Ablation catheter with thermally mediated catheter body for mitigating blood coagulation and creating larger lesion

US8449537B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• St. Jude Medical, Atrial Fibrillation Division, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Hong Cao · Savage, US
• Xiaoping Guo · Eden Prairie, US
• Isaac Shai · Springfield, US
• Michael X. Yang · Palo Alto, US
• Kedar R. Belhe · Minnetonka, US
• Saurav Paul · Minnetonka, US
• Chou Thao · Brooklyn Park, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 29, 2006
• Grant date: May 28, 2013
• Expiry date: Sep 25, 2030

Classification

• Technology area (CPC A): Human Necessities
• CPC primary: A61B2018/00357
• WIPO field: Medical technology
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

An ablation catheter is provided for ablating internal tissue of a patient. The catheter includes a distal end that is adapted to be inserted into a body cavity relative to a desired location therein (e.g., within the heart). An ablation electrode is connected relative to the distal end of the catheter for providing ablation energy to patient tissue. A heat sink is provided that is in thermal contact with the ablation electrode. The heat sink, in addition to being in thermal contact with the ablation electrode, is electrically isolated from the ablation electrode. This allows the heat sink to conduct heat away from the ablation electrode without dissipating electrical energy from the electrode. In this regard, the heat sink may prevent build-up of excess heat within the electrode that may result in blood coagulation and/or tissue charring.