Ablation catheters

Abstract

The present invention relates generally to multifunctional catheters for performing ablation procedures, and more particularly to ablation catheters utilized in the treatment of atrial fibrillation and other cardiac disorders. The present invention eliminates many of the problems associated with previous ablation catheters by providing an ablation treatment not dependent upon continuous lesions.

1 - 47 . (canceled)  
   
   
       48 . A device comprising: 
 i) an elongate catheter body having an axis, a proximal end and a distal end;    ii) a spiral tip configured for tissue ablation, wherein said spiral tip is mounted at said distal end of said elongate catheter body, wherein said spiral tip is capable of expansion and contraction, wherein said spiral tip is attached at a location on its periphery to said elongate catheter body, wherein said location is aligned with said axis of said catheter body, and wherein said spiral tip has thereon a plurality of electrodes through which energy may be emitted to cause said tissue ablation; and    iii) a thermal monitoring circuit coupled to at least one of said electrodes to monitor the temperature of said electrode.    
   
   
       49 . The device of  claim 48 , wherein said device comprises conductive coils on said spiral tip.  
   
   
       50 . The device of  claim 49 , wherein said conductive coils comprise at least one conductive coil measuring 2-20 millimeters in size.  
   
   
       51 . The device of  claim 48 , wherein said device comprises conductive plates on said spiral tip.  
   
   
       52 . The device of  claim 48 , wherein said spiral tip is positioned perpendicularly to said distal end of said elongate catheter body.  
   
   
       53 . The device of  claim 48 , wherein said spiral tip comprises a plurality of loops.  
   
   
       54 . The device of  claim 53 , wherein said loops are separated by gaps.  
   
   
       55 . The device of  claim 48 , wherein said spiral tip is configured to create spiral lesions in body tissue.  
   
   
       56 . A device comprising: 
 i) an elongate catheter body having an axis, a proximal end and a distal end;    ii) a spiral tip configured for tissue ablation, wherein said spiral tip is mounted at said distal end of said elongate catheter body, wherein said spiral tip is capable of expansion and contraction, wherein said spiral tip is attached at a location on its periphery to said elongate catheter body, wherein said location is aligned with said axis of said elongate catheter body, wherein said spiral tip has thereon a plurality of electrodes through which energy may be emitted to cause said tissue ablation, and wherein said electrodes are formed by conductive coils.    
   
   
       57 . The device of  claim 56 , wherein said conductive coils comprise at least one conductive coil measuring 2-20 millimeters in size.  
   
   
       58 . The device of  claim 56 , wherein said spiral tip is positioned perpendicularly to said distal end of said elongate catheter body.  
   
   
       59 . The device of  claim 56 , wherein said spiral tip comprises a plurality of loops.  
   
   
       60 . The device of  claim 59 , wherein said loops are separated by gaps.  
   
   
       61 . The device of  claim 56 , wherein said spiral tip is configured to create spiral lesions in body tissue.  
   
   
       62 . A device comprising: 
 i) an elongate catheter body having an axis, a proximal end and a distal end, wherein said distal end has therein a distal opening, wherein said elongate catheter body is at least partially covered by an elongate sheath, wherein said elongate sheath terminates at said distal opening;    ii) a spiral tip configured for tissue ablation, wherein said spiral tip is mounted at said distal end of said elongate catheter body, wherein said spiral tip is capable of expansion and contraction, wherein said spiral tip is attached at a location on its periphery to said elongate catheter body, wherein said location is aligned with said axis of said catheter body, wherein said spiral tip comprises a spiral tip body and a spiral tip sheath, wherein said spiral tip body has thereon a plurality of electrodes through which energy may be emitted to cause said tissue ablation, and wherein said spiral tip sheath permits formation of said spiral tip body into a predetermined shape; and    iii) a conductive wire that extends through said elongate sheath and through said spiral tip sheath.    
   
   
       63 . The device of  claim 62 , wherein said device comprises conductive coils on said spiral tip.  
   
   
       64 . The device of  claim 63 , wherein said conductive coils comprise at least one conductive coil measuring 2-20 millimeters in size.  
   
   
       65 . The device of  claim 62 , wherein said device comprises conductive plates on said spiral tip.  
   
   
       66 . The device of  claim 62 , wherein said spiral tip is positioned perpendicularly to said distal end of said elongate catheter body.  
   
   
       67 . The device of  claim 62 , wherein said spiral tip comprises a plurality of loops.  
   
   
       68 . The device of  claim 62 , wherein said loops are separated by gaps.  
   
   
       69 . The device of  claim 62 , wherein said spiral tip is configured to create spiral lesions in body tissue.  
   
   
       70 . A device comprising: 
 i) an elongate catheter body having an axis, a proximal end and a distal end, wherein said distal end has therein a distal opening, wherein said elongate catheter body is at least partially covered by an elongate sheath, wherein said elongate sheath terminates at said distal opening;    ii) a spiral tip configured for tissue ablation, wherein said spiral tip is mounted at said distal end of said elongate catheter body, wherein said spiral tip is capable of expansion and contraction, wherein said spiral tip is attached at a location on its periphery to said elongate catheter body, wherein said location is aligned with said axis of said catheter body, wherein said spiral tip comprises a spiral tip body and a spiral tip sheath, wherein said spiral tip body has thereon a plurality of electrodes through which energy may be emitted to cause said tissue ablation, and wherein said spiral tip sheath permits formation of said spiral tip body into a predetermined shape; and    iii) a steering spring coupled to a conducting wire, wherein said steering spring is disposed within said elongate sheath and coupled to a handle via said conducting wire, wherein manipulation of said steering spring permits expansion and/or contraction of said spiral tip.    
   
   
       71 . The device of  claim 70 , wherein said device comprises conductive coils on said spiral tip.  
   
   
       72 . The device of  claim 71 , wherein said conductive coils comprise at least one conductive coil measuring 2-20 millimeters in size.  
   
   
       73 . The device of  claim 70 , wherein said device comprises conductive plates on said spiral tip.  
   
   
       74 . The device of  claim 70 , wherein said spiral tip is positioned perpendicularly to said distal end of said elongate catheter body.  
   
   
       75 . The device of  claim 70 , wherein said spiral tip comprises a plurality of loops.  
   
   
       76 . The device of  claim 75 , wherein said loops are separated by gaps.  
   
   
       77 . The device of  claim 70 , wherein said spiral tip is configured to create spiral lesions in body tissue.  
   
   
       78 . The device of  claim 70 , wherein said handle is attached to said proximal end of said elongate catheter body.  
   
   
       79 . The device of  claim 70 , wherein said handle is configured to manipulate said steering spring.  
   
   
       80 . A device comprising: 
 i) an elongate catheter body having an axis, a proximal end and a distal end;    ii) a spiral tip configured for tissue ablation, wherein said spiral tip is mounted at said distal end of said elongate catheter body, wherein said spiral tip is capable of expansion and contraction, wherein said spiral tip is configured to assume a spiral shape having at least two 360° rotations, wherein said at least two 360° rotations at least partially overlap, wherein a gap exists between each of said at least two 360° rotations, wherein said spiral tip assuming said spiral shape is capable of creating a tissue ablation lesion pattern that prevents electrical impulse propagation between unablated tissue regions.    
   
   
       81 . The device of  claim 80 , wherein said device comprises conductive coils on said spiral tip.  
   
   
       82 . The device of  claim 81 , wherein said conductive coils comprise at least one conductive coil measuring 2-20 millimeters in size.  
   
   
       83 . The device of  claim 80 , wherein said device comprises conductive plates on said spiral tip.  
   
   
       84 . The device of  claim 80 , wherein said spiral tip is positioned perpendicularly to said distal end of said elongate catheter body.  
   
   
       85 . A device comprising: 
 i) an elongate catheter body having an axis, a proximal end and a distal end;    ii) a spiral tip configured for tissue ablation, wherein said spiral tip is mounted at said distal end of said elongate catheter body, wherein said spiral tip is capable of expansion and contraction, wherein said spiral tip is attached at a location on its periphery to said elongate catheter body, wherein said location is aligned with said axis of said elongate catheter body, wherein said spiral tip has thereon a plurality of electrodes through which energy may be emitted to cause said tissue ablation; and    iii) a RF energy source coupled to said electrodes, said RF energy source including at least one feedback circuit such that a parameter may be regulated, said parameter selected from the group consisting of: power output, impedance, temperature, duration of energy application, and combinations thereof.    
   
   
       86 . The device of  claim 85 , wherein said device comprises conductive coils on said spiral tip.  
   
   
       87 . The device of  claim 86 , wherein said conductive coils comprise at least one conductive coil measuring 2-20 millimeters in size.  
   
   
       88 . The device of  claim 85 , wherein said device comprises conductive plates on said spiral tip.  
   
   
       89 . The device of  claim 85 , wherein said spiral tip is positioned perpendicularly to said distal end of said elongate catheter body.  
   
   
       90 . The device of  claim 85 , wherein said spiral tip comprises a plurality of loops.  
   
   
       91 . The device of  claim 90 , wherein said loops are separated by gaps.  
   
   
       92 . The device of  claim 85 , wherein said spiral tip is configured to create spiral lesions in body tissue.