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US 7,001,415 B2Granted
Transmural ablation device
AssigneeAtriCure, Inc.
InventorMichael D. Hooven
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus for transmural ablation using an instrument containing two electrodes or cryogenic probes. A clamping force is exerted on the two electrodes or probes such that the tissue of the hollow organ is clamped therebetween. Bipolar RF energy is then applied between the two electrodes, or the probes are cryogenically cooled, thus ablating the tissue therebetween. A monitoring device measures a suitable parameter, such as impedance or temperature, and indicates when the tissue between the electrodes has been fully ablated.
Claims11
A device for clamping and ablating cardiac tissue comprising:
- first and second jaws, the jaws being relatively movable between a first open position and a second clamped position, the jaws having opposed clamping surfaces, each clamping surface having a width;
- a first elongated conductive ablation member carried by the first jaw;
- a second elongated conductive ablation member carried by the second jaw;
- the first and second conductive ablation members being adapted to be connected to a bipolar RF energy source;
- each conductive ablation member having a surface contoured to engage tissue clamped between the jaws without cutting and positioned to provide an ablation line through tissue which is substantially narrower than the width of the clamping surface;
- and
- each jaw comprising at least three distinct elements, an elongated support member supporting substantially the entire length of its associated conductive ablation member, the first or second elongated conductive ablation member, and an insulator disposed between the conductive member and the support member.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.