Patent ID: 6053912
Filing Date: 2000-04-25
Classification: A61B,A61N

Abstract:
A system for ablating body tissue comprisingan electrode having a thermal mass, the electrode having a contact region for contacting a tissue surface, the electrode being adapted to be connected to a source of radio frequency energy to conduct radio frequency energy for transmission by the electrode into the tissue surface contacting the tissue contact region, the electrode including an interior well in the tissue contact region,a cooling element in thermal communication with the electrode and operable to cool the thermal mass of the electrode,a tissue temperature sensing assembly carried within the interior well comprising a cap made of a thermal conductive material having a thermal conductivity that is at least 1.0 W/m K, and an insulating barrier made of thermal insulating material in the interior well to substantially thermally isolate the cap from the thermal mass of the electrode, the cap having a distal end enclosing a tissue temperature sensing element in thermal conductive contact with the thermal conductive material of the cap andholding the tissue temperature sensing element in thermal conductive contact with tissue at a distance beneath the tissue surface, the thermal conductive material of the cap reaching thermal equilibrium with tissue temperature conditions without dissipation by the thermal mass of the electrode.