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:
May. 17, 2005
Filed:
Nov. 01, 2002
Jeffrey A. Hall, Birmingham, AL (US);
Bruce H. Kenknight, Maple Grove, MN (US);
G. Neal Kay, Birmingham, AL (US);
Gregory P. Walcott, Wilsonville, AL (US);
Wade A. Bowe, Temecula, CA (US);
Jeffrey A. Hall, Birmingham, AL (US);
Bruce H. KenKnight, Maple Grove, MN (US);
G. Neal Kay, Birmingham, AL (US);
Gregory P. Walcott, Wilsonville, AL (US);
Wade A. Bowe, Temecula, CA (US);
UAB Research Foundation, Birmingham, AL (US);
Abstract
A cardiac ablation apparatus for producing a circumferential ablation that electrically isolates a heart chamber wall portion from vessel such as a pulmonary vein extending into said wall portion comprises (a) an elongate centering catheter having a distal end portion; (b) an expandable centering element connected to said centering catheter distal end portion and configured for positioning within said vessel when in a retracted configuration, and for securing said elongate centering catheter in a substantially axially aligned position with respect to said vessel when said centering element is in an expanded configuration; (c) an ablation catheter slidably connected to said centering catheter said ablation element having a distal end portion, and (d) an expandable ablation element connected to said ablation catheter distal end portion. The ablation element is configured to form a circumferential ablation on the wall around the elongate centering catheter when the centering catheter is axially aligned with respect to the vessel. In a further embodiment, a non-expandable, compliant centering element is employed, such as an elastic finger. Systems incorporating such an apparatus and methods of use thereof are also disclosed.