US5860974A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Heart ablation catheter with expandable electrode and method of coupling energy to an electrode on a catheter shaft
Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed Inc
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Filing: 1997-02-11
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Granted: 1999-01-19
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Expires: 2017-02-11
Abstract
Abstract An expandable ablation electrode is provided on a catheter constructed to access the heart. When the electrode is introduced to the heart, it is small and suitably flexible to maneuver through the torturous path. However, when the catheter is in place in the heart, the electrode is expansible in diameter to a substantially larger dimension, and is relatively rigid, enabling a large conductive surface to press against the heart tissue with the desired contact pressure. When RF energy is then applied to the electrode it produces a burn lesion of desired large size and depth. This overcomes the limitations to size that have been encountered using conventional rigid electrodes.
Inventors
- 👤 John E. Abele
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 00:43
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B8/00; A61B8/12; A61B18/00; A61B18/04; A61B18/12; A61B18/14; A61B18/1492; A61B8/44; A61B8/4444; A61B8/4461; A61B17/00; A61B17/22; A61B17/22004; A61B17/22012; A61B17/2202; A61B17/00234; A61B2017/00238; A61B2017/00243; A61B2017/00831; A61B2017/00902; A61B2017/00924; A61B2017/22051; A61B2017/22072; A61B2017/22074; A61B2017/22077; A61B2017/22082; A61B2017/22084; A61B2018/00053; A61B2018/00059; A61B2018/00071; A61B2018/00077; A61B2018/00107; A61B2018/00148; A61B2018/00214; A61B2018/0022; A61B2018/00273; A61B2018/00279; A61B2018/00285; A61B2018/00315; A61B2018/00345; A61B2018/00351; A61B2018/00571; A61B2018/00577; A61B2018/1405; A61B2018/1425; A61B2018/1435; A61B34/00; A61B34/20; A61B2034/2046; A61B2034/2063; A61B90/00; A61B90/36; A61B90/37; A61B2090/378; A61B8/445
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
123 words
A catheter device, comprising: an elongated, flexible catheter shaft comprising an expandable portion; an ablation electrode located on said expandable portion of the catheter shaft and constructed to access a heart; and an electrical conductor located on said catheter shaft and positioned to capacitively couple radio-frequency energy to said electrode to cause said electrode to produce a burn lesion; said catheter shaft portion being expansible in diameter from a small profile to a large profile; said catheter shaft portion being sufficiently small and flexible in said small profile to maneuver into said heart through a tortuous path, and being more rigid in said large profile to permit a conductive surface of said electrode to be pressed against heart tissue with suitable contact pressure.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
123 words
A catheter device, comprising: an elongated, flexible catheter shaft comprising an expandable portion; an ablation electrode located on said expandable portion of the catheter shaft and constructed to access a heart; and an electrical conductor located on said catheter shaft and positioned to capacitively couple radio-frequency energy to said electrode to cause said electrode to produce a burn lesion; said catheter shaft portion being expansible in diameter from a small profile to a large profile; said catheter shaft portion being sufficiently small and flexible in said small profile to maneuver into said heart through a tortuous path, and being more rigid in said large profile to permit a conductive surface of said electrode to be pressed against heart tissue with suitable contact pressure.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
15 words
A catheter device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said electrode is substantially thermally conductive.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
15 words
A catheter device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the electrode is a monopole electrode.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
A catheter device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said expandable shaft portion comprises a balloon.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
A catheter device in accordance with claim 4, wherein an exterior portion of said balloon is coated with a coating of an electrically and thermally conductive material.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
A catheter device in accordance with claim 5, wherein said coating is of a pattern chosen to enable said balloon to stretch.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
A catheter device in accordance with claim 6, wherein said pattern is a series of metal conductive dots applied to an exterior surface of said balloon.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
33 words
A catheter device in accordance with claim 7, wherein said balloon is constructed to enable capacitive coupling between said dots and an electrically conductive fluid employed as an inflation medium for said balloon.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
40 words
A catheter device in accordance with claim 8, further comprising an electrode mounted on said catheter shaft and extending into said balloon, said electrode being configured to provide electrical current to fluid within said balloon when said balloon is inflated.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
51 words
A catheter device in accordance with claim 4, wherein said balloon is constructed of a compliant material and is constructed to permit a user to select an outer dimension of said balloon when inflated by selecting a volume of inflation fluid that is introduced into said balloon to inflate said balloon.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
15 words
A catheter device in accordance with claim 10, wherein said compliant material is an elastomer.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
32 words
A catheter device in accordance with claim 4, further comprising a high-accuracy screw syringe attached to said catheter shaft and constructed to precisely control the amount of fluid introduced to said balloon.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
18 words
A catheter device in accordance with claim 4, further comprising an additional electrode disposed on said catheter shaft.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
17 words
A catheter device in accordance with claim 13, wherein said additional electrode is an electrophysiological mapping electrode.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
19 words
A catheter device in accordance with claim 1, further comprising an ultrasound imaging device incorporated into said catheter shaft.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
18 words
A catheter device in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a fluid dispensing lumen in said catheter shaft.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
58 words
A catheter device, comprising: an elongated, flexible catheter shaft; an first electrode disposed on said catheter shaft; and a second electrode disposed within the shaft and separated from the first electrode by a dielectric, such second electrode being positioned with respect to the first electrode to capacitively couple radio frequency energy to the second electrode through the dielectric.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
58 words
A catheter device, comprising: an elongated, flexible catheter shaft; an first electrode disposed on said catheter shaft; and a second electrode disposed within the shaft and separated from the first electrode by a dielectric, such second electrode being positioned with respect to the first electrode to capacitively couple radio frequency energy to the second electrode through the dielectric.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
28 words
The catheter device recited in claim 17 wherein the shaft has an expandable portion and wherein the first electrode is disposed on the expandable portion of the shaft.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
16 words
The catheter recited in claim 18 wherein the expandable portion of the shaft comprises a balloon.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
27 words
The catheter recited in claim 17 wherein the shaft has disposed thereon a plurality of first electrodes, each one thereof being capacitively coupled to said second electrode.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
30 words
The catheter device recited in claim 20 wherein the shaft has an expandable portion and wherein the plurality of first electrodes are disposed on the expandable portion of the shaft.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
80 words
A method of coupling energy to an electrode disposed on an elongated, flexible catheter shaft, comprising; disposing a radio frequency energy coupling electrode within the shaft and separated from the first mentioned electrode by a dielectric, such coupling electrode being positioned with respect to the first mentioned electrode to capacitively couple radio frequency energy to the first mentioned electrode through the dielectric; and capacitively coupling radio frequency energy from the coupling electrode to the first mentioned electrode through the dielectric.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
80 words
A method of coupling energy to an electrode disposed on an elongated, flexible catheter shaft, comprising; disposing a radio frequency energy coupling electrode within the shaft and separated from the first mentioned electrode by a dielectric, such coupling electrode being positioned with respect to the first mentioned electrode to capacitively couple radio frequency energy to the first mentioned electrode through the dielectric; and capacitively coupling radio frequency energy from the coupling electrode to the first mentioned electrode through the dielectric.
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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) | 2002-01-18 | 2002-07-20 | 2003-01-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-01-18 | 2006-07-20 | 2007-01-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-01-18 | 2010-07-20 | 2011-01-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |