Patent ID: 6893438
Filing Date: 2005-05-17
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. A cardiac ablation apparatus for producing a circumferential ablation that electrically isolates a chamber wall portion of a heart from a vessel extending into said wall portion, said apparatus comprising: (a) an elongate centering catheter having a distal end portion; (b) an expandable centering element connected to said centering catheter distal end portion and configured for positioning within said vessel when in a retracted configuration, and for securing said elongate centering catheter in a substantially axially aligned position with respect to said vessel when said centering element is in an expanded configuration; (c) an ablation catheter slidably connected to said centering catheter said ablation element having a distal end portion, and (d) an expandable ablation element connected to said ablation catheter distal end portion, said ablation element comprising a plurality of expandable legs, each of said legs having a first end mounted to said ablation catheter and a second end extending away from said ablation catheter, each of said legs comprising at least one electrode positioned on said second end thereof, said ablation element configured to form a circumferential ablation on said wall portion around said elongate centering catheter when said centering catheter is axially aligned with respect to said vessel.