Claims
- 1. A tissue ablation system for treating atrial arrhythmia by ablating a circumferential region of tissue at a location where a pulmonary vein extends from an atrium, comprising:
a delivery member with a proximal end portion and a distal end portion having a longitudinal axis and a radial axis; and a circumferential ablation member coupled to the distal end portion and having a plurality of splines, each with a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, and also having one or more ablation elements each supported along a support region of one of the splines, wherein the plurality of splines are circumferentially spaced around the longitudinal axis, each of the splines being adjustable between a first condition and a second condition wherein the respectively supported ablation element is adjustable between a first radial position and a second radial position, wherein each spline in the first condition is substantially radially collapsed and extends substantially along the longitudinal axis such that the circumferential ablation member is adapted to be delivered through a delivery sheath into the atrium, and in the second condition the support region of each spline extends at least in part radially away from the longitudinal axis such that each of the individual ablation elements is held by the supporting spline in the second radial position with the one or more ablation elements being spaced along a circumferential pattern that surrounds the longitudinal axis, said circumferential pattern being configured such that the one or more ablation elements is adapted to engage and ablate the circumferential region of tissue when the splines are adjusted to the second condition at the location.
- 2. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the splines has a memory to the second condition.
- 3. The system of claim 2, wherein each of the splines comprises a shape-memory material.
- 4. The system of claim 3, wherein each of the splines comprises a nickel-titanium alloy.
- 5. The system of claim 1, further comprising an outer member with a proximal end portion and a distal end portion which surrounds the distal end portion of the delivery member, wherein the splines are adapted to be withdrawn into the outer member in the first position.
- 6. The system of claim 1, wherein the distal end portion of each of the splines in the second position has a radius of curvature away from the longitudinal axis.
- 7. The system of claim 1, wherein the distal end portion of each of the splines in the second position has a radius of curvature toward the longitudinal axis.
- 8. The system of claim 1, wherein the ablation element comprises an electrical current ablation element.
- 9. The system of claim 1, wherein the ablation element comprises a thermal ablation element.
- 10. The system of claim 1, wherein the ablation element comprises an ultrasound ablation element.
- 11. The system of claim 1, wherein the ablation element comprises a microwave ablation element
- 12. The system of claim 1, wherein the ablation element comprises a thermal ablation element.
- 13. The system of claim 1, wherein the ablation element comprises a cryoablation element.
- 14. The system of claim 1, wherein the ablation element comprises a fluid ablation element.
- 15. The system of claim 1, wherein the ablation element comprises a light emitting ablation element.
- 16. The system of claim 1, wherein the ablation element comprises an ablation means.
- 17. A tissue ablation system for ablating a circumferential region of tissue comprising:
a delivery member with a proximal end portion and a distal end portion having a longitudinal axis and a radial axis; and a circumferential ablation member coupled to the distal end portion and having a plurality of splines, each with a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, and also having one or more ablation elements each supported along a support region of one of the splines, wherein the plurality of splines are circumferentially spaced around the longitudinal axis, each of the splines being adjustable between a first condition and a second condition wherein the respectively supported ablation element is adjustable between a first radial position and a second radial position.
- 18. A circumferential ablation member comprising:
A plurality of splines circumferentially spaced around a longitudinal axis, each of the splines being adjustable between a first condition and a second condition; and one or more ablation elements each supported along a support region of one of the splines, wherein the respectively supported ablation element is adjustable between a first radial position and a second radial position when the supporting spline is adjusted between the first condition and the second condition.
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/889,798 filed on Jul. 8, 1997, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,024,740; and 09/199,736 filed on Nov. 25, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,117,101, to which this application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §120. This application is also a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/435,281 filed on Nov. 5, 1999, to which this application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §121. This application also claims priority pursuant to 35 U.S.C. §119 (e) to provisional application No. 60/133,677 filed on May 11, 1999.
Divisions (1)
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Number |
Date |
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Parent |
09435281 |
Nov 1999 |
US |
Child |
10274729 |
Oct 2002 |
US |
Continuation in Parts (2)
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Number |
Date |
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Parent |
08889798 |
Jul 1997 |
US |
Child |
10274729 |
Oct 2002 |
US |
Parent |
09199736 |
Nov 1998 |
US |
Child |
10274729 |
Oct 2002 |
US |