Ablation therapy system and method for treating continuous atrial fibrillation

Abstract

An ablation therapy system and systematic method is provided for treating continuous atrial fibrillation. The therapy system includes a Multi-Channel RF Ablation Generator, an ECG interface, an assembly of at least three ablation catheters, and an ECG interface operably coupling and interfacing the catheters to both an ECG unit and the RF Ablation Generator. The systematic method includes transseptally accessing the Left Atrium (LA) through the septum of the patient's heart, and performing an endocardial pulmonary vein ablation procedure on the pulmonary vein ostial tissue surrounding one or more pulmonary veins in a manner treating aberrant conductive pathways therethrough. After performing the pulmonary vein ablation, the method further includes performing an endocardial atrial septum ablation procedure on the septal tissue in a manner treating aberrant conductive pathways therethrough.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A systemic method of treating cardiac arrhythmia, the method comprising:
 (a) accessing a left atrium of a heart of a patient;   (b) ablating tissue surrounding one or more pulmonary veins;   (c) ablating septal tissue; and   (d) ablating left atrial wall tissue,   (a), (b), and (c) being performed before (d).   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the left atrium is accessed transseptally through a puncture in an atrial septum. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein (b) treats aberrant conductive pathways originating from within the one or more pulmonary veins and (c) treats aberrant conductive pathways through the septal tissue. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein (c) occurs after (b). 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 ablating the tissue surrounding the one or more pulmonary veins comprises sensing electrical signals of the pulmonary vein ostial tissue through one or more electrodes of an electrode array of a first catheter; and   upon determining that the electrodes of the electrode array of the first catheter are disposed over an aberrant signal of the pulmonary vein ostial tissue, passing energy through the electrode array of the first catheter to ablate a portion of the pulmonary vein ostial tissue.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein:
 ablating septal tissue comprises sensing electrical signals of the septal tissue surrounding the puncture through one or more electrodes of an electrode array of a second catheter; and   upon determining that the electrodes of the electrode array of the second catheter are disposed over an aberrant signal of the septal tissue, passing energy through the electrode array of the second catheter to ablate a portion of the septal tissue.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein (b) and (c) each include passing energy selected from the group consisting of magnetic energy, microwave energy, radiofrequency energy, thermal energy, and a combination thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein (b) and (c) each include passing energy selected from the group consisting of acoustic energy, chemical energy, photonic energy, mechanical energy, radiation energy, and a combination thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein passing energy through the electrode arrays of the first catheter and the second catheter includes passing monopolar radiofrequency energy between at least one electrode of the electrode arrays and a ground pad, and passing bipolar radiofrequency energy between at least two electrodes of the electrode arrays. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein ablating tissue surrounding one or more pulmonary veins further includes selectively moving the electrode array of the first catheter to other areas of the pulmonary vein ostial tissue surrounding the one or more pulmonary veins, and repeating the sensing electrical signals of the pulmonary vein ostial tissue and passing energy through the electrode array of the first catheter to ablate the other areas of the pulmonary vein ostial tissue. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein selectively moving the electrode array of the first catheter includes incrementally rotating the electrode array about an axis of the first catheter. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein:
 ablating tissue surrounding one or more pulmonary veins comprises ablating pulmonary vein ostial tissue surrounding a left superior pulmonary vein;   subsequently ablating pulmonary vein ostial tissue surrounding a right superior pulmonary vein; and   subsequently ablating pulmonary vein ostial tissue surrounding a left inferior pulmonary vein.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising ablating pulmonary vein ostial tissue surrounding a right inferior pulmonary vein after ablating the tissue surrounding the left inferior pulmonary vein. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 prior to ablating septal tissue, retracting the first catheter proximally toward the atrial septum such that the electrode array of the first catheter contacts a wall of the atrial septum;   sensing electrical signals of the septal tissue surrounding the puncture through one or more electrodes of the electrode array of the first catheter; and   upon determining that the electrodes of the electrode array of the first catheter are disposed over an aberrant signal of the septal tissue, ablating the septal tissue.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 after ablating septal tissue, performing a left atrial wall ablation procedure on left atrial wall tissue to ablate at least one of a roof wall, a posterior wall, a superior wall, and a floor wall of the left atrium of the heart in a manner to treat aberrant conductive pathways therethrough.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein:
 ablating tissue surrounding one or more pulmonary veins includes sensing electrical signals of the pulmonary vein ostial tissue through one or more electrodes of an electrode array of a first catheter,   upon determining that the electrodes of the electrode array of the first catheter are disposed over an aberrant signal of the pulmonary vein ostial tissue, passing energy through the electrode array of the first catheter to ablate a portion of the pulmonary vein ostial tissue; and wherein ablating septal tissue includes sensing electrical signals of the septal tissue surrounding the puncture through one or more electrodes of an electrode array of a second catheter, and   upon determining that the electrodes of the electrode array of the second catheter are disposed over an aberrant signal of the septal tissue, passing energy through the electrode array of the second catheter to ablate a portion of the septal tissue; and   wherein performing the left atrial wall ablation procedure includes sensing electrical signals of the left atrial wall tissue through one or more electrodes of an electrode array of a third catheter,   upon determining that the electrodes of the electrode array of the third catheter are disposed over an abberant signal of the left atrial wall tissue, passing energy through the electrode array of the third catheter to ablate a portion of the left atrial wall tissue.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein performing the left atrial wall ablation procedure further includes selectively moving the electrode array of the third catheter to other areas of the left atrial wall tissue, and repeating the sensing electrical signals of the left atrial wall tissue and passing energy through the electrode array of the third catheter to ablate the other areas of the left atrial wall tissue. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein performing the left atrial wall ablation procedure further includes:
 ablating the roof wall:   subsequently ablating the posterior wall;   subsequently ablating the superior wall; and   subsequently ablation the floor wall.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 after ablating septal tissue, performing a touch-up ablation procedure with a single point tip ablation catheter that comprises a tip electrode.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein:
 performing the touch-up ablation procedure includes sensing electrical signals of the left atrial wall tissue through the tip electrode of the single point tip ablation catheter; and   upon determining that the tip electrode of the single point tip ablation catheter is disposed over an aberrant signal of the left atrial wall tissue, passing energy through the electrode to ablate a portion of the left atrial wall tissue.