APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR RENAL DENERVATION ABLATION

摘要

A catheter device for renal denervation ablation includes a flexible catheter shaft having an electrically insulating expandable member in its distal portion with at least one electrode located proximal to the member, at least one electrode located distal to the member, and with openings in the distal shaft with at least one opening proximal to the proximal electrode and one opening distal to the distal electrode of said electrode pair, said openings connected through an inner lumen in the catheter that provides a path for blood to flow through the expandable member. In one embodiment, the device comprises a flexible catheter shaft with a multiplicity of recessed paired electrodes disposed in recessed spaces in its distal portion, such that an electrically conducting portion of each electrode is exposed to the exterior of the catheter within a recessed space, and with an electrical insulator separating the electrodes of each pair.

主权项

1. An apparatus, comprising:
a flexible catheter shaft having an electrically insulating expandable member coupled thereto such that the expandable member surrounds a portion of the catheter shaft, the portion of the catheter shaft defines a lumen, a surface of the catheter shaft defining a first opening and a second opening, the first opening and the second opening each in fluid communication with the lumen, the expandable member disposed between the first opening and the second opening to establish a pathway through the expandable member via the lumen; and at least one electrode pair, the electrode pair including a first electrode and a second electrode, the first electrode coupled to the catheter shaft between the first opening and the expandable member, the second electrode coupled to the catheter shaft between the second opening and the expandable member.