Surgery – Instruments – Electrical application
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-03
2001-09-11
Dvorak, Linda C. M. (Department: 3739)
Surgery
Instruments
Electrical application
C606S038000, C606S041000, C606S042000, C607S101000, C607S102000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06287303
ABSTRACT:
This application is a 371 of PCT/E97/06525 Nov. 21, 1997.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an ablation apparatus for intracardial heart treatments with a high-frequency energy source (RF source for short) and to a method for operating the apparatus.
2. Description of the Prior Art
During the ablation, tissue layers in the heart are denatured by means of a flexible catheter in order to eliminate disturbances of the stimulus conduction system. Disturbances of this kind manifest themselves as heart arrhythmias (e.g. tachycardia). The disturbing stimulus conductors are localized and then intentionally interrupted using the ablation catheter. The tissue lesion carried out for the interruption is performed with the help of high frequency alternating currents of an RF source. The power output of the RF source is adjusted by means of a temperature regulation in such a manner that the cells are necrotised, but that the cellular composition (the tissue) is not destroyed and that no coagulation takes place at the pole giving off the energy.
Ablation apparatuses are composed of an apparatus part which contains the RF source and at least one catheter which is connected to the RF source and has one or more poles which give off energy.
Different types of catheters are used, for example those which differ in the temperature sensors at the poles. These sensors can be thermistors or thermoelements.
As a result of inhomogeneities in the heat conduction, a temperature distribution with different temperatures can arise on the pole. The temperature sensor measures an average temperature and thus local overheatings can arise on the pole. The temperature relationships on the pole can be better measured with a plurality of temperature sensors.
The pole can be assembled from a plurality of separate segments, which are all connected to the same RF source and each of which contains a separate temperature sensor. The ablation can also be carried out using two catheters which are separate but connected to the same RF source and act on the same tissue location. In this case the poles of the two catheters represent two segments of a common pole or else two opposite poles.
Catheters are also known which have no temperature sensors.
There is also a large variety of catheters which differ with respect to different sensor types (when there is a sensor present) and/or which differ with respect to the number of sensors, which can also be zero.
In known ablation apparatuses (e.g. the Cordis-Webster/Stockert “EP shuttle”) the catheter type must be set manually. This manual setting is an action which must be performed specially by the user and which can lead to an error in the operation as a result of a confusion of the catheters.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,383,874 describes catheters with codings which make the type of the catheter recognisable by the apparatus. These catheters can however be used only with apparatuses which are capable of deciphering this coding. Conversely, only catheters which contain this coding can be used with these apparatuses.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the invention is to provide an ablation apparatus which permits a free choice from a wide selection of catheter types, wherein operating errors should be largely avoidable in cases which are possible in practice.
The ablation apparatus for intracardial heart treatments has an RF source, the power output of which takes place in a regulated manner in a power or temperature regulated mode. Ablation catheters, each of which comprises at least one energy output pole can be used with the apparatus, with it being possible for the or each pole to contain at least one temperature sensor for the measurement of a tissue temperature. The temperature sensors of the poles are either thermistors or thermoelements. A sensor recognition and corresponding means are provided, as a result of which the regulation for the power output can be automatically set in such a manner that the carrying out of the power regulation corresponds to the current catheter type. In this situation it is not necessary for the catheter to have a special coding and no special manual acts of the user are required for setting the type of catheter.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5383874 (1995-01-01), Jackson
patent: 5542916 (1996-08-01), Hirsch
patent: 6106522 (2000-08-01), Fleischman et al.
patent: WO 91/16859 (1991-11-01), None
patent: WO 93/20770 (1993-10-01), None
patent: WO 94/10922 (1994-05-01), None
patent: WO 96/00528 (1996-01-01), None
Bothur Markus
Geistert Wolfgang
Dvorak Linda C. M.
Kearney R.
Sulzer Osypka GmbH
Townsend and Townsend / and Crew LLP
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