Claims
- 1. A deflectable tip catheter comprising:
an elongated catheter body having proximal and distal end portions; a guidewire lumen extending along at least a portion of said distal end portion and terminating at a distal port, said guidewire lumen being formed to slidably engage a guidewire; a deflectable tip located along said distal end portion; and an ablation element disposed on said distal end portion for ablating body tissue.
- 2. The deflectable tip catheter of claim 1, further comprising a handle for controlling said deflectable tip, said handle being coupled to said proximal end portion of said elongated catheter body.
- 3. The deflectable tip catheter of claim 2, further comprising a pull wire having proximal and distal ends, said proximal end of said pull wire being coupled to said handle, said distal end of said pull wire being coupled to said deflectable tip, said handle being capable of causing relative movement between said elongated catheter body and said pull wire thereby causing said deflectable tip to deflect.
- 4. The deflectable tip catheter of claim 1, further comprising a torque resistant member extending through said elongated catheter body, said torque resistant member being constructed to transmit torque from said proximal end portion of said elongated catheter body to said distal end portion of said elongated catheter body.
- 5. The deflectable tip catheter of claim 1, further comprising an outer extrusion disposed on said elongated catheter body, said outer extrusion being formed of a biocompatible material.
- 6. The deflectable tip catheter of claim 1, further comprising an electrical lead lumen extending lengthwise through said elongated catheter body.
- 7. The deflectable tip catheter of claim 1, further comprising an anchoring member disposed on said elongated catheter body for releasably anchoring said elongated catheter body to a body structure.
- 8. The deflectable tip catheter of claim 7 wherein said anchoring member comprises a basket mechanism.
- 9. The deflectable tip catheter of claim 7 wherein said anchoring member comprises a cage mechanism.
- 10. The deflectable tip catheter of claim 7 wherein said anchoring member comprises an expandable member.
- 11. The deflectable tip catheter of claim 10 wherein said expandable member comprises an inflatable balloon and further comprising an inflation lumen extending lengthwise through said elongated catheter body, said inflation lumen being in fluid communication with said inflatable balloon.
- 12. The deflectable tip catheter of claim 1 wherein said ablation element is an ultrasonic transducer.
- 13. The deflectable tip catheter of claim 12 wherein said ultrasonic transducer is cylindrical in shape and has an inner surface forming an inner bore which is positioned over and around said elongated catheter body.
- 14. The deflectable tip catheter of claim 1 wherein said ablation element comprises an array of ultrasonic transducers.
- 15. The deflectable tip catheter of claim 1 wherein said ablation element comprises at least one piezoelectric transducer having at least one electrode on an exposed outer surface of said transducer.
- 16. The deflectable tip catheter of claim 1 wherein said ablation element comprises a light emitting transducer.
- 17. The deflectable tip catheter of claim 16 wherein said light emitting transducer is a laser.
- 18. The deflectable tip catheter of claim 1 wherein said ablation element is a cryogenic ablation device.
- 19. A deflectable tip catheter comprising:
an elongated catheter body having proximal and distal end portions; a guidewire lumen extending along at least a portion of said distal end portion and terminating at a distal port, said guidewire lumen being formed to slidably engage a guidewire; an ablation element disposed on said distal end portion for ablating body tissue; and a means for directing advancement of said guidewire as said guidewire is advanced from said distal port.
- 20. A method for placing a therapeutic or diagnostic device within a body structure comprising:
providing a catheter with proximal and distal end portions and a guidewire lumen which extends along at least a portion of said distal end portion and terminates at a distal port, said catheter having said therapeutic or diagnostic device disposed on said distal end portion, said catheter having a deflectable tip located along said distal end portion; slidably engaging a guidewire within said guidewire lumen; advancing said distal end portion of said catheter into a patient's body; deflecting said deflectable tip such that said distal port is positioned to direct advancement of said guidewire toward said body structure; and advancing said guidewire out of said distal port and toward said body structure.
- 21. The method of claim 20, further comprising advancing said catheter over said guidewire such that said therapeutic or diagnostic member is positioned at said body structure.
- 22. The method of claim 21, further comprising anchoring said catheter to said body structure.
- 23. A method for placing a therapeutic or diagnostic device at a location where a pulmonary vein extends from an atrium:
providing a catheter with proximal and distal end portions and a guidewire lumen which extends along at least a portion of said distal end portion and terminates at a distal port, said catheter having said therapeutic or diagnostic device disposed on said distal end portion, said catheter having a deflectable tip disposed along said distal end portion; slidably engaging a guidewire within said guidewire lumen; advancing said distal end portion of said catheter into an atrium; deflecting said deflectable tip such that said distal port is positioned to direct advancement of said guidewire toward said location; advancing said guidewire out of said distal port and toward said location; advancing said catheter over said guidewire such that said therapeutic or diagnostic element ablation element is positioned at said location; and treating a region of tissue at said location.
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/205009, filed May 16, 2000.
Provisional Applications (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60205009 |
May 2000 |
US |