US 6,893,436 B2 · Ablation instrument having a flexible distal portion

Abstract

An ablation instrument having a flexible portion at or near the distal portion of the instrument, is provided. The instrument includes an elongated tubular member having a steerable distal end configured to deflect, or otherwise direct, and properly position at least a portion of the distal portion, comprising an ablation device, during an ablation procedure. The instrument further includes a deflectable member which cooperates with the steering system allowing for the proper placement of the ablation device adjacent or proximate to the target tissue surface. The steering system may alternatively be incorporated into a separate guiding catheter as part of the catheter system.

Claims5

Dependent claims

A method of ablating biological tissue with an ablation apparatus including an elongated member having a flexible distal portion supporting an ablation element to emit ablative energy, the method comprising the steps for;

advancing the distal portion into a patient's body toward a target tissue site;
deflecting the elongated member proximal the distal portion in order to deflect the distal portion in response to contact with tissue at the target tissue site;
additionally deflecting the elongated member to move the distal portion in flexible contact with the tissue along an extended path at the target tissue site;
and
applying ablative energy to the ablation element during the additional deflecting to ablate tissue along the extended path.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

10/039,872Filed 3 Jan 2002

Published

US 2003/0125720 A13 Jul 2003

Granted

17 May 2005

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification7 codes

A61B 18/1815
By applying electromagnetic radiation, e.g. microwaves: using microwaves
A61B 18/1492
Probes or electrodes therefor: having a flexible, catheter-like structure, e.g. for heart ablation
A61B 18/18
Surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body: by applying electromagnetic…
A61B 2017/003
Mounted on or guided by flexible, e.g. catheter-like, means: steerable

Ablation instrument having a flexible distal portion

Life of this patent

Ablation instrument having a flexible distal portion

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims5