Ultrasound imaging catheter having an independently-controllable treatment structure

A catheter apparatus comprising:

• an elongate flexible main catheter body having proximal and distal ends;
• an ultrasound transducer, integrated into a first side of said main body proximate to said distal end, configured to provide a field of view within an imaging field substantially orthogonal to said first side of said main catheter body;
• and
• an elongate flexible treatment structure, axially fixed on said first side of said main catheter body and having proximal and distal ends, including, a therapeutic device at said distal end of said treatment structure,
• wherein motion of said treatment structure is controllable independently of said catheter main body such that said treatment structure is extended away from and retracted towards said main catheter body to provide said therapeutic device with a range of movement that confines all operative locations to be within said imaging field.

A cardiac imaging and ablation catheter apparatus comprising:

• an elongate flexible main catheter body having proximal and distal ends and configured to be positioned within an atrium and ventricle of a heart;
• an ultrasound transducer, mounted into a side of said main body proximate to said distal end, configured to provide a field of view within a imaging field substantially orthogonal to said side of said main catheter body;
• and
• an elongate flexible ablation support structure, axially fixed on said side of the main catheter body and having proximal and distal ends, including,
• a deployable segment, having proximal and distal ends, configured to be positioned in a non-deployed position and a range of deployed positions, including an ablation electrode with a range of movement restricted to a predetermined path necessarily including operative locations within said imaging field when said deployable segment travels through said range of deployed positions,
• a non-deployable segment, having a distal end connected to said proximal end of said deployable segment and a distal end, axially coupled to said main catheter body;
• inner and outer flexible sleeves extending axially along said deployable segment, and
• upper and lower deflection bands interposed between said inner and outer sleeves and axially extending through said deployable segment, said deflection bands configured to restrict said deployable segment to said range of deployed positions.

A method for performing cardiac imaging and ablation, comprising the steps of:

• 1) articulating an elongate flexible main catheter body having proximal and distal ends so that said distal end is positioned within a desired location within a body;
• 2) manipulating, through an independent control means that does not control said main catheter body, an elongate flexible ablation support structure from a non-deployed position wherein an axis of said elongate support structure is substantially parallel with a longitudinal axis of said main catheter body, to one of a plurality of deployed positions that necessarily requires said ablation electrode to have operative positions within a field of view of an ultrasound transducer mounted within said main body;
• 3) performing the ablation therapy under guidance of said ultrasound transducer;
• and
• 4) retracting said ablation support structure to said non-deployed position .