Atrial ablation catheter adapted for treatment of septal wall arrhythmogenic foci and method of use

Abstract

An atrial ablation catheter with an electrode array particularly adapted to locate and ablate foci of arrhythmia which are required for sustained atrial fibrillation is provided. The array is easily deployed and retracted from the catheter, and presents a proximally oriented electrode array that can be pulled against the septal wall of the left atrium to engage the septal wall.

1 . An ablation catheter comprising: 
 a catheter having a distal end adapted for insertion into the left atrium of a patient;    an electrode array comprising at least one resilient arm, each arm having a proximal arm segment and a distal arm segment extending distally from an outer end of the proximal arm toward the center line of the catheter; and    a plurality of electrodes disposed on each of the proximal arm segments of the array;    wherein the proximal arms are arcuate, and extend outwardly and proximally and then curve distally from their attachment point to catheter.    
   
   
       2 . An ablation catheter of  claim 1  wherein the proximal arm segments are curved in a cordate arc.  
   
   
       3 . An ablation catheter of  claim 1  wherein the proximal arm segment is curved in a hastate arc.  
   
   
       4 . An ablation catheter of  claim 1  wherein the proximal arm segment and distal arm segment define a sagittate lobe.  
   
   
       5 . An ablation catheter of  claim 1  wherein each distal arm segment is characterize by a proximal end and a distal end; 
 further comprising 
 a proximally extending pin fixed at the distal end of the distal arm and extending into the catheter, said pin being longitudinally slidable relative to the catheter:  
   
   
   
       6 . An ablation catheter of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 a plurality of resilient arms on the array, wherein each of the plurality of arms is substantially the same size and shape, and the resilient arms are uniformly distributed radially about the axis of the catheter.    
   
   
       7 . An ablation catheter of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 a plurality of resilient arms on the array, wherein at least one of the plurality of resilient arms is substantially different in size or shape than other arms in the array.    
   
   
       8 . An ablation catheter of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 a plurality of resilient arms on the array unevenly distributed such that several arms are concentrated in a small radial section about the axis of the catheter, and a significant radial section is vacant.    
   
   
       9 . An ablation catheter comprising: 
 an outer catheter tube;    an inner catheter tube slidably disposed within the outer catheter tube, said inner catheter tube having a distal end adapted for insertion into a vessel of the body;    an electrode array comprising a plurality of resilient arms, each arm having a proximal arm segment fixed to the inner catheter tube and a distal arm segment extending distally from an outer end of the proximal arm;    a plurality of electrodes disposed on each of the proximal arm segments of the array;    means for fixing the distal end of the electrode arms in a radially central area while leaving the distal ends of the electrode arms freely translatable along the catheter longitudinal axis    wherein the proximal arm segments are curved in cordate arc.    
   
   
       10 . An ablation catheter comprising: 
 an outer catheter tube;    an inner catheter tube slidably disposed within the outer catheter tube, said inner catheter tube having a distal end adapted for insertion into a vessel of the body;    an electrode array comprising a plurality of resilient arms, each arm having a proximal arm segment fixed to the inner catheter tube and a distal arm segment having proximally tending extension extending proximally from the distal end of the distal arm segment, said extension being longitudinally translatable within the inner catheter tube, whereby the electrode array may be compressed by longitudinal translation of the outer catheter tube relative to the inner catheter tube, and the proximally tending extension longitudinally translates relative to the inner tube to accommodate longitudinal movement of the distal end of the resilient arms in response to compression of the electrode array;    an electrode array comprising a plurality of resilient arms, each arm having a proximal arm segment fixed to the inner catheter tube and a distal arm segment extending distally from an outer end of the proximal arm;    a plurality of electrodes disposed on each of the proximal arm segments of the array;    means for fixing the distal end of the electrode arms in a radially central area while leaving the distal ends of the electrode arms freely translatable along the catheter longitudinal axis    
   
   
       11 . The ablation catheter of  claim 10 , wherein: 
 the floating tube is disposed at least partially within the distal end of the inner catheter tube.    
   
   
       12 . The ablation catheter of  claim 10 , wherein: 
 the electrode array is resiliently movable from a small diameter configuration to a large diameter configuration, and in the large diameter configuration each proximal arm segment resiliently bends radially outwardly from the inner catheter tube, and each distal arm segment bends radially inwardly toward the longitudinal axis of the catheter from a bend point connecting the proximal arm segment to the distal arm segment, creating an acute angle between each distal arm segment and its associated proximal arm segment.    
   
   
       13 . The ablation catheter of  claim 10 , wherein: 
 the electrode array is resiliently movable from a small diameter configuration and a large diameter configuration, and in the large diameter configuration each proximal arm segment resiliently bends radially outwardly from the inner catheter tube, and each distal arm segment bends radially inwardly and proximally toward the longitudinal axis of the catheter from a bend point connecting the proximal arm segment to the distal arm segment.    
   
   
       14 . The ablation catheter of  claim 10 , wherein: 
 the electrode array is resiliently movable from a small diameter configuration and a large diameter configuration, and in the large diameter configuration each proximal arm segment resiliently bends radially outwardly from the inner catheter tube, and each distal arm segment bends radially inwardly and proximally toward the longitudinal axis of the catheter from a bend point connecting the proximal arm segment to the distal arm segment, and said electrode arms are further deformable upon pressing the array against a surface to position the distal arm segments into a substantially planar arrangement.    
   
   
       15 . The ablation catheter of  claim 14  in the small diameter configuration, the distal arm segments are restrained within a segment of the outer catheter tube which is distal to the proximal arm segments, and extend distally from the bend point.  
   
   
       16 . The ablation catheter of  claim 14  wherein, in the small diameter configuration, the distal arm segments are folded inwardly so as to be disposed proximate the proximal arm segments and extend proximally from the bend point.