Patent ID: 7662150

Claim:
A probe, comprising: a probe body defining a distal region, the distal region defining a longitudinal axis; a plurality of splines associated with the distal region of the probe body and each having a distally extending section, an operative element support section distal of the distally extending section, a joint located between the distally extending support section and the operative element support section, and a distal end that is not connected to the other splines; the joint in each spline being more flexible than the distally extending section and the operative element support section; the plurality of splines together forming a substantially complete and continuous perimeter of a closed shape that is transverse to the longitudinal axis of the distal region of the probe body and is moveable between at least a first orientation where the substantially closed shape has a first size and a second orientation where the substantially closed shape has a second size that is smaller than the first size; and at least one operative element supported on at least one of the operative element support sections.