Patent ID: 9375269
Filing Date: 2016-06-28
CPC Classification: A61B

Claim Text:
1. An ablation apparatus, comprising: a flexible catheter adapted for insertion into a heart of a living subject and having a distal segment and an ablation electrode disposed at the distal segment to be brought into contact with a target tissue in the heart, the flexible catheter having a lumen for passage of irrigation fluid therethrough to an exit from the flexible catheter at the distal segment for cooling of the target tissue; an ablator, operative to apply a dosage of energy to the target tissue to ablate the target tissue; a flow processor for adjusting a flow of the irrigation fluid through the lumen; a sensor unit, disposed in a non-contacting relationship with the irrigation fluid, comprising a heat source that delivers heat energy to the irrigation fluid flowing in the lumen and a thermocouple disposed downstream from the heat source in a direction of flow of the irrigation fluid for measuring a temperature of the irrigation fluid; and a controller operative for: energizing the heat source of the sensor unit for a predetermined time interval to create a heated pod of irrigation fluid that propagates downstream from the heat source; recording a departure time of the heated pod from a first location; detecting a temperature signal from the thermocouple indicative of a change in the temperature of the irrigation fluid; determining an arrival time of the heated pod at a second location responsively to the temperature signal; determining a transit time of the heated pod from the first location to the second location measured by the departure time and the arrival time; and commanding the flow processor to adjust the flow of the irrigation fluid responsively to the transit time.