Patent ID: 8506589
Filing Date: 2013-08-13
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. A nasogastric tube for deflecting an esophagus during an ablation procedure comprising: a tube comprising at least one lumen having proximal and distal ends, the tube configured to be positioned within the esophagus, to extend at least from a proximal end of the esophagus to a distal end of the esophagus, and to be anchored within the esophagus; and an esophageal deflector positioned within the at least one lumen and configured to deflect a portion of the tube between the proximal and distal ends, the esophageal deflector including a proximal portion, a distal portion, and an intermediate portion disposed between the proximal and distal portions, the proximal portion, the distal portion, and the intermediate portion extending along a longitudinal axis in an initial non-deflected state, the intermediate portion having a proximal end and a distal end each spaced away from the proximal end and the distal end of the tube, respectively, the proximal portion extending between the proximal end of the tube and the proximal end of the intermediate portion and the distal portion extending between the distal end of the tube and the distal end of the intermediate portion, wherein the esophageal deflector is configured to deflect the tube from the initial non-deflected state to a deflected state whereby the intermediate portion is deflected away from the longitudinal axis without deflecting the proximal and distal portions, and wherein the esophageal deflector comprises a pull-wire apparatus including a first pull wire extending from a proximal end of the nasogastric tube and anchored proximate the distal end of the intermediate portion, and a second pull wire extending between and anchored proximate the distal end of the intermediate portion and the proximal end of the intermediate portion, wherein the first pull wire is actuatable by the user and the second pull wire is configured to deflect the intermediate portion of the esophageal deflector in response to actuation of the first pull wire by the user to deflect the intermediate portion such that the tube deflects proximate to a retrocardiac portion of the esophagus while the distal end of the tube is anchored relative to the esophagus and such that the retrocardiac portion of the esophagus is deflected away from an ablation site.