Patent EP0287368A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0287368A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Method and apparatus for localized thermal ablation
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1988-04-14
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2008-04-14
Abstract
Abstract A thermal ablation catheter for microtransection or macrotransection of conduction paths within the heart includes a resistive heating element (14) at its distal end for highly localized treatment. The heating element includes a resistive wire loop (28) connected to an external power source and has a prescribed shape to insure that the wire loop is approximately perpendicular to the surface to be treated. A reference electrode (16) spaced 8-10 inches from the distal end is used in conjunction with the wire loop (28) (the sensing electrode) to sense potentials in the heart. The catheter is advanced through a blood vessel to the region of the A-V node and the His bundle, and the sensing mode is used to determine the desired location for treatment. The wire loop is then energized with d.c. current for a predetermined time on the order of 2-5 seconds to cause localized thermal ablation of the target area.
Inventors
- 👤 Onkar S. Narula
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 18:11
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B18/00; A61B18/04; A61B18/08; A61B18/082; A61M; A61M2230/00; A61M2230/04
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
84 words
A thin, flexible catheter which can be advanced through a body vessel to an internal organ for microtransection or macrotransection of a desired portion of the internal organ, said catheter comprising: an elongated, thin flexible tube having a distal end and a proximal end; a resistive heating element disposed on said flexible tube; and coupling means for coupling said resistive heating element to a source of electrical energy, said heating element causing localized thermal ablation of the desired portion of the organ when energized.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
84 words
A thin, flexible catheter which can be advanced through a body vessel to an internal organ for microtransection or macrotransection of a desired portion of the internal organ, said catheter comprising: an elongated, thin flexible tube having a distal end and a proximal end; a resistive heating element disposed on said flexible tube; and coupling means for coupling said resistive heating element to a source of electrical energy, said heating element causing localized thermal ablation of the desired portion of the organ when energized.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
A flexible catheter as defined in claim 1 having a suitable diameter and flexibility for passage through a blood vessel to the heart.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
A flexible catheter as defined in claim 2 wherein said heating element comprises a prescribed length of resistive heating wire.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
A flexible catheter as defined in claim 3 wherein said heating wire is formed into a loop at the distal end of said flexible tube.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
37 words
A flexible catheter as defined in claim 4 wherein said coupling means comprises a pair of electrical conductors connected to opposite ends of said heating wire and passing through said flexible tube to the proximal end thereof.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
31 words
A flexible catheter as defined in claim 4 wherein said loop is supported at the distal end of said flexible tube by an insulating collar attached to the distal end thereof.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
A flexible catheter as defined in claim 2 further including means for positioning said heating element in a prescribed alignment with a surface to be treated.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
43 words
A flexible catheter as defined in claim 7 wherein said positioning means comprises said distal end of said catheter having a predetermined shape based on the relative orientations of the body vessel through which the catheter passes and the surface to be treated.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
47 words
A flexible catheter as defined in claim 8 wherein said predetermined shape is selected so that the catheter is positioned in generally perpendicular alignment with the endocardial surface of the A-V node and the His bundle when it is advanced through the femoral vein to the heart.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
87 words
A flexible catheter as defined in claim 9 wherein said predetermined shape includes a first relatively gentle bend spaced by a first distance from said distal end and a second relatively gentle bend spaced by a second distance from said distal end, said first distance being greater than said second distance, said first bend being toward a first direction generally orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the catheter and said second bend being toward a second direction generally orthogonal to both said axis and said first direction.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
34 words
A flexible catheter as defined in claim 5 further including a reference electrode proximally spaced from said heating element and an electrical conductor connected to said reference electrode and passing through said flexible tube.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
18 words
A flexible catheter as defined in claim 4 wherein said loop has a width of about 1-2 millimetres.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
25 words
A flexible catheter as defined in claim 12 wherein said heating wire has a diameter in the range between about 0.006 inch and 0.008 inch.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
125 words
Apparatus for microtransection of a desired portion of an internal body organ comprising : a thin, flexible catheter for passage through a body vessel to the internal organ including an elongated, thin flexible tube having a distal end and a proximal end; a resistive heating element at the distal end of said flexible tube, said heating element including a prescribed length of resistive heating wire, and a pair of electrical conductors connected to opposite ends of said heating wire and passing through said flexible tube; and electrical power source means including means for supplying electrical power through said electrical conductors to said heating element for a predetermined time interval, said heating element causing localized thermal ablation of the desired portion of the organ when energized.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
125 words
Apparatus for microtransection of a desired portion of an internal body organ comprising : a thin, flexible catheter for passage through a body vessel to the internal organ including an elongated, thin flexible tube having a distal end and a proximal end; a resistive heating element at the distal end of said flexible tube, said heating element including a prescribed length of resistive heating wire, and a pair of electrical conductors connected to opposite ends of said heating wire and passing through said flexible tube; and electrical power source means including means for supplying electrical power through said electrical conductors to said heating element for a predetermined time interval, said heating element causing localized thermal ablation of the desired portion of the organ when energized.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
25 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 14 wherein said flexible catheter has a suitable diameter and flexibility for passage through a blood vessel to the heart.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
28 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 15 wherein said power source means includes a d.c. source for supplying d.c. current to said heating element for said predetermined time interval.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
20 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 16 wherein said predetermined time interval is in the range between 0.1 and 10 seconds.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
107 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 17 further including means for sensing electrical potentials within the heart to assist in determining a suitable location for thermal ablation and to evaluate the effect of thermal ablation, said sensing means including a reference electrode proximally spaced from said heating element at said distal end which also functions as a sensing electrode and a third electrical conductor connected to said reference electrode and passing through said flexible tube, and means coupled to said third electrode and at least one of said pair of conductors connected to said heating element for recording the potential between said heating element and said reference electrode.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
37 words
A flexible catheter as defined in claim 1, wherein said tube has a suitable diameter and flexibility for passage through a blood vessel to the heart for microtransection or macrotransection of a localized portion of the heart.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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