The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 04, 2000
Filed:
Jul. 21, 1997
Darren Sherman, San Jose, CA (US);
Mark L Pomeranz, Los Gatos, CA (US);
Troy J Chapman, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
N Parker Willis, Atherton, CA (US);
Dale Rieb, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Robert B West, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Cardiac Pathways Corporation, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Abstract
A catheter device for creating linear lesions in endocardial tissue or other body tissue is described. The catheter includes an inner shaft telescopically received within an outer shaft. The inner shaft has one or more spaced apart electrodes along its distal section. The outer shaft member includes a fluid permeable window positionable to selectively overlay some or all of the electrodes when the relative positioning of the inner and outer shaft members is adjusted. During use, the window is positioned adjacent to the body tissue which is to be ablated and at least a portion of the electrodes are exposed through the window. RF energy is delivered to the electrodes while saline or other conductive fluid is simultaneously delivered through the infusion tube. The conductive fluid passes into contact with the electrodes, and through the window into contact with the body tissue, thereby improving the coupling of the RF energy from the electrodes to the tissue and improving the efficiency of the ablation of the tissue.