DEFLECTABLE CATHETER FOR ABLATING CARDIAC TISSUE

摘要

This invention is a deflectable catheter (10) for ablating tissue in the heart of a patient comprising an axially elongated catheter shaft (12) sized and constructed to be advanced through the vasculature of a patient into the patient's heart; a deflection wire (44); and an ablation electrode (26) having first and second opposed electrically conductive surfaces (30, 32) exposed for contact with a selected area of tissue within the patient's heart, and movable with respect to each other to apply gripping force to the contacted area of heart tissue for stabilizing the position of the electrically conductive surfaces (30, 32) of the ablation electrode (26) relative to the selected area of heart tissue. The ablation electrode (26) has a first rigid surface exposed for contact with the vasculature of the patient during advancement of the catheter therethrough and has an electrically conductive second rigid surface exposed for contact with a selected area of tissue within the patient's heart, wherein the axially transverse area circumscribed by the first surface of the ablation electrode is less than the tissue contacting area exposed by the second rigid surface. Therapeutic treatments of the heart of a patient are also disclosed.