Patent ID: 7367972
Filing Date: 2008-05-06
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. An ablation system, comprising: generating means for generating ablation energy; an ablation device comprising first ablation means connectable to the generating means and locatable adjacent a first tissue site to be ablated, for applying the generated ablation energy to the first tissue site; a first impedance measuring electrode mounted to the ablation device so that the first impedance measuring electrode is adjacent the first tissue site when the first ablating means is adjacent the first tissue site; impedance measurement circuitry connectable to the first impedance measuring electrode to measure impedance at the first tissue site, using the first impedance measuring electrode; and control circuitry operably coupled to the generating means to initiate and terminate the application of ablating energy to the first ablating means, wherein the control circuitry is coupled to the impedance measurement circuit and terminates application of ablation energy to the first ablating means responsive to occurrence of an impedance plateau measured by the impedance measuring circuitry using the first impedance measuring electrode, following initiation of application of ablating energy to the first ablating means, wherein the impedance plateau is defined as a maximum acceptable rate of change of impedance measurements over a defined period of time.