Patent ID: 7128740

Claim:
A method of creating an arrhythmia in the heart of a patient by ablative treatment of the atrium of the heart comprising: (a) providing a surgical instrument having a handle and a first electrode affixed to the handle; (b) providing a second electrode; (c) providing a power source in electrical connection with the first and second electrodes; (d) performing an open-heart surgical procedure in which a first electrode is placed proximal to a first portion of a wall of the atrium and the second electrode is placed proximal to a second portion of the wall of the atrium such that one of the first and second electrodes is on the inside of the atrium and the other of the first and second electrodes is on the outside of the atrium; (e) transferring energy from the power source to the first electrode to cause a transmural lesion to form in the wall of the atrium between the first and second electrodes.