Patent ID: 7311705

Claim:
A catheter apparatus of the type used in the treatment of heart arrhythmia comprising: a catheter shaft having a main body and a coaxial tip section joined to the main body, the tip section having a tip distal end and being rotatable about a central axis and deflectable such that the tip section can be selectively curved away from the main body; a mapping and ablation catheter slidably disposed within the catheter shaft, the mapping and ablation catheter having a catheter distal portion, the catheter distal portion being a pre-stressed curve whereby the mapping and ablation catheter curves as the catheter distal portion is extended axially from the catheter shaft and when the catheter distal portion is fully extended from the catheter shaft, all of the curve is substantially coplanar with a plane substantially perpendicular to the central axis at the tip distal end; and a control mechanism coupled to both the catheter shaft and the mapping and ablation catheter whereby the control mechanism controls, with respect to the central axis, selective rotation and selective deflection of the tip section and controls selective axial movement of the mapping and ablation catheter with respect to the catheter shaft.