Apparatus for R-F ablation

Claim 2

An ablation catheter comprising an elongated catheter body carrying a plurality of electrode coils each coupled to a separate conductor located within said catheter body, wherein at least one of said plurality of electrode coils has a proximal end spaced circumferentially less than one full turn of said electrode coil from a distal end of a different one of said plurality of electrode coils.

Claim 3

An ablation catheter as in claim 1 wherein said electrode coils are located on a distal end of the catheter body.

Claim 4

An ablation catheter as in claim 2 wherein the distal end of the catheter body including said electrode coils is flexible.

Claim 5

An ablation catheter as in claim 3 wherein the distal end of the ablation catheter including said electrode coils can be remotely deflected from a control handle located on a proximal end of the ablation catheter.

Claim 6

An ablation catheter as in claim 3 wherein the distal end of the ablation catheter including said electrode coils can be remotely rotated from a control handle located on a proximal end of the ablation catheter.

Claim 7

An ablation catheter as in claim 1 wherein the ablation catheter body includes a plurality of temperature sensors at least some of which are arranged along said catheter body adjacent said electrode coils and providing outputs indicative of temperature.

Claim 8

An ablation catheter as in claim 1 wherein each of said electrode coils has a helical configuration.

Claim 9

An ablation catheter as in claim 7 wherein at least one of said coils continues on a helical path defined by the helical configuration of an adjacent coil electrode.

Claim 10

An ablation catheter as in claim 1 wherein the catheter body is comprised at least partly of a tubular plastic member and said electrode coils are mounted to the tubular plastic member in an at least partially embedded configuration.

Claim 11

An ablation catheter as in claim 9 wherein at least a first of said electrode coils emerges through the tubular plastic member adjacent a second of said electrode coils such that mechanical characteristics of the catheter remain essentially constant along the portion of the catheter defined by the first and second electrode coils.

Claim 12

An ablation catheter comprising an elongated catheter body carrying on a flexible distal end thereof at least a first electrode and a second electrode, each of said first and second electrodes having a coil configuration and being coupled to a separate conductor located within said catheter body, a control handle at a proximal end of the catheter body from which the flexible distal end can be deflected, wherein said first and second flexible electrodes are arranged along the catheter body in a closely spaced relationship such that a distal portion of said first electrode is spaced circumferentially less than one full turn of a coil from a proximal end of said second second electrode, and mechanical characteristics of the catheter remain essentially constant along the portion of the catheter defined by the first and second electrodes.

Claim 13

An ablation catheter comprising an elongated catheter body carrying on a flexible distal end thereof at least a first electrode and a second electrode, each of said first and second electrodes having a coil configuration and being coupled to a separate conductor located within said catheter body, a control handle at a proximal end of the catheter body from which the flexible distal end can be deflected, wherein said first and second flexible electrodes are arranged along the catheter body in a closely spaced relationship such that a distal portion of said first electrode is spaced circumferentially less than one full turn of a coil from a proximal end of said second second electrode, and mechanical characteristics of the catheter remain essentially constant along the portion of the catheter defined by the first and second electrodes.

Claim 14

An ablation catheter as in claim 11 wherein the distal end of the ablation catheter including said first and second electrodes can be remotely rotated from the control handle.

Claim 15

An ablation catheter as in claim 11 wherein the ablation catheter body includes a plurality of temperature sensors at least some of which are arranged along said catheter body adjacent said first and second electrodes and providing outputs indicative of temperature.

Claim 16

An ablation catheter as in claim 11 wherein said first and second electrodes each have a helical configuration.

Claim 17

An ablation catheter as in claim 14 wherein the second electrode continues on a helical path defined by the helical configuration of the first electrode.

Claim 18

An ablation catheter as in claim 15 wherein the catheter body is comprised at least partly of a tubular plastic member and said first and second electrodes are mounted to the tubular plastic member in an at least partially embedded configuration.

Claim 19

An ablation catheter comprising an elongated catheter body carrying on a distal end thereof at least a first electrode and a second electrode, each of said first and second electrodes coupled to a separate conductor located within said catheter body and coupled to at least one R-F power source capable of activating the first and second electrodes, wherein said first and second electrodes are arranged along the catheter body in a closely spaced relationship, wherein a distal end of said first electrode and a proximal end of said second electrode are coiled around said catheter body, said distal end of said first electrode being spaced circumferentially less than one full turn of a coil from said proximal end of said second electrode and not separated by circumferential insulators such that when the first and second electrodes are simultaneously activated the electrical field generated by the electrodes creates thermal effects which are essentially indistinguishable from those produced by a single, continuous electrode.

Claim 20

An ablation catheter comprising an elongated catheter body carrying on a distal end thereof at least a first electrode and a second electrode, each of said first and second electrodes coupled to a separate conductor located within said catheter body and coupled to at least one R-F power source capable of activating the first and second electrodes, wherein said first and second electrodes are arranged along the catheter body in a closely spaced relationship, wherein a distal end of said first electrode and a proximal end of said second electrode are coiled around said catheter body, said distal end of said first electrode being spaced circumferentially less than one full turn of a coil from said proximal end of said second electrode and not separated by circumferential insulators such that when the first and second electrodes are simultaneously activated the electrical field generated by the electrodes creates thermal effects which are essentially indistinguishable from those produced by a single, continuous electrode.

Claim 21

An ablation catheter as in claim 17 wherein the ablation catheter body includes a plurality of temperature sensors at least some of which are arranged along said catheter body adjacent said first and second electrodes and providing outputs indicative of temperature.

Claim 22

An ablation catheter as in claim 17 wherein said first and second electrodes each have a helical configuration.

Claim 23

An ablation catheter as in claim 19 wherein the second electrode continues on a helical path defined by the helical configuration of the first electrode.

Claim 24

An ablation catheter as in claim 17 wherein the catheter body is comprised at least partly of a tubular plastic member and said first and second electrodes are mounted to the tubular plastic member in an at least partially embedded configuration.