Surgical ablation probe for forming a circumferential lesion

A surgical ablation probe for ablating a circumferential region of tissue at a location where a pulmonary vein extends from an atrium, comprising:

• a substantially rigid shaft configured for insertion through an opening in a patient's chest, the substantially rigid shaft having proximal and distal end portions and a longitudinal axis, wherein said distal end portion has an angle relative to said longitudinal axis of said shaft and said distal end portion of said shaft is deflectable by manipulation of a pull-wire system, such that deflection of said distal end portion changes said angle;
• a handle coupled to said proximal end portion of said shaft for manipulating said surgical ablation probe;
• a cylindrical ultrasound transducer coaxially disposed over said distal end portion of said shaft and adapted for ablating said circumferential region of tissue, wherein said angle in said distal end portion of said shaft is adapted to facilitate placement of said ultrasound transducer at said location;
• and
• an anchoring member located along said distal end portion of said shaft for releasably anchoring said ultrasound transducer at said location.

A surgical ablation probe for ablating a circumferential region of tissue at a location where a pulmonary vein extends from an atrium, comprising:

• a substantially rigid shaft configured for insertion through an opening in a patient's chest, the substantially rigid shaft having proximal and distal end portions and a longitudinal axis, wherein said distal end portion has an angle relative to said longitudinal axis of said shaft;
• a handle coupled to said proximal end portion of said shaft for manipulating said surgical ablation probe;
• and
• a circumferential ablation member mounted on said distal end portion and adapted for ablating said circumferential region of tissue, the circumferential ablation member including an expandable member and one or more ablation elements, the ablation elements being mounted on the outer surface of the expandable member.

A surgical ablation probe for ablating a circumferential region of tissue at a location where a pulmonary vein extends from an atrium, comprising:

• a substantially rigid shaft configured for insertion through an opening in a patient's chest, the substantially rigid shaft having proximal and distal end portions and a longitudinal axis, wherein said distal end portion has an angle relative to said longitudinal axis of said shaft;
• a handle coupled to said proximal end portion of said shaft for manipulating said surgical ablation probe;
• and
• a circumferential ablation member mounted on said distal end portion and adapted for ablating said circumferential region of tissue, the circumferential ablation member including an expandable member and an ablation element, the ablation element being mounted on the substantially rigid shaft inside the expandable member.

A surgical ablation probe for ablating a circumferential region of tissue at a location where a pulmonary vein extends from an atrium, comprising:

• a substantially rigid shaft configured for insertion through an opening in a patient's chest, the substantially rigid shaft having proximal and distal end portions and a longitudinal axis, wherein said distal end portion has an angle relative to said longitudinal axis of said shaft;
• a handle coupled to said proximal end portion of said shaft for manipulating said surgical ablation probe;
• and
• a circumferential ablation member mounted on said distal end portion and adapted for ablating said circumferential region of tissue, wherein said angle in said distal end portion of said shaft is adapted to facilitate placement of said circumferential ablation member at said location, said ablation member comprising a cylindrical ultrasound transducer coaxially disposed over said distal end portion of said shaft, wherein said ultrasound transducer has an inner wall and an inner diameter which is greater than an outer diameter of said shaft, such that an air gap is provided in a radial separation between said inner wall of said ultrasound transducer and said shaft.