Patent · US Expired

Circumferential ablation device assembly

US6117101A · kind A · utility

1,114Cited by
62References
35Claims
0Family size

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Key dates

Filing dateNov 25, 1998
Grant dateSep 12, 2000
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 25, 2018

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
  • CPC primaryA61N7/022
  • WIPO fieldMedical technology
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

This invention is a circumferential ablation device assembly which is adapted to forming a circumferential conduction block in a pulmonary vein. The assembly includes a circumferential ablation element which is adapted to ablate a circumferential region of tissue along a pulmonary vein wall which circumscribes the pulmonary vein lumen, thereby transecting the electrical conductivity of the pulmonary vein against conduction along its longitudinal axis and into the left atrium. The circumferential ablation element includes an expandable member with a working length that is adjustable from a radially collapsed position to a radially expanded position. An equatorial band circumscribes the outer surface of the working length and is adapted to ablate tissue adjacent thereto when actuated by an ablation actuator. The equatorial band has a length relative to the longitudinal axis of the expandable member that is narrow relative to the working length, and is also substantially shorter than its circumference when the working length is in the radially expanded position. A pattern of insulators may be included over an ablation element which otherwise spans the working length in order to form t…

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