Patent · US Expired

Electrosurgical instrument for ablating endocardial tissue

US5083565A · kind A · utility

518Cited by
3References
2Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateAug 3, 1990
Grant dateJan 28, 1992
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 3, 2010

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
  • CPC primaryA61M2230/04
  • WIPO fieldMedical technology
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An endocardial electrosurgical catheter for locating and subsequently ablating ectopic foci in cardiac tissue comprises an elongated flexible tubular catheter sized to permit its being routed through the vascular system and into a cardiac chamber of the heart. The elongated catheter includes at least one pair of spaced bipolar sensing electrodes near its distal end whereby depolarization signals develop within the heart can be picked up and transmitted over electrical conductors passing through the lumen of the tubular catheter body to be applied to a EKG monitor. Also extending through the lumen of the tubular catheter body are a pair of conductors whose distal ends may selectively be made to project from or be retracted into the body of the catheter. A RF voltage from an electrosurgical generator may be coupled to the proximal ends of the wires and when the uninsulated distal ends thereof are extended so as to pierce into the myocardium, the RF voltage may be used to destroy the cells comprising an ectopic focus.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.