RADIOFREQUENCY PROBE FOR CIRCUMFERENTIAL ABLATION OF A HOLLOW CAVITY

摘要

A probe for ablating tissue of a body cavity includes a shaft, an inflatable balloon connected to the shaft, and an electrode structure on or surrounding the balloon. The balloon expands within the body cavity to place the electrode structure in contact with the tissues in the body cavity. Additional electrodes, which are housed within the balloon during insertion into the cavity, can be extended outwardly from the balloon to penetrate the tissues in the body cavity. The electrode structure and the additional electrodes are adapted to transmit electrical energy to tissue of the body cavity in order to ablate the tissues up to a predetermined depth.