Irrigant distribution system for electrodes
AssigneeSt. Jude Medical, Atrial Fibrillation Division, Inc.
InventorSteven C. Christian
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An ablation electrode assembly is provided with improved irrigation cooling of the assembly and ablation site. The assembly includes a proximal end configured to be coupled to a catheter shaft and a distal end configured to deliver ablation energy to tissue. The assembly further includes a fluid manifold extending from the proximal end to the distal end and configured to fluidly communicate with a fluid lumen in the catheter shaft. The fluid manifold defines an axial passageway centered about a longitudinal axis extending in the longitudinal direction of the assembly. The axial passageway has a distal end terminating prior to the distal end of the electrode assembly. The assembly further includes means for creating turbulence in fluid exiting the first axial passageway.
Claims14
An ablation electrode assembly, comprising:
- a proximal end configured to be coupled to a catheter shaft;
- a distal end configured to deliver ablation energy to tissue,
- a fluid manifold extending from said proximal end to said distal end and configured to fluidly communicate with a fluid lumen in the catheter shaft, said fluid manifold comprising:
- an axial passageway defining a longitudinal axis extending in the longitudinal direction of said assembly, said axial passageway having a distal end terminating prior to said distal end of said electrode assembly;
- and,
- a plurality of angled passageways extending from said distal end of said axial passageway towards said distal end of said electrode assembly, each of said angled passageways in fluid communication with said axial passageway and defining a proximal inlet port at said distal end of said axial passageway and a distal outlet port, said distal outlet port nearer to said longitudinal axis than said proximal inlet port.
An ablation electrode assembly, comprising:
- a proximal end configured to be coupled to a catheter shaft;
- a distal end configured to deliver ablation energy to tissue, a fluid manifold extending from said proximal end to said distal end and configured to fluidly communicate with a fluid lumen in the catheter shaft, said fluid manifold defining a first axial passageway centered about a longitudinal axis extending in the longitudinal direction of said assembly, said first axial passageway having a distal end terminating prior to said distal end of said electrode assembly;
- and,
- a plurality of angled passageways extending from said distal end of said first axial passageway towards said distal end of said electrode assembly, each of said angled passageways in fluid communication with said first axial passageway and defining a proximal inlet port at said distal end of said first axial passageway and a distal outlet port, said distal outlet port nearer to said axis than said proximal inlet port,
- wherein a distance between a distal outlet port of a first angled passageway of said plurality of angled passageways and a distal outlet port of a second angled passageway of said plurality of angled passageways is less than a distance between a proximal inlet port of said first angled passageway and a proximal inlet port of said second angled passageway, and
- wherein each of said plurality of angled passageways is centered about a longitudinal axis, said longitudinal axes of said plurality of angled passageways intersecting one another.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.