Patent Document ID: 20120209260
Application ID: 13337896
Patent Status: 0

Claim One:
1. A method for automatically controlling an ablation catheter, comprising: providing an elongate flexible catheter, said catheter including a distal portion having an ablation head and a force sensor and operatively coupled with an energy source and an energization parameter measuring device; providing instructions for introducing said catheter into a patient during a medical procedure and guiding said distal portion of said catheter so said ablation head of said catheter is exerted against a first target tissue location; automatically energizing said ablation head with said energy source over a period of time while said ablation head is exerted against said first target tissue location; measuring a sequence of energization parameters with said energization parameter measuring device while said ablation head is energized; measuring a sequence of contact forces with said force sensor while said ablation head is energized, said contact forces being in reaction to said ablation head exerted against said target tissue; automatically determining a lesion size based on said sequence of contact forces and said sequence of said energization parameters over said period of time; and automatically generating control information based on said lesion size for use in guiding said ablation head to a second and subsequent target tissue location.