Systems and apparatus for sensing temperature in body tissue
AssigneeEP Technologies, Inc.
InventorsDavid K. Swanson, Sidney D. Fleischman, Thomas M. Bourne, Dorin Panescu
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Abstract
An apparatus for ablating body tissue has an electrode for contacting tissue to transmit ablation energy. A tissue temperature sensing element is held in a thermally conducting carrier on the electrode. The carrier holds the tissue temperature sensing element in thermal conductive contact with tissue, while keeping the temperature sensing element in isolation from thermal conductive contact with the electrode. The carrier has prescribed thermal conductive characteristics that significantly improve the sensitivity of the temperature sensing element to tissue temperature and not the temperature of the electrode.
Claims25
An apparatus for ablating body tissue comprising
- an electrode for contacting tissue to transmit ablation energy,
- a tissue temperature sensing element,
- a carrier on the electrode to hold the tissue temperature sensing element in thermal conductive contact with tissue, the carrier having a thermal conductivity of at least 1.0 W/m K, the carrier being substantially isolated from thermal conductive contact with the electrode,
- a first electrical insulator between the carrier and the tissue temperature sensing element, and
- a second electrical insulator between the carrier and the electrode.
An apparatus for ablating body tissue comprising
- an electrode for contacting tissue to transmit ablation energy,
- a tissue temperature sensing element,
- a carrier on the electrode to hold the tissue temperature sensing element in thermal conductive contact with tissue, the carrier including a metallic material which is substantially isolated from thermal conductive contact with the electrode,
- a first electrical insulator between the carrier and the tissue temperature sensing element, and
- a second electrical insulator between the carrier and the electrode.
An apparatus for ablating body tissue comprising
- an electrode for contacting tissue to transmit ablation energy,
- a carrier including a metallic material, the carrier including an end wall and side wall enclosing an interior, the electrode holding the carrier to position the end wall in thermal conductive contact with tissue,
- a tissue temperature sensing element held within the carrier interior in thermal conductive contact with the carrier end wall, and
- a barrier located between the carrier side wall and the electrode to substantially isolate the carrier from thermal conductive contact with the electrode.
An apparatus for ablating body tissue comprising
- an electrode for contacting tissue to form a tissue-electrode interface, the electrode being adapted to be connected to a source of ablation energy to conduct ablation energy for transmission by the electrode into tissue at the tissue-electrode interface,
- a carrier made from a metallic material, the carrier including an end wall and side wall enclosing an interior, the electrode holding the carrier to position the end wall in thermal conductive contact with tissue below the tissue-electrode interface,
- a tissue temperature sensing element held within the carrier interior in thermal conductive contact with the carrier end wall, and
- a barrier located between the carrier side wall and the electrode to substantially isolate the carrier from thermal conductive contact with the electrode.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.