Patent ID: 6063078
Filing Date: 2000-05-16
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
A system for ablating cardiac tissue located within a human body, the system being configured to access the cardiac tissue via blood vessels in the body, comprising:a power source for providing energy at a controllable rate to the cardiac tissue, the power source being capable of providing energy at a rate which is non damaging to cellular structures of the cardiac tissue,a catheter operatively coupled to the power source, the catheter having an electrode disposed at a distal end thereof, the electrode being configured to receive energy from the power source and distribute a portion thereof to the cardiac tissue; andmeans for sensing the rate at which energy is provided by the power source to the electrode, the means for sensing producing a second energy rate providing information;means for sensing a temperature of the electrode attached to the catheter, the temperature sensing means providing first temperature information;means for determining and controlling the rate at which energy is provided to the electrode by the energy source, the energy rate determining and controlling means receiving the first temperature information and the second energy rate providing information, the energy rate determining and controlling means determining on the basis of the first and second information a degree of contact of the electrode with the cardiac tissue and adjusting the rate at which the energy is provided to the electrode by the power source in accordance with the degree of contact determined thereby.