Ablation catheter and electrode

Abstract

An ablation catheter including a shaft supporting one or more partially or completely exposed braided electrodes that may be positioned against a target tissue to ablate the tissue. The shaft may be precurved in a loop-like shape or any other shape to assist in positioning the electrode against a target tissue. The shaft may include a fluid lumen to direct a fluid material, which may be conductive, through one or more apertures or ports. The ports are adapted to direct the fluid past portions of the braided electrode to cool the electrode, flush blood away from the electrode, and to transfer ablation energy to the target tissue. Ablation energy may be delivered directly by the electrode and by way of a conductive fluid contacting the electrode. The shaft may further include a second lumen to provide a housing for a control wire that may be used to control the shape of the shaft.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.