EP0664990A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Improved electrophysiological mapping and ablation catheter and method
Assignee: Heart Rhythm Technologies Inc
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Filing: 1995-01-24
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2015-01-24
Abstract
Abstract A mapping and ablating catheter having a short distal tip electrode (40, 58, 68), comprising a bio-compatible outer surface and a thermal dissipating mass for dissipating heat received by the electrode. The outer surface may be formed by plating a thin layer of gold or platinum on the dissipating mass, or the entire electrode may be formed of a homogenous material such as a gold alloy that is bio-compatible thereby forming the outer surface with the mass itself. An alloy having a thermal conductivity greater than pure platinum is used so that the ablation procedure can be completed before exceeding the temperature limits. In one case, the entire electrode was formed of an 88% gold 12% nickel alloy. The electrical feed to the electrode is oversized to also dissipate heat received by the electrode. The electrode is no greater than five mm in length yet produces an ablation volume equal to or greater than longer electrodes. One or more band electrodes (70) may also include thermal dissipating masses.
Inventors
- 👤 David Lipson
- 👤 Marc Jensen
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 21:40
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B5/00; A61B5/24; A61B5/25; A61B5/279; A61B5/28; A61B5/283; A61B5/287; A61B2562/00; A61B2562/02; A61B2562/0209; A61B2562/0215; A61B2562/04; A61B2562/043
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
202 words
A catheter for mapping and ablating biological tissue, the biological tissue being located in a biological structure in which fluids flow past the tissue to be ablated, the catheter having a size such that it can be percutaneously positioned at the tissue to be ablated, the catheter comprising: a body member having a size such that it can be percutaneously introduced to a patient and having a distal end and a proximal end; an electrode mounted at the distal end of the body member, the electrode having a size such that it can provide relatively high resolution mapping and a shape and a length such that when positioned against the tissue for ablation, a portion of the electrode will be available for contact with the fluids in the biological structure for communicating heat to the fluids thereby cooling the electrode, the electrode comprising: an outer surface formed of a biologically compatible material with thermal conductivity at least as great as platinum 10 iridium; and a thermal dissipating mass formed of a material having a thermal conductivity at least as great as, and preferably greater than pure platinum and disposed in contact with the outer surface for dissipating heat received by the electrode.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
202 words
A catheter for mapping and ablating biological tissue, the biological tissue being located in a biological structure in which fluids flow past the tissue to be ablated, the catheter having a size such that it can be percutaneously positioned at the tissue to be ablated, the catheter comprising: a body member having a size such that it can be percutaneously introduced to a patient and having a distal end and a proximal end; an electrode mounted at the distal end of the body member, the electrode having a size such that it can provide relatively high resolution mapping and a shape and a length such that when positioned against the tissue for ablation, a portion of the electrode will be available for contact with the fluids in the biological structure for communicating heat to the fluids thereby cooling the electrode, the electrode comprising: an outer surface formed of a biologically compatible material with thermal conductivity at least as great as platinum 10 iridium; and a thermal dissipating mass formed of a material having a thermal conductivity at least as great as, and preferably greater than pure platinum and disposed in contact with the outer surface for dissipating heat received by the electrode.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
71 words
The catheter of claim 1 further comprising: an electrical conductor connected to the electrode and extending to the proximal end of the body member; wherein the electrical conductor is formed of a material having a thermal conductivity greater than platinum, and has a larger diametrical size than the size needed to conduct the amount of electricity to the electrode for ablation; wherein the electrical conductor conducts away heat from the electrode.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
15 words
The catheter of claim 2 wherein the electrical conductor is formed of a copper alloy.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
The catheter of claim 1 wherein the electrode has a rounded shape and a length of not more than five mm.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
The catheter of claim 1 further comprising a temperature sensor mounted in the thermal mass for sensing the temperature of the electrode.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
74 words
The catheter of claim 1 further comprising a band electrode mounted at the distal end of the body member and comprising: an outer surface formed of a biologically compatible material with a thermal conductivity at least as great as platinum 10 iridium; and a thermal dissipating mass formed of a material having a thermal conductivity greater than pure platinum and disposed in contact with the outer surface for dissipating heat received by the electrode.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
56 words
The catheter of claim 1 or claim 6 wherein the outer surface of the first-mentioned electrode and/or of the band electrode comprises a layer of bio-compatible material intimately bonded to the thermal dissipating mass, the material of the outer layer selected to have a thermal conductivity at least as great as that of platinum 10 iridium.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
49 words
The catheter of claim 7 wherein the material of the outer layer of the first-mentioned electrode and/or of the band electrode is selected from a bio-compatible material in the group consisting of: gold and gold alloys; platinum of platinum alloys; titanium; tungsten; stainless steel; and cobalt based bio-compatible materials.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
44 words
The catheter of claim 1 or claim 6 wherein the outer surface and the thermal dissipating mass of the first-mentioned electrode and/or the band electrode are formed as a unitary structure of a homogenous alloy of material having a thermal conductivity exceeding pure platinum.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
26 words
The catheter of claim 6 further comprising a temperature sensor mounted in the thermal mass of the band electrode for sensing the temperature of the electrode.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
67 words
The catheter of claim 1 wherein: the electrode has a generally cylindrical shape with a rounded end so that when engaged with the tissue to be ablated, a portion of the electrode outer surface contacts the fluids in the biological structure; the thermal mass being located in contact with the outer surface for conducting heat received from the tissue through the outer surface and to the fluids.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
177 words
A method of mapping and ablating biological tissue, the biological tissue being located in a biological structure in which fluids flow past the tissue to be ablated, the method comprising the steps of: forming an electrode with an outer surface of a biologically compatible material and a thermal dissipation mass having a thermal conductivity exceeding that of pure platinum, the thermal mass being in contact with the outer surface so that the thermal mass dissipates heat received by the electrode; mounting the electrode at the distal end of a percutaneous catheter; percutaneously positioning the electrode so that it makes contact with the tissue to be mapped; positioning the electrode so that it makes contact with the tissue to be ablated such that the electrode is also available for contact with the fluids in the biological structure; applying ablation energy to the electrode to cause heating of the tissue to be ablated to a level where the tissue is non-viable; and dissipating heat reaching the electrode by the thermal mass thereby cooling the electrode during the ablation process.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
177 words
A method of mapping and ablating biological tissue, the biological tissue being located in a biological structure in which fluids flow past the tissue to be ablated, the method comprising the steps of: forming an electrode with an outer surface of a biologically compatible material and a thermal dissipation mass having a thermal conductivity exceeding that of pure platinum, the thermal mass being in contact with the outer surface so that the thermal mass dissipates heat received by the electrode; mounting the electrode at the distal end of a percutaneous catheter; percutaneously positioning the electrode so that it makes contact with the tissue to be mapped; positioning the electrode so that it makes contact with the tissue to be ablated such that the electrode is also available for contact with the fluids in the biological structure; applying ablation energy to the electrode to cause heating of the tissue to be ablated to a level where the tissue is non-viable; and dissipating heat reaching the electrode by the thermal mass thereby cooling the electrode during the ablation process.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
80 words
The method of claim 12 further comprising the steps of: forming an electrical conductor of a material having a thermal conductivity at least as great as a copper alloy, and having a larger diametrical size than the size needed to conduct the amount of electricity to the electrode for ablation; connecting the electrical conductor to the electrode and extending the conductor to the proximal end of the percutaneous catheter, and dissipating heat received by the electrode with the electrical conductor.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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