Patent ID: 11944372
Assignee: BOSTON SCIENTIFIC SCIMED, INC.
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 0:
1. A system for ablation comprising:
a catheter comprising:
a sheath defining a sheath lumen and a distal end,
an elongate electrode assembly within the sheath lumen, the electrode assembly having a distal portion and a proximal portion, the electrode assembly being axially moveable within the sheath lumen, the electrode assembly comprising:
a shaft defining a central channel and a distal central channel opening,
a first lead within the shaft, and
an expandable electrode array comprising two or more electrode elements positioned at the distal portion of the electrode assembly and electrically connected to the first lead, wherein the electrode array is moveable between a retracted position contained within the sheath lumen and an expanded position protruding from the sheath, wherein the electrode elements surround the distal central channel opening of the shaft when the electrode elements are in the expanded position, wherein the two or more electrode elements include free distal ends and proximal ends attached to an inner surface of the shaft;

a handle assembly operably connected to the electrode assembly, the handle assembly comprising a port;
an ultrasound imaging catheter configured to be slidably moved within the central channel, wherein the ultrasound imaging catheter is capable of being moved axially between a first deployed position and a second deployed position, wherein the ultrasound imaging catheter extends away from the distal central channel opening by a first distance in the first deployed position and by a different second distance in the second deployed position;
a liquid delivery device configured to be introduced into and slidably moved within the central channel while the ultrasound imaging catheter is positioned within the central channel; and
a computer processor in communication with the ultrasound imaging catheter, wherein the processor is configured to generate a first ultrasound image of tissue when the ultrasound imaging catheter is in the first deployed position, and further configured to generate a second ultrasound image when the ultrasound imaging catheter is in the second deployed position.