Patent ID: 9675416
Date: 2017-06-13
CPC Classifications: A61B

Claim:
1. An apparatus, comprising: an ablation power generator of ablative electrical energy; an insertion tube having a distal end configured for insertion into proximity with tissue in a body of a patient, the insertion tube defining a lumen having disposed therein an electrical conductor for conveying the ablative electrical energy to the tissue; a conductive cap attached to the distal end of the insertion tube and coupled electrically to the electrical conductor; at least one optical fiber contained within the insertion tube and terminating in proximity to an outer surface of the conductive cap, the at least one optical fiber being configured to an optical module configured to provide optical radiation to the at least one optical fiber and to measure the received reflected optical radiation; a processor linked to the optical module and configured to analyze the reflected optical radiation in order to recognize a characteristic signature in the reflected optical radiation indicative of an impending steam pop event; wherein the characteristic signature comprises a high frequency pattern in a second derivative of the reflected optical radiation with respect to time.