Patent ID: 6430449
Filing Date: 2002-08-06
Classification: A61N

Abstract:
A catheter, comprising:an elongate body having a peripheral surface, a proximal end and a distal end, and a first atrial electrode; a series of lateral deflections in the elongate body that occur generally within a common plane between the proximal end and distal end, where the series of lateral deflections has a first lateral deflection, a second lateral deflection, and a third lateral deflection, where the first lateral deflection curves away from the longitudinal axis of the elongate body and upon reaching a first maximum deflection point curves back towards the longitudinal axis, the second lateral deflection beginning as the first lateral deflection of the elongate body returns to approximately the longitudinal axis, where the second lateral deflection is in the opposite direction of the first lateral deflection, and upon reaching a second maximum deflection point curves back towards the longitudinal axis, and the third lateral deflection beginning as the second lateral deflection of the elongate body returns to approximately the longitudinal axis, where the third lateral deflection is in the opposite direction of the second lateral deflection, and upon reaching a third maximum deflection point curves back towards the longitudinal axis of the elongate body, and upon reaching the longitudinal axis, the elongate body curves back to generally align with the longitudinal axis of the elongate body, where the second lateral deflection has a magnitude greater than a magnitude of each of the first and third lateral deflections and where the first and third lateral deflections are directly adjacent the second lateral deflection, and where the first atrial electrode is located on one of the series of lateral deflections; and an electrically insulated conductor extending longitudinally within the elongate body from a contact end at the proximal end to the first atrial electrode.