Nasogastric tube for use during an ablation procedure
OwnerJames D. Maloneyinventor
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Abstract
Embodiments of the present invention provide a nastogastric tube for deflecting an esophagus during an ablation procedure. According to one embodiment, the nasogastric tube includes a flexible tube comprising at least one lumen having proximal and distal ends, and an esophageal deflector positioned within the at least one lumen and configured to be mechanically actuated to assume a curved profile so as to deflect a portion of the tube between the proximal and distal ends. The esophageal deflector is configured to deflect the portion of the tube proximate to a retrocardiac portion of the esophagus such that the retrocardiac portion of the esophagus is deflected away from an ablation site.
Claims27
A nasogastric tube for deflecting an esophagus during an ablation procedure comprising:
- a flexible tube comprising at least one lumen having proximal and distal ends;
- and
- an esophageal deflector positioned within the at least one lumen, the esophageal deflector configured to be mechanically actuated to assume a curved profile so as to deflect a portion of the tube between the proximal and distal ends, wherein the esophageal deflector is configured to deflect the portion of the tube proximate to a retrocardiac portion of the esophagus such that the retrocardiac portion of the esophagus is deflected away from an ablation site.
A method for deflecting an esophagus during an ablation procedure comprising:
- inserting a nasogastric tube into the esophagus, wherein the nasogastric tube comprises at least one lumen having proximal and distal ends and an esophageal deflector positioned within the at least one lumen;
- and
- mechanically actuating the esophageal deflector to assume a curved profile so as to deflect a portion of the tube between the proximal and distal ends and proximate to a retrocardiac portion of the esophagus such that the retrocardiac portion of the esophagus is deflected away from an ablation site.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.