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US 9,055,959 B2Granted
Methods and devices for ablation
AssigneeSt. Jude Medical, Atrial Fibrillation Division, Inc.
InventorsMatthias Vaska, Stephen W. Boyd, Hanson S. Gifford, James L. Cox, Jonathan L. Podmore, John E. Crowe, Michael C Holzbaur, Timothy E. Ciciarelli, Drew Hoffmann, Casey Tansey, John W. Sliwa, Scott C. Anderson
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Abstract
An ablating device has a cover which holds an interface material such as a gel. The cover contains the interface material during initial placement of the device. The ablating device may also have a removable tip or a membrane filled with fluid. In still another aspect, the ablating device may be submerged in liquid during operation.
Claims21
A device for ablating tissue, the device comprising:
- a first flexible, elongate tubular probe biased into a straight configuration, the first probe including a first contact surface, said first contact surface having a first surface area configured to contact an epicardial tissue surface, and a first exposed ablating element on said first contact surface, said first exposed ablating element having a second surface area less than said first surface area, and wherein the first probe comprises a proximal end and an atraumatic distal end;
- a second flexible, elongate tubular probe, the second probe including a second contact surface, said second contact surface having a third surface area configured to contact tissue on the epicardial tissue surface, and a second exposed ablating element on said second contact surface, said second exposed ablating element having a fourth surface area less than said third surface area, wherein the second probe comprises a proximal end and an atraumatic distal end, and wherein said first and second exposed ablating elements are operable to be brought into substantially opposing relation with the first exposed ablating element facing the second exposed ablating element and spaced apart from the second exposed ablating element so as to accommodate interposition of a tissue to be ablated therebetween by each of the first and second exposed ablating elements;
- and
- a control system coupled to said first and second exposed ablating elements, wherein said control system comprises a processor configured to monitor ablation progress and a controller configured to control at least one of said first and second exposed ablating elements in response to at least one output of said processor.
1 more element
An apparatus for ablating tissue, the apparatus comprising:
- a first flexible, elongate tubular probe biased into a straight configuration, the first probe including a first contact surface, said first contact surface having a first surface area configured to contact an epicardial tissue surface, and a first exposed ablating element on said first contact surface, said first exposed ablating element having a second surface area less than said first surface area, and wherein the first probe comprises a proximal end and an atraumatic distal end;
- a second flexible, elongate tubular probe, the second probe including a second contact surface, said second contact surface having a third surface area configured to contact tissue on the epicardial tissue surface, and a second exposed ablating element on said second contact surface, said second exposed ablating element having a fourth surface area less than said third surface area, wherein the second probe comprises a proximal end and an atraumatic distal end, and wherein said first and second exposed ablating elements are operable to be brought into substantially opposing relation with the first exposed ablating element facing the second exposed ablating element and spaced apart from the second exposed ablating element so as to accommodate interposition of a tissue to be ablated therebetween by each of the first and second exposed ablating elements;
- and
- means for controlling configured to monitor ablation progress and control at least one of said first and second exposed ablating elements in response to at least one output of said processor, wherein the means for controlling is coupled to said first and second exposed ablating elements.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.