US 6,607,502 B1 · Apparatus and method incorporating an ultrasound transducer onto a delivery member

Abstract

A medical device assembly and method provides an ultrasound transducer mounted onto a delivery member, such the elongate body of a catheter shaft, without a support structure bridging between a separation area between the transducer and the shaft. Mounting flanges are extend from either end of the transducer and are mounted at first and second locations along the catheter shaft such that the transducer is suspended over the catheter shaft between those mounting locations. The flanges may be connected by an intermediate member, with the transducer supported on either an outer surface or an inner surface of the intermediate member. The intermediate member may also provide a housing with an enclosed space that houses the transducer, wherein the flanges extend from the housing for mounting to the catheter shaft. In an overall tissue coupling system, a cylindrical ultrasound transducer are mounted onto a catheter shaft by use of such mounting flanges extending from the transducer's ends and such that the ultrasound transducer is enclosed within a balloon also provided on the catheter. The balloon is ideally adapted to engage a circumferential region of tissue where a pulmonary vein extends from an atrium such that the cylindrical ultrasound transducer is able to couple through the balloon inflation fluid and to the circumferential region of tissue surrounding the balloon for ablation. The transducer is substantially “airbacked” when mounted onto a delivery member according to the present assembly and method.

Claims44

Dependent claims

A tissue ablation system, comprising:

an elongate body with a proximal end portion, and a distal end portion having a longitudinal axis and a radial axis and which is adapted to be positioned within a body space of a patient by manipulating the proximal end portion;
and
an ultrasound ablation element suspended on the distal end portion with a radial separation that defines a radial separation area between the ultrasound ablation element and the distal end portion, and without a support structure bridging across the radial separation area between the ultrasound ablation element and the distal end portion.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Apparatus and method incorporating an ultrasound transducer onto a delivery member

Life of this patent

Apparatus and method incorporating an ultrasound transducer onto a delivery member

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims44