Patent ID: 9668655
Date: 2017-06-06
CPC Classifications: A61B

Claim:
1. A left atrial ablation method, comprising: introducing a temperature probe comprising a single elongated element into an esophagus of an individual, the single elongated element including a proximal portion that is substantially linear and a temperature-sensing portion continuous with a distal end of the proximal portion and including a plurality of divergent bends, the temperature-sensing portion having substantially a same cross-sectional shape and dimensions as the proximal portion; placing the temperature-sensing portion of the single elongated element of the temperature probe and a plurality of temperature sensors arranged sequentially along a length of the temperature-sensing portion, spaced apart along the length of the temperature-sensing portion, and arranged in an area array by the plurality of divergent bends of the temperature-sensing portion against an interior surface of a portion of the esophagus located adjacent to a left atrium of a heart of the individual, the act of placing the temperature-sensing portion including positioning the plurality of temperature sensors in the area array against the interior surface of the portion of the esophagus without preventing the esophagus from functioning normally; with the plurality of temperature sensors positioned against the interior surface of the portion of the esophagus, ablating abnormal tissue of a wall of the left atrium of the heart of the individual from an interior of the left atrium; and monitoring a temperature of the interior surface of the portion of the esophagus with the plurality of temperature sensors while ablating the abnormal tissue.