Patent ID: 6200315
Filing Date: 2001-03-13
Classification: A61B,C08L

Abstract:
A left atrium ablation catheter assembly comprising: a sheath having a proximal end and a precurved distal end, wherein said sheath has a proximal precurved region spaced-apart from the distal end of the sheath at a distance chosen to position the proximal precurved region within the right atrium of a heart near a chosen one of the inferior vena cava and superior vena cava when the precurved distal end is positioned within the left atrium of the heart, an electrode catheter having a tip with an electrode positioned along a first length of said tip which is at least about 1 cm long, said electrode catheter housed within and in contact with said sheath with said tip extendible from the distal end of the sheath; said electrode comprising means for creating an elongate, continuous, therapeutically-effective ablated lesion of a second length at a target site within the left atrium of the heart without moving the tip along the target site.