VACUUM COAGULATION PROBE FOR ATRIAL FIBRILLATION TREATMENT

摘要

An embodiment of the invention includes a surgical device for coagulating soil tissue such as atrial tissue in the treatment of atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter, and atrial tachycardia. The surgical device can include at least one elongate member comprising conductive elements adapted to coagulate soft tissue when radiofrequency or direct current energy is transmitted to the conductive elements. Openings through said conductive elements are routed through lumens in the elongate member to a vacuum source to actively engage the soft tissue surface intended to coagulate into intimate contact with the conductive elements to facilitate the coagulation process and ensure the lesions created are consistent, contiguous, and transmural. The embodiments of the invention can also incorporate cooling openings positioned near the conductive elements and coupled with a vacuum source or an injection source to transport fluid though the cooling openings causing the soft tissue surface to cool thus pushing the maximum temperature deeper into tissue. The embodiments of the invention can also incorporate features to tunnel between anatomic structures or dissect around the desired tissue surface to coagulate thereby enabling less invasive positioning of the soft tissue coagulating device and ensuring reliable and consistent heating of the soft tissue.

主权项

1. A method for coagulating a soft tissue comprising:
placing an elongate member against the soft tissue, the elongate member comprising at least one vacuum lumen and at least one element, where the at least one element is in fluid communication with the vacuum lumen; applying a vacuum source to produce a vacuum in said lumen such that the vacuum passes through the at least one element to draw tissue in contact with a length of the at least one element; transmitting energy through the at least one element to create a contiguous lesion in the soft tissue where the contiguous lesion has a length that corresponds to the length of the at least one element that contacts the tissue.