Ablation fluid manifold for ablation catheter

Abstract

An ablation catheter employing one or more manifold arrangements to convey a conductive fluid medium to a target tissue. The manifold includes at least one inlet port in fluid communication with a fluid supply lumen running along at least a portion of the catheter. The inlet port or ports are in fluid communication with a larger outlet port. The outlet ports provide an outlet for the fluid to flow out of the catheter and against the target tissue. As such, the combination of at least the inlet port with the outlet port provides a flow path for fluid within the fluid lumen to flow through the manifold and to outside of the catheter. An electrode is arranged in the flow path of fluid within or adjacent the manifolds. As such, fluid may be energized and conduct ablation energy to the target tissue to ablate the tissue.

1 . An ablation catheter comprising: 
 a tubular body having an ablation region and an ablation fluid supply lumen,    a plurality of manifolds disposed along the ablation region in fluid communication with the ablation fluid supply lumen,    each of the plurality of manifolds comprising: 
 a plurality of inlet ports in fluid communication with the ablation fluid supply lumen,  
 an outlet port in fluid communication with each of the plurality of inlet ports, the outlet port having a larger orifice than each of the plurality of inlet ports and  
   at least one electrode positioned in at least one outlet port.    
   
   
       2 . The ablation catheter of  claim 1 , wherein the ablation region includes a tissue contact area and the outlet port of each of the plurality of manifolds is located within the tissue contact area.  
   
   
       3 . The ablation catheter of  claim 1 , wherein the outlet port of each of the plurality of manifolds is fluidly isolated from any other outlet port.  
   
   
       4 . The ablation catheter of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of manifolds define a longitudinal axis, and wherein the plurality of inlet ports are arranged generally parallel with the longitudinal axis of the manifolds.  
   
   
       5 . The ablation catheter of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of manifolds define a longitudinal axis, and wherein the inlet ports are arranged at an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the manifolds.  
   
   
       6 . The ablation catheter of  claim 1  wherein each inlet port defines a circular orifice having a diameter of about 0.002 inches, and wherein each outlet port defines a circular orifice having a diameter of about 0.02 to about 0.025 inches.  
   
   
       7 . The ablation catheter of  claim 1  wherein the electrode is housed in an electrode lumen.  
   
   
       8 . The ablation catheter of  claim 7  wherein the electrode lumen is in communication with the plurality of output ports.  
   
   
       9 . The ablation catheter of  claim 1  wherein each of the plurality of manifolds further comprises a plurality of channels in fluid communication with the output port.  
   
   
       10 . The ablation catheter of  claim 9  wherein the plurality of channels are defined in the tubular body of the catheter.  
   
   
       11 . The ablation catheter of  claim 4  wherein the catheter further comprises at least one sensor located proximate to the plurality of manifolds.  
   
   
       12 . The ablation catheter of  claim 11  wherein the at least one sensor is a temperature sensor.  
   
   
       13 . An ablation catheter comprising: 
 a tubular body having a tissue contact surface and an ablation fluid supply lumen,    a coiled spring within the ablation fluid supply lumen,    a shaping element contained within a shaping element lumen,    at least one manifold defining at least one ablation fluid flow path out of the ablation fluid supply lumen, the at least one manifold comprising: 
 at least one inlet port in fluid communication with the ablation fluid supply lumen  
 at least one outlet port in fluid communication with the at least one inlet port, the at least one outlet port having a larger orifice than the at least one inlet port; and  
   an electrode positioned in the at least one ablation fluid flow path.    
   
   
       14 . The ablation catheter of  claim 13  wherein the coiled spring has a smaller diameter than the ablation fluid supply lumen.  
   
   
       15 . The ablation catheter of  claim 13  wherein the ablation fluid supply lumen and the tubular body are coaxial.  
   
   
       16 . The ablation catheter of  claim 13  wherein a central axis of the ablation fluid supply lumen is offset from a central axis of the tubular body in a direction toward the tissue contact surface.  
   
   
       17 . The ablation catheter of  claim 13  wherein the shaping element comprises a pull wire.  
   
   
       18 . The ablation catheter of  claim 13  wherein the plurality of manifolds are integrally formed with the shaping element.  
   
   
       19 . The ablation catheter of  claim 18  wherein the tissue contact surface is substantially flat.  
   
   
       20 . An ablation catheter comprising: 
 a tubular body having an ablation region and an ablation fluid supply lumen,    a plurality of manifolds disposed along the ablation region in fluid communication with the ablation fluid supply lumen,    each of the plurality of manifolds comprising:    a plurality of inlet ports in fluid communication with the ablation fluid supply lumen;    an outlet port in fluid communication with each of the plurality of inlet ports,    the outlet port having a larger orifice than each of the plurality of inlet ports and    at least one electrode positioned in at least one outlet port,    wherein the plurality of manifolds evenly distribute an ablation fluid along the ablation region.    
   
   
       21 . An ablation catheter comprising: 
 a tubular body defining a partial loop at its distal end;    a lumen operably connected with the tubular body; and    manifolding means for conveying fluid from within the lumen to without the tubular body.    
   
   
       22 . The ablation catheter of  claim 21 , further comprising a separate actuating lumen operably connected with the tubular body.  
   
   
       23 . The ablation catheter of  claim 22 , wherein the actuating lumen provides a fluid induced force upon the distal end of the tubular body.