Patent · US Active

Catheter with cryogenic and electrical heating ablation

US7896870B2 · kind B2 · utility

41Cited by
112References
6Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateSep 10, 2007
Grant dateMar 1, 2011
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 10, 2027

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
  • CPC primaryA61B2018/0268
  • WIPO fieldMedical technology
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A catheter includes a cryoablation tip with an ablation assembly for heating tissue. The cryoablation tip may be implemented with a cooling chamber and have an RF electrode at its distal end. The electrode may be operated to warm cryogenically-cooled tissue, or the coolant may be controlled in combination with an RF treatment regimen to enhance the lesion size, speed or placement of multi-lesion or single lesion cycles. In one embodiment a microwave energy source operates to extend beyond the thermal conduction depth, or penetrate the ice ball and be absorbed in tissue beyond an ice boundary, thus extending a dimension of treatment. Also, the cooling and application of RF energy can be controlled to position the ablation region away from the surface contacted by the electrode thereby leaving surface tissue unharmed while ablating at depth or to provide an ablation band of greater uniformity with increasing depth.

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