Electrosurgical catheter and method for resolving atherosclerotic plaque by radio frequency sparking
AssigneeAngioplasty Systems, Inc.
InventorMichael Janssen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method, and device utilized to practice it, for the resolution of tissue by radio frequency sparking. The device of the present invention having a distal end which is insertable within and along the lumen of a tubular body member and manipulated there through to desired position where the device will be operated. The device comprises an elongated flexible hollow tube having a distal end, a proximal end, and a diameter smaller than the diameter of the tubular, body member into which the device is being inserted; passage means within the tube; a plurality of electrodes adjacent the distal end of the device; and means for selectively supplying radio frequency electrical current to at least one of said electrodes.
Claims18
An electrosurgical device for resolving an occlusive deposit in a lumen of a blood vessel having a distal end which is insertable within and along the lumen of the vessel and manipulatable therethrough to a desired position where the device is operated to resolve the occlusive deposit by radio frequency sparking, said device comprising:
- (a) an elongated flexible hollow tube having a distal end, a proximal end, and a diameter smaller than the diameter of the vessel lumen into which said device is being inserted;
- (b) a plurality of electrodes proximate said distal end of the tube, the electrodes being spaced radially about the tube;
- (c) selection means in electrical communication with the electrodes for selectively supplying a radio frequency electrical current to at least one of said electrodes whereby said at least one electrode becomes a transmitting electrode and a user can limit the radial direction of radio frequency sparking to the radial location of the occlusive deposit corresponding to the transmitting electrode so as to minimize damage to the vessel;
- and
- current return means on the tube for returning current to the selection means.
A method for reducing the flow restriction effects of an occlusive deposit located at a point in a vessel, comprising:
- (a) obtaining access to the interior of said vessel;
- (b) inserting the distal end of a catheter consisting of an electrical conductor terminated in a plurality of radially spaced electrodes into said vessel;
- (c) adjusting the position of said electrodes adjacent to said point;
- (d) identifying the radially spaced electrodes adjacent to the occlusive deposit;
- and
- (e) selectively applying radio frequency energy to the identified electrodes adjacent said occlusive deposit so that said energy will cause sparking from only the identified electrodes to resolve the occlusive deposit while minimizing damage to the vessel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.