Methods and devices for performing ablation and assessing efficacy thereof

A method of performing ablation, said method comprising the steps of:

• delivering an ablation energy or substance from an ablation device to a target area of tissue to form a lesion therein;
• delivering an electrical signal via said ablation device to non-ablated tissue on one side of the lesion;
• and
• monitoring non-ablated tissue on an opposite side of the lesion to assess whether electrical conduction through the lesion has occurred.

A method of assessing the efficacy of an ablation procedure, said method comprising the steps of:

• contacting an electrode, extending from a device used to perform an ablation, to non-ablated tissue on one side of a target area for lesion formation by the ablation procedure;
• delivering an electrical signal via said electrode to the non-ablated tissue contacted by the electrode;
• and
• monitoring non-ablated tissue on an opposite side of the target area to assess electrical conduction from said electrode to said non-ablated tissue on the opposite side of the target area.

A method of performing atrial ablation, said method comprising the steps of:

• delivering an ablation energy or substance from an ablation device to a target area of tissue to form one or more lesions to surround one or more pulmonary vein ostia;
• delivering an electrical signal via said ablation device to non-ablated tissue on one side of the lesion formation made by said one or more lesions;
• and
• monitoring non-ablated tissue on an opposite side of the lesion formation to assess whether electrical conduction across at least one of the lesions, or through a gap between lesions has occurred.