US5722403A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Systems and methods using a porous electrode for ablating and visualizing interior tissue regions
Assignee: EP Technologies Inc
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Filing: 1996-10-28
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Granted: 1998-03-03
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Expires: 2016-10-28
Abstract
Abstract A porous electrode assembly includes a wall having a surface capable of contacting tissue. The wall peripherally surrounds an interior area. The assembly also includes a lumen to convey a medium containing ions into the interior area, as well as an electrically conductive element, which couples the medium within the interior area to a source of electrical energy. At least a portion of the wall comprises a porous material, which is sized to pass ions contained in the medium, to thereby enable ionic transport of electrical energy through the porous material to tissue contacting the wall. An imaging element is located in the interior area, which is coupled to a source of visualizing energy for visualizing tissue. At least a portion of the wall is generally transparent to the visualizing energy.
Inventors
- 👤 David McGee
- 👤 Dorin Panescu
- 👤 David K. Swanson
- 👤 James G. Whayne
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 05:14
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61N; A61N1/00; A61N1/40; A61N1/403; A61N1/02; A61N1/04; A61N1/05; A61N1/056; A61N1/44; A61B; A61B18/00; A61B2018/00053; A61B2018/00059; A61B2018/00065
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 46
Claim 1
Independent Claim
118 words
A porous electrode assembly comprising a wall having a surface capable of contacting tissue and peripherally surrounding an interior area, a lumen to convey a medium containing ions into the interior area, an electrically conductive element coupling the medium within the interior area to a source of electrical energy, at least a portion of the wall comprising a porous material sized to pass ions contained in the medium to thereby enable ionic transport of electrical energy through the porous material to tissue contacting the wall, an imaging element in the interior area coupled to a source of visualizing energy for visualizing tissue, and at least a portion of the wall also being generally transparent to the visualizing energy.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
118 words
A porous electrode assembly comprising a wall having a surface capable of contacting tissue and peripherally surrounding an interior area, a lumen to convey a medium containing ions into the interior area, an electrically conductive element coupling the medium within the interior area to a source of electrical energy, at least a portion of the wall comprising a porous material sized to pass ions contained in the medium to thereby enable ionic transport of electrical energy through the porous material to tissue contacting the wall, an imaging element in the interior area coupled to a source of visualizing energy for visualizing tissue, and at least a portion of the wall also being generally transparent to the visualizing energy.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
A porous electrode assembly according to claim 1 wherein the electrically conductive element comprises an electrically conductive electrode in the interior area of the wall.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
15 words
A porous electrode assembly according to claim 1 wherein the medium comprises a hypertonic solution.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
A porous electrode assembly according to claim 3 wherein the hypertonic solution includes sodium chloride.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
A porous electrode assembly according to claim 4 wherein the sodium chloride is present in a concentration at or near saturation.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
A porous electrode assembly according to claim 4 wherein the sodium chloride is present in a concentration of up to about 9% weight by volume.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
15 words
A porous electrode assembly according to claim 3 wherein the hypertonic solution includes potassium chloride.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
16 words
A porous electrode assembly according to claim 1 wherein the porous material comprises an ultraporous material.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
16 words
A porous electrode assembly according to claim 1 wherein the porous material comprises a microporous material.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
16 words
A porous electrode assembly according to claim 1 wherein the porous material comprises a woven mesh.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
17 words
A porous electrode assembly according to claim 1 wherein the porous material comprises a regenerated cellulose material.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
16 words
A porous electrode assembly according to claim 1 wherein the imaging element comprises an ultrasound transducer.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
17 words
A porous electrode assembly according to claim 1 wherein the imaging element comprises a fiber optic assembly.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
19 words
A porous electrode assembly according to claim 1 wherein the wall forms a three-dimensional structure about the imaging element.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
19 words
A porous electrode assembly according to claim 14 wherein the three-dimensional structure keeps tissue from contacting the imaging element.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
16 words
A porous electrode assembly according to claim 1 wherein the wall comprises an expandable three-dimensional body.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
27 words
A porous electrode assembly according to claim 16 wherein the expandable three-dimensional body expands to an expanded geometry in response to fluid pressure exerted by the medium.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
25 words
A porous electrode assembly according to claim 17 wherein the expandable three-dimensional body collapses in the absence of the fluid pressure exerted by the medium.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
28 words
A porous electrode assembly according to claim 1 and further including an element coupled to the imaging element for displaying the surrounding tissue visualized by the imaging element.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
165 words
A system for ablating heart tissue comprising a catheter tube having a distal end for deployment in a heart chamber, a fluid source of a medium containing ions, an electrode on the distal end of the catheter tube comprising a wall having a surface capable of contacting tissue and peripherally surrounding an interior area, a lumen to convey a medium containing ions into the interior area, an electrically conductive element in the interior area, an electrical path coupling the electrically conductive element to a source of energy to transmit the energy, at least a portion of the wall comprising a porous material sized to pass ions contained in the medium, thereby establishing ionic transport of electrical energy from the electrically conductive element through the medium and wall to ablate heart tissue, and an imaging element in the interior area coupled to a source of visualizing energy for visualizing tissue, and at least a portion of the wall also being generally transparent to the visualizing energy.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
165 words
A system for ablating heart tissue comprising a catheter tube having a distal end for deployment in a heart chamber, a fluid source of a medium containing ions, an electrode on the distal end of the catheter tube comprising a wall having a surface capable of contacting tissue and peripherally surrounding an interior area, a lumen to convey a medium containing ions into the interior area, an electrically conductive element in the interior area, an electrical path coupling the electrically conductive element to a source of energy to transmit the energy, at least a portion of the wall comprising a porous material sized to pass ions contained in the medium, thereby establishing ionic transport of electrical energy from the electrically conductive element through the medium and wall to ablate heart tissue, and an imaging element in the interior area coupled to a source of visualizing energy for visualizing tissue, and at least a portion of the wall also being generally transparent to the visualizing energy.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
13 words
A system according to claim 20 wherein the medium comprises a hypertonic solution.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
14 words
A system according to claim 20 wherein the porous material comprises an ultraporous material.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
14 words
A system according to claim 20 wherein the porous material comprises a microporous material.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
14 words
A system according to claim 20 wherein the porous material comprises a woven mesh.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
15 words
A system according to claim 20 wherein the porous material comprises a regenerated cellulose material.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
14 words
A system according to claim 20 wherein the imaging element comprises an ultrasound transducer.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
15 words
A system according to claim 20 wherein the imaging element comprises a fiber optic assembly.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
17 words
A system according to claim 20 wherein the wall forms a three-dimensional structure about the imaging element.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
17 words
A system according to claim 28 wherein the three-dimensional structure keeps tissue from contacting the imaging element.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
14 words
A system according to claim 20 wherein the wall comprises an expandable three-dimensional body.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
25 words
A system according to claim 30 wherein the expandable three-dimensional body expands to an expanded geometry in response to fluid pressure exerted by the medium.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
23 words
A system according to claim 31 wherein the expandable three-dimensional body collapses in the absence of the fluid pressure exerted by the medium.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
26 words
A system according to claim 20 and further including an element coupled to the imaging element for displaying the surrounding tissue visualized by the imaging element.
Claim 36
Independent Claim
153 words
A method for ablating tissue comprising the steps of introducing into an interior body region a porous electrode assembly comprising a wall having a surface capable of contacting tissue and peripherally surrounding an interior area, a lumen to convey a medium containing ions into the interior area, an electrically conductive element coupling the medium within the interior area to a source of electrical energy, an imaging element in the interior area coupled to a source of visualizing energy for visualizing tissue, at least a portion of the wall comprising a porous material sized to pass ions contained in the medium, the porous material also being generally transparent to the visualizing energy, ablating tissue by conveying electrical energy from the source to the electrically conductive element to thereby enable ionic transport of electrical energy through the porous material to the tissue, and operating the imaging element to visualizing tissue surrounding the porous electrode assembly.
Claim 37
Independent Claim
153 words
A method for ablating tissue comprising the steps of introducing into an interior body region a porous electrode assembly comprising a wall having a surface capable of contacting tissue and peripherally surrounding an interior area, a lumen to convey a medium containing ions into the interior area, an electrically conductive element coupling the medium within the interior area to a source of electrical energy, an imaging element in the interior area coupled to a source of visualizing energy for visualizing tissue, at least a portion of the wall comprising a porous material sized to pass ions contained in the medium, the porous material also being generally transparent to the visualizing energy, ablating tissue by conveying electrical energy from the source to the electrically conductive element to thereby enable ionic transport of electrical energy through the porous material to the tissue, and operating the imaging element to visualizing tissue surrounding the porous electrode assembly.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method according to claim 34 wherein the operating step includes scattering ultrasonic energy from the tissue surrounding the wall.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method according to claim 34 wherein the operating step includes reflecting light from the tissue surrounding the porous electrode assembly.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method according to claim 34 and further including the step of generating an image of tissue visualized by the imaging element.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method according to claim 37 and further including the step of using the image to orient the porous electrode assembly.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method according to claim 37 and further including the step of using the image to view a lesion.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method according to claim 37 and further, including the step of using the image to assess contact between the porous electrode assembly and surrounding tissue.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method according to claim 37 and further including the step of using the image to identify thrombus.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method according to claim 37 and further including the step of using the image to characterize tissue morphology.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method according to claim 34 wherein the introducing step includes introducing the porous electrode assembly into a heart chamber for the purpose of ablating myocardial tissue.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-03-02 | 2001-09-01 | 2002-03-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-03-02 | 2005-09-01 | 2006-03-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-03-02 | 2009-09-01 | 2010-03-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |