IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
UP-0359808
(2006-02-22)
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등록번호 |
US-7815637
(2010-11-08)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
- Ormsby, Theodore C.
- Law, Ming-Fan
- Leung, George L.
|
대리인 / 주소 |
Procopio, Cory, Hargreaves & Savitch LLP
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
32 인용 특허 :
81 |
초록
▼
A RF catheter system includes a catheter with a proximal portion, a distal portion having a distal end and a lumen extending from the proximal portion to the distal portion. Inner and outer coaxially aligned conductors extend within the catheter and are coaxial with the lumen. A deflectable catheter
A RF catheter system includes a catheter with a proximal portion, a distal portion having a distal end and a lumen extending from the proximal portion to the distal portion. Inner and outer coaxially aligned conductors extend within the catheter and are coaxial with the lumen. A deflectable catheter guide is disposed within the catheter lumen and extends proximally within the catheter lumen and terminates distally of the distal end of the catheter to define a biological ablation pathway. A radio-frequency antenna is disposed at the distal portion of the catheter and is in electrical communication with the inner and outer coaxially aligned conductors. The radio-frequency antenna is adaptable to receive and transmit radio-frequency energy for ablating biological tissue along the ablation pathway.
대표청구항
▼
What is claimed is: 1. A radio-frequency-based catheter system for ablating biological tissues within the body vessel of a patient, comprising: a) a catheter adapted for insertion into the body vessel of the patient, the catheter having a proximal portion with a proximal end, a distal portion with
What is claimed is: 1. A radio-frequency-based catheter system for ablating biological tissues within the body vessel of a patient, comprising: a) a catheter adapted for insertion into the body vessel of the patient, the catheter having a proximal portion with a proximal end, a distal portion with a distal end and a lumen extending from the proximal portion to the distal portion; b) inner and outer coaxially aligned conductors extending within the catheter and coaxial with the lumen; c) a deflectable catheter guide disposed within the catheter lumen extending proximally within the catheter lumen, the deflectable catheter guide having a distal portion which includes an atraumatic tip which protrudes from the distal end of the catheter; d) a radio-frequency antenna disposed at the distal portion of the catheter and in electrical communication with the inner and outer coaxially aligned conductors, the radio-frequency antenna being adaptable to receive and transmit radio-frequency energy for ablating biological tissue along a biological ablation pathway defined by the deflectable catheter guide; and e) a deflection control mechanism at the proximal end of said catheter which is linked to said deflectable catheter guide and which controls deflection of said deflectable catheter guide in order to vary the configuration of the distal portion of the catheter which carries the antenna. 2. The radio-frequency-based catheter system according to claim 1, wherein the atraumatic tip is formed of radio-opaque material. 3. The radio-frequency-based catheter system according to claim 1, wherein the deflectable catheter guide includes at least one intracardiac electrocardiogram electrode. 4. The radio-frequency-based catheter system according to claim 1, wherein the deflectable catheter guide is made of a shape memory alloy material. 5. The radio-frequency-based catheter system according to claim 1, wherein the radio-frequency antenna is adaptable to receive and transmit microwave energy at a frequency greater than 300 Megahertz. 6. The radio-frequency-based catheter system according to claim 1, wherein the deflectable catheter guide extends distally from the distal end to define a guide leader. 7. The radio-frequency-based catheter system according to claim 6, wherein the guide leader has a manually adjustable length. 8. The radio-frequency-based catheter system according to claim 6, wherein the guide leader has a predetermined fixed length. 9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the deflectable catheter guide comprises a flexible spine extending in the catheter lumen within the catheter and spaced inwardly from the inner tubular conductor and radio-frequency antenna, the flexible spine constructed of spring-like elastic material having a distal portion and a proximal portion and an elongated body disposed therebetween. 10. The radio-frequency-based catheter system according to claim 9, wherein at least a portion of the flexible spine is constructed of tubing material. 11. The radio-frequency-based catheter system according to claim 9, wherein the flexible spine has variable stiffness along at least part of its length in an undeflected condition. 12. The catheter system according to claim 11, wherein the spine has a cross-sectional profile which varies in at least one of shape and size along at least part of its length in order to provide variable stiffness. 13. The system of claim 9, wherein the catheter guide has first and second pull wire tendons extending along opposite side portions of the flexible spine and secured to a distal end portion of the flexible spine, the deflection control mechanism being linked to both pull wire tendons in order to provide at least bidirectional control of the deflection of the distal portion of the flexible guide. 14. The system of claim 13, wherein the flexible spine has oppositely directed first and second tendon grooves extending along at least a first portion of the length of the spine spaced from the distal end portion of the spine to which the pull wire tendons are secured and the first and second pull wire tendons extend along the respective first and second tendon grooves. 15. The system of claim 14, wherein the flexible spine has an elongated second portion having no grooves which extends from the first portion of the spine up to the distal end of the spine, and an enlarged tip at the distal end of the second portion, and the first and second tendons extend from the grooves on opposite sides of the second portion, the tendons each having a distal end secured to the enlarged tip of the spine. 16. A radio-frequency-based catheter system for ablating biological tissues within the body vessel of a patient, comprising: a catheter adapted for insertion into the body vessel of the patient, the catheter having a proximal portion with a proximal end, a distal portion with a distal end and a lumen extending from the proximal portion to the distal portion; the distal portion of the catheter including an ablation device which is adaptable to receive and transmit radio-frequency energy for ablating biological tissue along a biological ablation pathway; an integrally formed deflectable catheter guide disposed within the catheter lumen extending proximally within the catheter lumen from the proximal end of the catheter at least up to the distal end to define the biological ablation pathway; a deflection control mechanism at the proximal end of said catheter; the deflectable catheter guide comprising a flexible spine and at least one pull wire tendon extending through the catheter lumen and having a proximal portion linked to the deflection control mechanism and a distal portion affixed to the distal portion of the flexible spine, whereby actuation of the deflection control mechanism manipulates the spine and the pull wire tendon for at least one of unidirectional and multidirectional control of the deflection of the deflectable catheter guide; and the distal end of the catheter being open and the distal portion of the catheter guide including an end portion which protrudes from the open distal end of the catheter and has an enlarged atraumatic tip, wherein the spine and the pull wire tendon are secured to the atraumatic tip. 17. The radio-frequency-based catheter system according to claim 16, wherein the pull wire tendon is constructed of an elastic spring-like material. 18. The radio-frequency-based catheter system according to claim 16, wherein the pull wire tendon is constructed of a shape memory alloy. 19. The radio-frequency-based catheter system according to claim 16, wherein the spine includes a proximal tubular portion that the pull wire tendon extends through. 20. The system of claim 16, wherein the atraumatic tip comprises an enlarged rounded tip. 21. A method of ablating biological tissue within the body vessel of a patient, comprising the steps of: inserting a radio-frequency-based catheter into a body portion of a patient until a distal end portion of the catheter which carries a radio frequency ablation device is located in the vicinity of a biological tissue site to be ablated, the catheter having a central longitudinal axis, the catheter having a proximal portion with a proximal end, a distal portion with a distal end, and a lumen extending from the proximal portion to the distal portion, the distal portion of the catheter including an ablation device which is adaptable to receive and transmit radio-frequency energy for ablating biological tissue along a biological ablation pathway; deflecting a deflectable catheter guide which extends along the central axis of the catheter from a proximal end up to at least a distal end of the catheter using a deflection control mechanism at the proximal end of the catheter so as to vary the configuration of a distal end portion of the catheter and catheter guide until the ablation device is positioned adjacent to the body tissue to be ablated; the catheter guide comprising a flexible spine and at least one pull wire tendon, the pull wire tendon extending through the catheter lumen and being slidably disposed within the catheter lumen and having a distal portion affixed to the distal portion of the flexible spine and a proximal portion linked to the deflection control mechanism; the distal end of the catheter being open and the distal portion of the flexible guide including an end portion which protrudes from the open distal end of the catheter to form a guide leader, the guide leader having an enlarged atraumatic tip, wherein the spine and the pull wire tendon are secured to the atraumatic tip; and the step of deflecting the catheter guide comprising actuating the control mechanism in order to pull on the atraumatic tip with the pull wire tendon and manipulate one or both of the flexible spine and pull wire tendon for at least one of unidirectional, bidirectional, and multidirectional control of the deflectable catheter guide. 22. The method of claim 21, wherein positioning the ablation device adjacent the body tissue to be ablated further comprises anchoring the atraumatic tip of the catheter guide in the body tissue. 23. The method of claim 21, wherein the guide leader has a manually adjustable length, and the method further includes manually adjusting the length of the guide leader before deflecting the catheter guide. 24. The method of claim 21, wherein the ablation device comprises a radio-frequency antenna which is adaptable to receive and transmit microwave energy at a frequency greater than 300 Megahertz.
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