(12) United States Patent (10) Patent No.: US 8,118,809 B2 Paul et al. (45) Date of Patent: *Feb. 21, 2012 (54) FLEXIBLE CONDUCTIVE POLYMER 6,312,425 B1 11/2001 Simpson et al. ELECTRODE AND METHOD FOR ABLATION 6,477,396 B1 * 11/2002 Mest et al. .................. .. 600/374 6,514,250 B1 2/2003 Jahns et al. (75) Inventors: saurav Pau1.Minnewn1<a, MN (US); §j§§§j§§8 E; i 3588? ,S,,°,1,‘§‘,°rf‘,,‘,‘,1,' ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, H 606/49 H0118 C210, Savage, MN (US); Chou 6,986,769 B2 1/2006 Nelson et al. Thao, Brooklyn Park, MN (US) 7,163,537 B2 * 1/2007 Lee et al. ...................... .. 606/41 7,311,704 B2 12/2007 Paul (73) Assignee: St. Jude Medical, Atrial Fibrillation E; 53111 *7: *1} . . . , , au e a . Dlvlsloni Inc" St Paul, MN (US) 7,326,206 B2 2/2008 Paul et al. 2003/0004506 A1* 1/2003 M ' ....................... .. 606/41 ( * ) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this 2003/0060322 A1* 3/2003 scilséiii a1, ,, ,, 606/41 patent is extended or adjusted under 35 2003/0088244 A1 * 5/2003 Swanson et al. .. 606/41 U_S_C_ 15403) by 1083 dayS_ 2006/0161151 A1* 7/2006 Privitera et al. .. 606/41 2006/0178666 A1* 8/2006 Cosman et al. ............... .. 606/41 This patent is subject to a terminal dis- 2006/0217701 A1 9/2006 Young et al. Claime/r_ 2006/0287650 A1* 12/2006 Cao et al. ...................... .. 606/41 (21) A l N 11/963 430 (Continued) pp . o.: , _ Primary Examiner * Linda Dvorak (22) Flledi Dee‘ 21, 2007 Assistant Examiner * Daniel FoWler (65) Prior Publication Data (74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm * Wiley Rein LLP US 2009/0163916 A1 Jun. 25, 2009 (57) ABSTRACT (51) Int Cl An electrode for ablation therapy includes a flexible conducA 6} B 8/14 (2006 01) tive element for conducting electrical energy and a flexible ' conductive ol mer member in electricall conductive con(52) U.S. Cl. ....................................................... .. 606/41 . P Y . Y (58) Field of Classification Search 606/32i50_ tact With the conductive element. A catheter shaft may be """""" W607/101E105’ coupled to the conductive element and/or the flexible conducSee a lication file for Com lete Search histo tive polymer member. The flexible conductive element may pp P ry' be formed as a helical coil, a mesh coating or Wrap, or any - other suitable form, and ma surround Wholl or artiall a (56) References Cited y y P y
flexible electrically insulative, and optionally thermally conductive, member. A heat sink may be thermally coupled to at least one of the flexible conductive polymer member and the flexible electrically insulative member. The flexible electrically insulative member may include a passageWay for coolant fluid to cool the electrode during ablation. The passageWay may include at least one efflux hole to permit coolant fluid to floW from the passageWay, or may define a closed loop.
49 Claims, 15 Drawing Sheets
