Patent ID: 7097641

Claim:
A catheter for the cryotreatment of tissue, said catheter comprising: a catheter body; a controller operative for selectively regulating cryogenic cooling energy with heat ablation energy; and, a treatment tip positioned at the distal end of said catheter body, said treatment tip having: a cooling segment operable at a temperature sufficient to freeze tissue, said cooling segment having a thermally conductive wall for contacting and thermally treating tissue in contact with said thermally conductive wall; and an electrically-driven ablation assembly, said electrically-driven ablation assembly operable to apply heating ablation energy to said tissue, wherein said cooling segment and said electrically-driven heating ablation assembly operable to apply heating ablation energy to said tissue, wherein said cooling segment and said electrically-driven heating ablation assembly each effect tissue ablation; wherein said electrically driven ablation assembly includes an electrode assembly for applying one of radio frequency and microwave energy; and, a microwave driver tuned for propagation through near tissue and preferential absorption beyond said near tissue to effect ablation at a depth within said tissue.