Patent ID: 6190382
Filing Date: 2001-02-20
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
A radio-frequency-based catheter system for ablating biological tissues within the body vessel of a patient comprising:(a) a catheter adapted for insertion into the body vessel of the patient, the catheter having a proximal portion, a distal portion with an distal opening and a lumen extending from the proximal portion to the distal portion;(b) an elongated antenna guide disposed within the catheter lumen and deployable beyond the distal opening of the catheter to form a loop substantially conformable to the internal contour of the body vessel;(c) a radio-frequency antenna disposed at the distal portion of the catheter, the antenna including a helical coil and defining an axial passageway to accommodate the antenna guide passing therethrough, the radio-frequency antenna being adaptable to receive and irradiate radio-frequency energy for ablating the biological tissues along a biological ablation pathway; and(d) an electrical conductor coupled to each end of the helical coil and extending proximally toward the proximal portion of the catheter within the lumen wherein the electrical conductors are adapted to transmit radio-frequency energy at a frequency greater than 300 Megahertz (MHz) of the electromagnetic spectrum.