the at least one contact surface of the probe, wherein the loop is sized to substantially encompass a structure of the heart.

An electrode system comprising:

• a glove;
• and,
• a probe comprising an adjustable, flexible substrate, the probe having a cross section and at least one contact surface;
• at least one ablator located on the at least one contact surface of the probe, wherein said probe is in communication with said glove.

A method for epicardial ablation comprising the steps of:

• applying to the epicardium an adjustable, flexible substrate forming a substantially closed probe, and having an inner surface;
• and, at least one ablator located on the inner surface of the probe, wherein the probe is sized to substantially encompass a structure of the heart;
• and
• ablating tissue within said structure of the heart.

A method for epicardial ablation comprising the steps of:

• providing a glove comprising at least one ablator located on said glove;
• gripping the heart with said glove;
• and
• ablating cardiac tissue with the ablator located on said glove.

An electrode system for epicardial ablation comprising:

• a probe comprising an adjustable, flexible substrate forming a substantially closed loop, the probe having a cross section and at least one contact surface;
• and,
• a plurality of ablators located on the at least one contact surface of the probe, wherein each of the plurality of ablators is removably attached to the substrate;
• and, wherein the loop is sized substantially to encompass a structure of the heart.

A method for detecting the position of an endocardial ablation device and for transmyocardial ablation comprising the steps of:

• indicating the position of an endocardial ablator with an indicator located on an endocardial device;
• detecting the position of the indicator with a detector located on an epicardial probe, wherein the detector detects the position of the indicator thereby localizing the endocardial ablator;
• and,
• applying transmyocardial ablation.