Patent · US Expired

Wide-aperture catheter-based microwave cardiac ablation antenna

US6699241B2 · kind B2 · utility

272Cited by
7References
10Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateAug 8, 2001
Grant dateMar 2, 2004
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 8, 2021

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
  • CPC primaryA61B2018/1861
  • WIPO fieldMedical technology
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A catheter-based microwave antenna cardiac ablation applicator has been developed which unlike previously-developed ablation catheters, forms a wide aperture that produces a large heating pattern. The antenna comprises a spiral antenna connected to the center conductor of a coaxial line, and which is insulated from blood and tissue by a non-conductive fluid filled balloon. The antenna can be furled inside a catheter for transluminal guiding. Once in place at the cardiac target, the balloon is inflated, and the coiled spiral antenna is ejected into the inflated balloon. The wide aperture antenna generates a ring-shaped power pattern. The heat generated from this deposited power is conducted through a volume larger than the spiral diameter, ablating diseased tissue. The resultant lesion profile is both wider and deeper than that of either conventionally-used RF catheter-based ablation electrodes, or that of other microwave applicators, and provides greater heating accuracy and controllability.

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