Patent ID: 11877794
Assignee: ATRICURE, INC.
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 0:
1. A medical device configured to apply energy from an energy supply into a region of tissue and draw suction from a vacuum source, the medical device comprising:
a catheter assembly having a working end;
a hood member at the working end and having a top surface and a bottom surface, the hood member having an open face on the bottom surface that exposes a recess within an interior of the hood member, the open face having a perimeter with a first edge and second edge extending lengthwise along a longitudinal axis of the hood member, where at least a portion of the perimeter is configured to contact the region of tissue when the open face is positioned on the region of tissue, the hood member comprising a plenum at a distal end of the hood member;
a first electrode and a second electrode each positioned respectively along the first edge and the second edge, where the first electrode and second electrode are configured deliver energy from the energy supply to the region of tissue, wherein the first electrode comprises a first electrode lumen extending therethrough and the second electrode comprises a second electrode lumen extending therethrough;
a plurality of walls extending lengthwise within the interior of the hood member, where the plurality of walls form one or more perfusion channels and one or more vacuum channels within the interior of the hood member;
where the one or more perfusion channels are in fluid communication with a perfusion lumen located within the hood member;
where the one or more vacuum channels are in fluid communication with a vacuum lumen located within the hood member;
where the one or more perfusion channels and the one or more vacuum channels are separated by the plurality of walls, wherein the one or more vacuum channels, the first electrode lumen and the second electrode lumen are fluidly coupled at the plenum;
where a cooling fluid is introduced through the first electrode lumen and the second electrode lumen, through the plenum, and through the one or more vacuum channels to cool the first electrode and the second electrode; and
wherein the medical device is configured such that, when the open face is positioned on the region of tissue, application of a vacuum from the vacuum source produces a vacuum in the one or more vacuum channels to draw a surface of the region of tissue into the open face and into the recess against the plurality of walls.