Instrument for interrupting conduction paths within the heart

Abstract

A probe for making transmural lesions in one or more walls of the atria of the heart in open-heart surgery. The lesion blocks electrical impulses in a direction crosswise to the lesion. The probe has a handle ( 1 ), a closed electrode ( 2 ) at an end of the probe, a relatively rigid member ( 5 ) of physiologically acceptable plastic connecting the probe and the electrode, and means ( 6, 7 ) for coupling the probe to an RF power source.

1 . An instrument for supplying RF energy to body tissue, said instrument comprising a probe having: 
 a handle;    a closed electrode at one end of the probe, the instrument being adapted to allow said electrode to be accurately positioned on and moved along an atrium wall during open heart surgery to make at least one transmural conduction blocking lesion in the atrium wall;    a connection and conduction means electrically communicating with said electrode and adapted for connecting said electrode to an RF power source;    a substantially rigid shaft connecting said handle and said electrode, said shaft being more rigid than a catheter which is adapted for following a blood vessel, said electrode being affixed substantially rigidly to the handle; and    means for supplying a physiologically acceptable liquid to said electrode, wherein said means for supplying the liquid is connected to said shaft, wherein said probe is sufficiently rigid such that an operator grasping said handle of the instrument can accurately position and move said electrode along an atrium wall to be treated, whereby the instrument is sized and shaped for use in an open-heart operation to make at least one stripe-shaped transmural conduction blocking lesion in the atrium wall.    
   
   
       2 . The instrument of  claim 1 , wherein said shaft has an intrinsic curvature.  
   
   
       3 . The instrument of  claim 2 , wherein said curvature of said shaft is approximately 140 degrees.  
   
   
       4 . The instrument of  claim 1 , wherein said shaft has a length between approximately 8 and approximately 15 cm.  
   
   
       5 . The instrument of  claim 1 , wherein said physiologically acceptable liquid is a salt solution.  
   
   
       6 . The instrument of  claim 1 , wherein said shaft has a diameter between approximately 3 and approximately 6 mm.  
   
   
       7 . The instrument of  claim 1 , wherein said means for supplying the physiologically acceptable liquid comprises an inner shaft located within said shaft connecting said handle and said electrode.  
   
   
       8 . The instrument of  claim 8 , wherein said shaft connecting said handle and said electrode further comprises an inlet port for introducing the physiologically acceptable liquid into said inner shaft.  
   
   
       9 . The instrument of  claim 8 , wherein said inner shaft comprises at least one outflow port disposed in the vicinity of said electrode.  
   
   
       10 . The instrument of  claim 1 , wherein said electrode comprises platinum.  
   
   
       11 . The instrument of  claim 1 , wherein said electrode is generally cylindrical.  
   
   
       12 . The instrument of  claim 12 , wherein said electrode has a diameter between approximately 3 mm and approximately 6 mm.  
   
   
       13 . The instrument of  claim 12 , wherein said electrode has a length of approximately 2 cm.  
   
   
       14 . The instrument of  claim 1 , wherein said shaft is formed of a physiologically acceptable plastic.  
   
   
       15 . A system for making a stripe-shaped transmural conduction blocking lesion in an atrium wall, the system comprising: 
 a surgical instrument having a handle, a substantially rigid shaft and a closed electrode, the shaft being more rigid than a catheter which is adapted for following a blood vessel, the shaft connecting the electrode substantially rigidly to the handle;    a RF power source electrically connected to the electrode for supplying RF energy to the electrode; and    a physiologically acceptable liquid source fluidly connected to the shaft for supplying a physiologically acceptable liquid in the vicinity of the electrode, the surgical instrument being of a size and shape to allow the electrode to be accurately positioned on and moved along the atrium wall during open-heart surgery to make at least one stripe-shaped transmural conduction blocking lesion in the atrium wall.    
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the shaft has an intrinsic curvature.  
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the curvature of the shaft is approximately 140 degrees.  
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the shaft has a length between approximately 8 and approximately 15 cm.  
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the physiologically acceptable liquid is a salt solution.  
   
   
       20 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the shaft has a diameter between approximately 3 and approximately 6 mm.  
   
   
       21 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the physiologically acceptable liquid is supplied to an inner shaft located within the shaft connecting the electrode and the handle.  
   
   
       22 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the shaft connecting the electrode and the handle further comprises an inlet port for introducing the physiologically acceptable liquid into the inner shaft.  
   
   
       23 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the inner shaft comprises at least one outflow port disposed in the vicinity of the electrode for supplying the physiologically acceptable liquid in the vicinity of the electrode.  
   
   
       24 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the electrode comprises platinum.  
   
   
       25 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the electrode is generally cylindrical.  
   
   
       26 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the electrode has a diameter between approximately 3 mm and approximately 6 mm.  
   
   
       27 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the electrode has a length of approximately 2 cm.  
   
   
       28 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the shaft is formed of a physiologically acceptable plastic.  
   
   
       29 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the RF power source is an RF generator.  
   
   
       30 . The system of  claim 16 , further comprising a temperature sensor in the vicinity of the electrode, the temperature sensor being coupled to the RF power source.