APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR GUIDED ABLATION TREATMENT

摘要

A method and apparatus for treating a body tissue in situ (e.g., an atrial tissue of a heart to treat) atrial fibrillation include a lesion formation tool is positioned against the heart surface. The lesion formation tool includes a guide member having a tissue-opposing surface for placement against a heart surface. An ablation member is coupled to the guide member to move in a longitudinal path relative to the guide member. The ablation member has an ablation element for directing ablation energy in an emitting direction away from the tissue-opposing surface. The guide member may be flexible to adjust a shape of the guide member for the longitudinal path to approximate the desired ablation path while maintaining the tissue-opposing surface against the heart surface. In one embodiment, the ablation member includes at least one radiation-emitting member disposed to travel in the longitudinal pathway. In another embodiment, the guide member has a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart tissue attachment locations with at least two being separately activated at the selection of an operator to be attached and unattached to an opposing tissue surface. Various means are described for the attachment including vacuum and mechanical attachment. The guide member may have a steering mechanism to remotely manipulate the shape of the guide member.