Patent ID: 6730077
Filing Date: 2004-05-04
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
A catheter system comprising:an elongated body; a first tissue treatment unit for cooling tissue, having a tissue cooling portion disposed on said elongated body, the cooling portion having a thermally and electrically conductive outer shell defining an interior through which cooling fluid passes to cool the outer shell; a second tissue treatment unit for heating tissue, having a tissue heating treatment portion disposed on the elongated body, and having at least one electrode for carrying an RF signal for tissue heating, the at least one electrode being coupled with the electrically conductive outer shell; and a control console for controlling tissue treatment, the control console being operable to control the first and second tissue treatment units, the control console being coupled to the at least one electrode to provide an RF signal to flow through the at least one electrode, and the control console being operable to measure an impedance input relative to a tissue pathway in communication with said at least one electrode and operable to adjust tissue heating in response to said impedance input, wherein the at least one electrode includes a first electrode and a second electrode, the electrically conductive outer shell defining an electrode gap having a first boundary and a second boundary, the first boundary being disposed adjacent to the first electrode, the second boundary being disposed adjacent to the second electrode.