Systems and methods using a porous electrode for ablating and visualizing interior tissue regions
US5722403A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 28, 1996 |
| Grant date | Mar 3, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 28, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61B2018/00065
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A porous electrode assembly includes a wall having a surface capable of contacting tissue. The wall peripherally surrounds an interior area. The assembly also includes a lumen to convey a medium containing ions into the interior area, as well as an electrically conductive element, which couples the medium within the interior area to a source of electrical energy. At least a portion of the wall comprises a porous material, which is sized to pass ions contained in the medium, to thereby enable ionic transport of electrical energy through the porous material to tissue contacting the wall. An imaging element is located in the interior area, which is coupled to a source of visualizing energy for visualizing tissue. At least a portion of the wall is generally transparent to the visualizing energy.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.