Ultrasound-guided ablation catheter and methods of use
AssigneeSciMed Life Systems, Inc.
InventorsVeijo T. Suorsa, David K. Swanson, Dorin Panescu, Harm TenHoff, James G. Whayne
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Abstract
The present invention provides ultrasound-guided ablation catheters and methods for their use. In one embodiment, a tissue ablation apparatus (2) includes a flexible elongate body (12) having proximal (14) and distal (12) ends. A plurality of spaced-apart electrodes (24) are operably attached to the flexible body near the distal end. A plurality of transducer elements (28) are disposed between at least some of the electrodes. Transducers assist the physician in determining whether or not the ablation elements are in contact with the tissue to be ablated.
Claims24
A system for ablating tissue, comprising:
- an ablation apparatus comprising,
- a flexible elongate body having a distal end and a proximal end;
- a plurality of spaced apart ablation elements operably attached to said flexible body near said distal end;
- a plurality of transducer elements disposed between at least some of said ablation elements;
- and
- a temperature sensor coupled to the distal end and positioned distal to the plurality of ablation elements and distal to the plurality of transducer elements;
- and
- a controller in electrical communication with said ablation elements and said transducer elements;
- wherein each said ablation element has at least one said transducer element adjacent thereto, and wherein each said ablation element has at least one of said transducer elements located distal thereto.
A method of ablating tissue comprising:
- providing a tissue ablation apparatus, said apparatus comprising a flexible elongate body, a plurality of ablation elements and a plurality of transducer elements, said ablation elements and said transducer elements being operably attached to said body so that each of said plurality of ablation elements has at least one of the plurality of transducer elements located distal thereto and at least one of the plurality of transducer elements located proximal thereto, the plurality of ablation elements and transducer elements coupled to a controller;
- inserting said ablation apparatus into a patient;
- positioning said ablation apparatus within said patient so that said ablation apparatus is proximate a tissue to be ablated;
- energizing said transducer elements;
- receiving a plurality of reflected signals from said transducer elements;
- processing said reflected signals to determine if said transducer elements are in contact with said tissue to be ablated;
- and
- activating at least one of said ablation elements to ablate said tissue if said controller determines that at least one of said transducer elements adjacent said at least one ablation element is in contact with said tissue.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.