Self-guiding catheter system for tissue ablation

Claim 1

A guiding catheter system comprising: a catheter sheath having a sheath distal end, a sheath proximal end, and at least one lumen extending, between the sheath distal end and the sheath proximal end, wherein the at least one lumen includes an inflation lumen, the inflation lumen having a proximal end and a distal end; a handle attached to the proximal end of the catheter sheath, wherein the handle has a cavity; an inflatable balloon having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the inflatable balloon is made of a material selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, cross-linked polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, silicone, polyurethane, latex, semi-permeable membrane, and nylon; an inflation medium, wherein the inflation medium is used to inflate the inflatable balloon, the inflation medium being selected from the group consisting of electrically semi-conductive fluids and electrically semi-conductive gels, wherein the electrically semi-conductive gel contains a plurality of metal particles and the metal particles are adapted for providing electrical conductivity for the electrically semi-conductive gel; a sheath tip section located close to the distal end of the catheter sheath having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the distal end of the inflation lumen opens into and is in communication with an interior of the inflatable balloon and wherein the distal end and the proximal end of the inflatable balloon are sealed to the catheter sheath at the sheath tip section; a plurality of electrodes mounted close to the distal end of the inflation lumen, each electrode having a conducting wire; and a RF current generator, wherein the RF current generator is adapted for delivering a RF current to a first electrode of the plurality of electrodes, wherein the first electrode of the plurality of electrodes is adapted for transmitting the RF current to a second electrode of the plurality of electrodes through the inflation medium, and wherein a conducting wire of the second electrode is adapted for returning the RF current to the RF general.

Claim 12

A method for operating a guiding catheter system within a heart chamber or a tubular organ, the guiding catheter system comprising a catheter sheath having a sheath distal end, a sheath proximal end, and at least one lumen extending between the sheath distal end and the sheath proximal end, wherein the at least one lumen includes an inflation lumen, the inflation lumen having a proximal end and a distal end; a handle attached to the proximal end of the catheter sheath, wherein the handle has a cavity; an inflatable balloon having a balloon body and at least one balloon stem, wherein a first end of the at least one balloon stem is coupled to the balloon body while a second end of the at least one balloon stem is coupled to the inflation lumen, adapted as a passageway for an inflation medium to communicate between the inflation lumen and the balloon body; a plurality of electrodes mounted inside the at least one balloon stem close to the inflation lumen, each electrode having a conducting wire; and a RF current generator, wherein the RF current generator is adapted for delivering a RF current to a first electrode of the plurality of electrodes, wherein the first electrode of the plurality of electrodes is adapted for transmitting the RF current to a second electrode of the plurality of electrodes through the inflation medium, and wherein a conducting wire of the second electrode is adapted for returning the RF current to the RF generator; the method comprising the steps of: (a) percutaneously introducing the catheter sheath through a blood vessel to the heart chamber close to an ostium of a pulmonary vein; (b) inflating the inflatable balloon; (c) intimately contacting the balloon on an ostium of a pulmonary vein; (d) applying RF current to the first electrode of the plurality of electrodes; (e) deflating the balloon; and (f) withdrawing the catheter sheath from the patient.

Claim 13

A method for operating a guiding catheter system within a heart chamber or a tubular organ, the guiding catheter system comprising a catheter sheath having a sheath distal end, a sheath proximal end, and at least one lumen extending between the sheath distal end and the sheath proximal end, wherein the at least one lumen includes an inflation lumen, the inflation lumen having a proximal end and a distal end; a handle attached to the proximal end of the catheter sheath, wherein the handle has a cavity; an inflatable balloon having a balloon body and at least one balloon stem, wherein a first end of the at least one balloon stem is coupled to the balloon body while a second end of the at least one balloon stem is coupled to the inflation lumen, adapted as a passageway for an inflation medium to communicate between the inflation lumen and the balloon body; a plurality of electrodes mounted inside the at least one balloon stem close to the inflation lumen, each electrode having a conducting wire; and a RF current generator, wherein the RF current generator is adapted for delivering a RF current to a first electrode of the plurality of electrodes, wherein the first electrode of the plurality of electrodes is adapted for transmitting the RF current to a second electrode of the plurality of electrodes through the inflation medium, and wherein a conducting wire of the second electrode is adapted for returning the RF current to the RF generator; the method comprising the steps of: (a) percutaneously introducing the catheter sheath through a blood vessel to the heart chamber close to an ostium of a pulmonary vein; (b) inflating the inflatable balloon; (c) intimately contacting the balloon on an ostium of a pulmonary vein; (d) applying RF current to the first electrode of the plurality of electrodes; (e) deflating the balloon; and (f) withdrawing the catheter sheath from the patient.