Catheter system having parallel electrodes

Claim 1

A catheter system comprising: a delivery catheter having an outer surface, a distal section, a distal end, a proximal end, and at least one lumen extending between the distal end and the proximal end, wherein a plurality of primary wires is located within the lumen of said delivery catheter, each primary wire has a distal end and a proximal end; a handle attached to the proximal end of said delivery catheter, the handle having a push-pull mechanism, wherein the proximal ends of the plurality of primary wires are secured to the push-pull mechanism of said handle; an electrode deployment means positioned at the distal end of said plurality of primary wires, wherein said electrode deployment means includes a retractable tip section, the electrode deployment means comprising a non-deployed state for said retractable tip section when said retractable tip section is positioned in the delivery catheter, and the electrode deployment means further comprising a distended deployed state for said retractable tip section when said retractable tip section is advanced out of the distal end of said delivery catheter; a plurality of cap electrodes along with their wire supports extended in a parallel manner, each cap electrode being secured to a curved flat wire support, wherein each curved flat wire support is secured to one of the primary wires at a pre-determined angle, and wherein the cap electrodes are deployed by the retractable tip section at a distended deployed state.

Claim 10

A method for operating a catheter system inside a body of a patient, the catheter system comprising a delivery catheter having an outer surface, a distal section, a distal end, a proximal end, and at least one lumen extending between the distal end and the proximal end, wherein a plurality of primary wires is located within the lumen of said delivery catheter, each primary wire has a distal end and a proximal end; a handle attached to the proximal end of said delivery catheter, the handle having a push-pull mechanism, wherein the proximal ends of the plurality of primary wires are secured to the push-pull mechanism of said handle; an electrode deployment means positioned at the distal end of said plurality of primary wires, wherein said electrode deployment means includes a retractable tip section, the electrode deployment means comprising a non-deployed state for said retractable tip section when said retractable tip section is positioned in the delivery catheter, and the electrode deployment means further comprising a distended deployed state for said retractable tip section when said retractable tip section is advanced out of the distal end of said delivery catheter; a plurality of cap electrodes along with their wire supports extended in a parallel manner, each cap electrode being secured to a curved flat wire support, wherein each curved flat wire support is secured to one of the primary wires at a pre-determined angle, and wherein the cap electrodes are deployed by the retractable tip section at a distended deployed state; and a RF current generator, wherein an electrical conductor is connected between the RF current generator and each cap electrode; the method comprising the steps of: introducing the delivery catheter having the distal section under a non-deployed state into the body of a patient through a cut at an artery or vein; once inside the body, deploying the retractable tip section by operating the push-pull mechanism at the handle; once positioned, deploying the plurality of cap electrodes along with their wire supports in an essentially parallel array; and conducting an ablation procedure using RF current from the RF current generator.

Claim 11

A method for operating a catheter system inside a body of a patient, the catheter system comprising a delivery catheter having an outer surface, a distal section, a distal end, a proximal end, and at least one lumen extending between the distal end and the proximal end, wherein a plurality of primary wires is located within the lumen of said delivery catheter, each primary wire has a distal end and a proximal end; a handle attached to the proximal end of said delivery catheter, the handle having a push-pull mechanism, wherein the proximal ends of the plurality of primary wires are secured to the push-pull mechanism of said handle; an electrode deployment means positioned at the distal end of said plurality of primary wires, wherein said electrode deployment means includes a retractable tip section, the electrode deployment means comprising a non-deployed state for said retractable tip section when said retractable tip section is positioned in the delivery catheter, and the electrode deployment means further comprising a distended deployed state for said retractable tip section when said retractable tip section is advanced out of the distal end of said delivery catheter; a plurality of cap electrodes along with their wire supports extended in a parallel manner, each cap electrode being secured to a curved flat wire support, wherein each curved flat wire support is secured to one of the primary wires at a pre-determined angle, and wherein the cap electrodes are deployed by the retractable tip section at a distended deployed state; and a RF current generator, wherein an electrical conductor is connected between the RF current generator and each cap electrode; the method comprising the steps of: introducing the delivery catheter having the distal section under a non-deployed state into the body of a patient through a cut at an artery or vein; once inside the body, deploying the retractable tip section by operating the push-pull mechanism at the handle; once positioned, deploying the plurality of cap electrodes along with their wire supports in an essentially parallel array; and conducting an ablation procedure using RF current from the RF current generator.