Cardiac ablation system

Abstract

An apparatus and method for performing cardiac ablations employs a catheter comprising an anchoring device and an ablating device to perform the ablations to electrically isolate the pulmonary veins and left atrium from surrounding atrial tissue. The anchor can comprise a balloon-type device, a stent-like device, a strut-like device, a spring-strut-like device, an umbrella-like device, a mushroom-like device, or other device that allows the catheter to maintain a position with respect to target tissue. The ablator can comprise a balloon ablator, an umbrella ablator, a pinwheel ablator, an umbrella ablator incorporating a cinch mechanism, a mushroom balloon ablator and a segmented balloon or pinwheel ablator. The anchor and ablator can also comprise a combination mushroom balloon anchor section and mushroom balloon ablator section. The anchor and ablator can include electrodes for measuring a conductance therebetween when in deployed position, so as to determine the effectiveness of the ablation.

1 .- 21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . A system for performing ablation, the system comprising:
 an ablation device comprising an anchor and an ablation apparatus, the ablation device constructed and arranged to perform ablations;   a control system operably connected to the ablation device and comprising a set of software instructions associated with one or more functions of at least one of the anchor and ablation apparatus; and   a controller operably connected to the ablation device and the control system and configured to control operation of the one or more functions related to at least one of the anchor and the ablation apparatus.   
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the anchor comprises a retracted and a deployed configuration and the ablation apparatus comprises a retracted and a deployed configuration. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the ablation device comprises a mechanism that allows the ablation apparatus in the deployed configuration to be moved axially toward and away from the anchor, once the anchor is in the deployed configuration and compressed against target tissue. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the mechanism is selected from the group consisting of a pulley system associated with the anchor and coupled to the ablation apparatus, a slide and catch mechanism associated with the anchor and coupled to the ablation apparatus, and a flexible helix drive associated with the anchor and coupled to the ablation apparatus. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the mechanism further comprises a drive motor. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the drive motor is external to the ablation device. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the ablation apparatus is selected from the group consisting of an umbrella ablator, a compass ablator, a pinwheel ablator, a balloon ablator, a stent ablator, and a mushroom balloon ablator. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the anchor is selected from the group consisting of an umbrella anchor, a balloon anchor, a stent anchor, and a mushroom anchor, and a mushroom balloon anchor. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the ablation apparatus is an umbrella ablation apparatus that comprises a distal ring and a plurality of struts, the ring comprising a plurality of electrodes arranged circumferentially about the ring. 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein the distal ring is continuous. 
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein the distal ring is segmented. 
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein a plurality of sensors is arranged about the ring, each sensor being associated with an electrode. 
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the ablation apparatus comprises at least one sensor operably coupled to the ablation apparatus that provides feedback to an operator that the ablation apparatus is in contact with a target tissue. 
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 34 , wherein the at least one sensor is a contact force sensor operably coupled to an electrode pad of the ablation apparatus that measures an amount of contact force against the target tissue by the ablation apparatus. 
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 34 , wherein the at least one sensor is operably connected to the control system. 
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 34 , wherein the anchor comprises a sensor that operates cooperatively with the sensor associated with the ablation apparatus to provide feedback to the operator that the ablation apparatus is in contact with the target tissue. 
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 37 , wherein the sensor is operably connected to the control system. 
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the anchor comprises a sensor that operates to provide feedback to the operator that the anchor is sufficiently retained. 
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 39 , wherein the sensor is operably connected to the control system. 
     
     
         41 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the ablation device comprises a catheter.