Cardiac ablation devices
US7837676B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 20, 2004 |
| Grant date | Nov 23, 2010 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 5, 2025 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61B2017/22061
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A cardiac ablation device treats atrial fibrillation by directing and focusing ultrasonic waves into a ring-like ablation region (A). The device desirably is steerable and can be moved between a normal disposition, in which the ablation region lies parallel to the wall of the heart for ablating a loop-like lesion, and a canted disposition, in which the ring-like focal region is tilted relative to the wall of the heart, to ablate only a short, substantially linear lesion. The ablation device desirably includes a balloon reflector structure (18, 1310) and an ultrasonic emitter assembly (23, 1326), and can be steered and positioned without reference to engagement between the device and the pulmonary vein or ostium. A contrast medium (C) can be injected through the ablation device to facilitate imaging, so that the device can be positioned based on observation of the images.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.