US 5,792,140 AGranted

Catheter having cooled multiple-needle electrode

AssigneeIrvine Biomedical, Inc.

InventorsHosheng Tu, Weng-Kwen Raymond Chia

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Abstract

An improved ablation catheter with at least one multiple-needle electrode can be used in ablating the arrhythmogenic region instead of an arrhythmogenic point of a patient. This catheter is particularly useful for treating the patient with atrial fibrillation (AFib) indications. A catheter suitable for radiofrequency ablation of cardiac tissues comprises a delivery catheter and an inner catheter having a distal section, a distal end, a proximal end and at least one lumen extending therebetween. The ablation catheter has a temperature sensor and a close-loop temperature control. The ablation catheter having at least one multiple-needle electrode is inserted into the chambers of the heart to create a plurality of deep, large, and contiguous lesions by applying radiofrequency energy and cooled fluid to said electrode.

Claims14

Dependent claims

An ablation catheter comprising:

a delivery catheter having a distal end, a proximal end, and at least one lumen extending therebetween;
a handle attached to the proximal end of the delivery catheter;
an inner catheter located within the lumen of the delivery catheter, having a distal tip section, a distal end, a proximal end, and a central lumen extending therebetween, wherein the distal tip section has at least one electrode;
a plurality of needles on the at least one electrode which form a multiple-needle electrode, wherein each needle has a needle structure comprising a hollow passage with an outlet port;
and
means formed within the needle structure for providing fluid communication and commensurate flow of fluid originating inside the needle structure to portions of the exterior surface of the said at least one electrode through the said hollow passage which direct the fluid flow from inside the central lumen of the inner catheter over the exterior surface of the needles to provide a fluid protective layer surrounding the electrode to minimize temperature elevation of the electrode with biological tissues.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.