APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR INTRABODY THERMAL TREATMENT

摘要

A treatment catheter (10) carries an elongated ultrasonic emitter (20) extending in the lengthwise direction of the catheter. The array is flexible in all directions transverse to the lengthwise direction. The treatment catheter is inserted into a chamber of the heart and brought to a desired configuration such as a substantially closed loop. The treatment catheter is then biased into engagement with the wall of the heart by an expansible balloon (62) or other expansible structure, which may be carried on a separate stabilizer catheter (60). While the treatment catheter is engaged with the heart wall, the array is actuated to ablate tissue along a path having a shape corresponding to the configuration of the treatment catheter.