Patent ID: 8790341
Filing Date: 2014-07-29
Classification: A61B,C08L

Abstract:
1. An ablation catheter comprising: a catheter body; a hollow elongate tip electrode disposed at a distal end of the catheter body, the electrode comprising a sidewall provided with one or more elongate gaps extending therethrough, the one or more elongate gaps providing flexibility in the sidewall for bending movement of the tip electrode relative to a longitudinal axis of the catheter body, wherein the sidewall is defined by a spiraling stem extending about a longitudinal axis of the electrode and forming a series of turns, the gaps being located between adjacent turns of the spiraling stem, and wherein the stem includes a plurality of protruding blocks disposed on both sides of the stem, each block transversely extending towards an adjacent turn, and wherein the electrode is configured to deform and flex when it is dragged across a tissue surface; and a fluid delivery lumen in communication with the one or more elongate gaps, wherein the sidewall is configured to be coupled to an irrigation system such that when a cooling fluid is delivered in the lumen, it passes through the one or more elongate gaps to outside of the electrode and more of the cooling fluid is directed towards the tissue surface than away from the tissue surface.