Insulated ablation catheter devices and methods of use
AssigneeBoston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
InventorRobert F. Bencini
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed herein is a catheter device sized and shaped for vascular access that has an elongate body extending between a proximal end and a distal end. Further, the elongate body has at least one inner lumen configured to receive a fluid. The catheter also has an ablation electrode configured to provide ablative energy, wherein the electrode is located distally along the elongate body and includes a passageway fluidly connected to the lumen of the elongate body. Also, the catheter has a sensor configured to provide a signal representative of temperature, and an insulating chamber extending at least partially about the ablation electrode and configured to at least partially insulate the sensor.
Claims22
A catheter device configured for vascular access, comprising:
- an elongate body extending between a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the elongate body includes a lumen configured to receive a fluid;
- an ablation electrode configured to provide ablative energy, wherein the ablation electrode is located distally along the elongate body and includes an inner surface, the inner surface defining a passageway fluidly connected to the lumen of the elongate body, wherein the ablation electrode includes a plurality of irrigation apertures fluidly connected to the lumen;
- a sensor configured to provide a signal representative of temperature;
- and
- an insulating chamber extending at least partially about an outer surface of the ablation electrode, wherein the outer surface has a diameter greater than a diameter of the inner surface, wherein the insulating chamber is configured to at least partially insulate the sensor from the ablation electrode, wherein the irrigation apertures are outside of the insulating chamber.
An ablation electrode device configured to provide ablative energy to cardiac tissue, comprising:
- an ablation electrode having:
- a proximal section configured for attachment to an elongate body of a catheter device;
- an inner surface defining a passageway configured to connect to a lumen of the elongate body, wherein the passageway is configured to receive a fluid;
- a plurality of irrigation apertures fluidly connected to the passageway;
- a sensor configured to provide a signal representative of a temperature of a region external to the ablation electrode;
- and
- an insulating chamber extending at least partially about an outer surface of the ablation electrode, wherein the outer surface has a diameter greater than a diameter of the inner surface, wherein the insulating chamber is configured to at least partially insulate the sensor, wherein the sensor is disposed within the insulating chamber and is spaced apart from the ablation electrode, wherein the irrigation apertures are outside of the insulating chamber.
A method of manufacturing an ablation electrode, comprising the steps of:
- providing a wall having an inner surface defining a passageway configured to connect to a lumen of an elongate body of a catheter device, wherein the passageway is configured to receive a fluid;
- forming a plurality of irrigation apertures in the wall such that the irrigation apertures are fluidly connected to the passageway;
- providing an insulating chamber extending at least partially about an outer surface of the ablation electrode, wherein the outer surface has a diameter greater than a diameter of the inner surface, wherein the irrigation apertures are outside of the insulating chamber;
- and
- placing a sensor within the insulating chamber, wherein the sensor is configured to provide a signal representative of a temperature of a region external to the ablation electrode.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.