Catheter with an irrigated composite tip electrode

摘要

Various catheter designs with irrigated tip electrodes are provided for reducing the heating of the tip resulting from RF biasing. The electrode tip of the catheter may be comprised of a highly thermal conductivity layer covered by a biologically compatible material and having irrigation or irrigation channels for removing excess thermal energy from the catheter tip and the surrounding area of the catheter tip. The catheter tip may be designed with multiple irrigation channels, multiple channel pathways, and/or exterior shapes to improve the cooling of the tip. These approaches may be used individually or in combination to produce a catheter tip with improved heat dissipation characteristics.