Patent · US Expired

Cryogenic catheter

US5281215A · kind A · utility

595Cited by
33References
16Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateJun 15, 1992
Grant dateJan 25, 1994
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 15, 2012

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
  • CPC primaryA61F2007/0056
  • WIPO fieldMedical technology
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

The invention provides a catheter for ice mapping and ablation and a method of ablation using the catheter. The catheter includes at least two lumens for circulating a refrigerating fluid adjacent an ablation device located at the end of a catheter. The refrigerated ablation device is used to chill a localized region of myocardial tissue, thereby permitting the resulting change in electrical activity to be determined. In response to the test results, the ablation device may be used to make a lesion in the myocardial tissue to correct a cardiac arrhythmia. In one embodiment, the ablation device is an electrode which uses radio frequency energy to ablate the myocardial tissue. Alternatively, the ablation device is an electrode adapted for direct current ablation. In another embodiment, the electrode is replaced with an optical fiber in communication with a laser which uses the laser's light energy to ablate tissue. Yet another embodiment is a cryogenic catheter, useful for cooling tissue for other applications, for use as combined or separate mapping and ablation devices, or for use with the ice mapping and ablation means of the present invention. The embodiments may include provisio…

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