Catheter with radiofrequency heating applicator
AssigneeSensor Electronics, Inc.
InventorEdwin Langberg
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Radiofrequency (RF) heating applicator, located at the distal end of a coaxial line catheter, produces deeper and more uniform heat dissipation. The active applicator element is a conductor helix fed via the coaxial line. The applicator has provisions for interception of intracardiac electrogram signal. A cardiac ablation system using the above catheter, ablates cardiac tissue responsible for ventricular tachycardia. The ablation system provides means to monitor intracardiac electrograms and to control the RF power. A variation of the helical applicator can be used in a hyperthermia system for treatment of malignant tumors.
Claims10
A radiofrequency (RF) heating and monitoring applicator connected to an RF energy source and an intracardiac electrogram monitor, and comprising
- a transmission line having a proximal end connected to the RF energy source and to said monitor and further having a distal end;
- a solenoidal antenna at said distal end of said transmission line commensurate with the transmission line in diameter;
- at least one monitoring electrode carried on said antenna;
- and
- coupling means for connection of said solenoidal antenna to said monitoring electrode and to the transmission line for providing efficient coupling of RF energy from the RF energy source through the transmission line to the solenoidal antenna and for transmitting lower frequency intracardiac potential intercepted by said at least one monitoring electrode to said proximal end of the transmission line.
An RF heating and monitoring cardiac ablation catheter system comprising
- source and controller of RF energy;
- an intracardiac electrogram monitor;
- a thin and flexible catheter transmission line having a proximal end and a distal end;
- a proximal coupling means for interconnection of said source and controller of RF energy and said intracardiac electrogram monitor to the proximal end of said catheter transmission line;
- a solenoidal antenna connected to the distal end of the catheter transmission line;
- at least one intracardiac electrogram pickup electrode at the distal end of the catheter transmission line;
- and
- a distal coupling means for connection of said solenoidal antenna and said at least one intracardiac electrogram pickup electrode to a distal end of said catheter transmission line, said proximal and distal coupling means with said transmission line further comprising frequency-sensitive filter elements, for transmitting RF power from the source to the solenoidal antenna and for transmitting an intracardiac electrogram signal from said at least one intracardiac electrogram pickup electrode to the monitor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.