# US 5,643,197 A · Fluid cooled and perfused tip for a catheter

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- Number: US 5,643,197 A
- Document ID: US5643197A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 08/361,329
- Filed: 1994-12-21
- Granted: 1997-07-01
- Earliest claimed: 1993-12-21
- Assignees: Angeion Corporation
- Inventors: Gregory G. Brucker; Jerome Philip Saul; Steven D. Savage
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5643197A

## CPC

- A61B 18/1492: {having a flexible, catheter-like structure, e.g. for heart ablation (A61B18/1477 takes precedence)}
- A61B 5/283: Invasive
- A61M 25/0068: {Static characteristics of the catheter tip, e.g. shape, atraumatic tip, curved tip or tip structure}
- A61M 25/0069: {Tip not integral with tube}
- A61M 25/0082: {Catheter tip comprising a tool}
- A61B 18/1402: {Probes for open surgery}
- A61B 2017/00084: {Temperature}
- A61B 2017/22038: {with a guide wire}
- A61B 2018/00005: {Cooling or heating of the probe or tissue immediately surrounding the probe}
- A61B 2018/00011: {with fluids}
- A61B 2018/00029: {open}
- A61B 2018/00065: {porous}
- A61B 2018/00357: {Endocardium}
- A61B 2018/00577: {Ablation}
- A61B 2018/00791: {Temperature}
- A61B 2018/00982: {combined with or comprising means for visual or photographic inspections inside the body, e.g. endoscopes}
- A61B 2018/1253: {monopolar}
- A61B 2018/1467: {using more than two electrodes on a single probe}
- A61B 2218/002: Irrigation
- A61F 2002/30968: {Sintering}
- A61M 1/85: {with gas or fluid supply means, e.g. for supplying rinsing fluids or anticoagulants (for negative pressure wound therapy A61M1/92, A61M1/94; combined with tracheal tubes A61M16/0463; dental instruments with combined rinsing and aspirating A61C17/0208)}
- A61M 2025/0073: {Tip designed for influencing the flow or the flow velocity of the fluid, e.g. inserts for twisted or vortex flow}
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
- A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)}
- A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C)

## Abstract

The invention relates to an ablation catheter which controls the temperature and reduces the coagulation of biological fluids on a tip of a catheter, prevents the impedance rise of tissue in contact with the catheter tip, and maximizes the energy transfer to the tissue, thereby allowing an increase in the lesion size produced by the ablation. The ablation catheter includes a tip for applying electrical energy to biological tissue. Passages are positioned within the tip in a variety of manners for directing a fluid flow through the tip to the exterior surface of the tip to control the temperature and form a protective fluid layer around the tip. Monitoring structure is also positioned within the tip for measurement of the electrical potentials in a biological tissue. Ablation electrode structure is also positioned within the tip for application of ablative energy to the biological tissue. A flexible, extended embodiment electrode provides the capability to form deep, linear lesions along a portion of a heart wall during ablation for the treatment of particular arrhythmias.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A catheter tip for ablation of tissue comprising:
a) an elongate shaft having shaft walls defining a shaft inner lumen and shaft wall outer surfaces, the shaft having a proximal attachment end portion and a distal tip portion;
b) an electrode portion comprised of porous metal having portions mechanically connected to said shaft and electrically connected to a conductor within said shaft, said electrode placed circumferentially around a portion of said shaft and having an inner surface facing toward said shaft and an outer surface facing away from said shaft; and
c) shaft wall structures defining fluid flow apertures extending from the shaft inner lumen to the shaft wall outer surfaces; the apertures allowing the flow of fluid from the shaft inner lumen to the porous metal electrode inner surface, and the porous metal electrode defining fluid flow apertures suitable for the flow of said fluid through the fluid flow apertures to create a protective layer of fluid around the electrode outer surface.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The catheter tip of claim 1 in which the porous metal electrode comprises a sintered metal material.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The catheter tip of claim 1 further comprising solid ring electrodes around said shaft near said porous metal electrode, said solid ring electrodes having an electrical connection to a conductor within said shaft.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The catheter tip of claim 1 further comprising a tip electrode at said distal tip of said shaft, said tip electrode having an electrical connection to a conductor within said shaft.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The catheter tip of claim 1 in which the electrode portion comprises porous metal ring electrodes separated by flexible plastic shaft wall segments.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The catheter tip of claim 1 in which the porous metal electrode portion comprises an elongated flexible woven mesh metal structure.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The catheter tip of claim 1 further comprising temperature sensing means used as a feedback system for adjusting the flow rate of a fluid through the catheter tip.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The catheter tip of claim 1 further comprising ablation means.