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US 5,431,649 AGranted
Method and apparatus for R-F ablation
AssigneeMedtronic, Inc.
InventorsPeter M. J. Mulier, Michael F. Hoey
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An ablation catheter and a method of performing cardiac ablation. The catheter is provided with a hollow, helical electrode, which is screwed into cardiac tissue at a desired ablation site and connected to a source of R-F electrical energy to ablate the tissue adjacent the electrode. Prior to ablation, a conductive fluid may be injected through the hollow needle, both to provide for cooling of the tissue adjacent the needle and to increase the conductivity of the tissue in the area of the electrode.
Claims13
An ablation catheter system, comprising:
- an elongated catheter body having a proximal end, a distal end and an internal longitudinal lumen;
- an elongated electrical conductor, mounted within said catheter body;
- a hollow helical conductive needle mounted to the proximal end of said catheter body and having an internal lumen coupled to the internal lumen of said catheter body, said hollow needle coupled to said electrical conductor;
- fluid delivery means coupled to the internal lumen of said catheter body for delivering a conductive fluid to said internal lumen of said catheter body;
- and
- a source of R-F electrical energy, coupled to said electrical conductor.
3 more elements
A method of catheter ablation, comprising:
- advancing an elongated catheter having a proximal end, a distal end, an internal longitudinal lumen, an electrical conductor and a hollow helical conductive needle mounted to the proximal end of said catheter body, coupled to the internal lumen of said catheter and to said electrical conductor, to a desired site within a heart;
- screwing said helical needle into heart tissue at said desired site;
- delivering a conductive fluid through the internal lumen of said catheter to said helical needle;
- coupling said electrical conductor to a source of R-F electrical energy;
- and
- delivering R-F electrical energy to said helical needle.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.