Magnetically guided catheters

1. An electrode assembly for an ablation catheter, comprising:

a positioning magnet body having a proximal shank portion and a distal portion;

a manifold including a distribution cavity configured to receive irrigation fluid and an irrigation passageway coupled to said cavity having a distal exit port for delivery of said fluid, said cavity and said passageway being isolated from said body; and

a unitary outer capsule surrounding said body so as to isolate said body from external bio-fluids, said capsule comprising electrically conductive material including a distal ablation surface.

2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said body comprises one of a permanent magnet, a permanent magnet comprising rare earth elements and an electro-magnet.

3. The assembly of claim 2 wherein said permanent magnet comprises neodymium iron boron (NdFeB) material.

4. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said manifold includes a tubular portion having said distribution cavity and extending along an axis, said tubular portion including a proximal end portion configured to receive said fluid, said irrigation passageway extending from a distal end portion of said tubular portion, said passageway being in fluid communication with said tubular portion, said manifold being disposed in corresponding recesses in said body.

5. The assembly of claim 4 wherein said corresponding recesses in said body include a centrally-disposed, longitudinally-extending bore configured to receive said tubular portion of said manifold.

6. The assembly of claim 4 wherein said exit port associated with said passageway comprises one of a distal exit port, a side exit port and an angled exit port.

7. The assembly of claim 4 wherein said irrigation passageway is a radially-extending irrigation passageway.

8. The assembly of claim 4 wherein said capsule comprises an electrically conductive coating.

9. The assembly of claim 8 wherein said coating comprises one of:

(i) a first layer of Ni—Ni material on an outer surface of said body, a second layer comprising gold (Au) material on said first layer and a third layer comprising platinum (Pt) material on said second layer; and

(ii) a first layer of Ni—Ni material on an outer surface of said body, a second layer comprising titanium (Ti) material on said first layer and a third layer comprising platinum (Pt) material on said second layer.

10. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said body and said manifold extend along an axis wherein said irrigation passageway is an axially-extending irrigation passageway.

11. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said capsule includes (i) a cup-shaped tip cap configured to cover said distal portion of said body, and (ii) a cylindrical-shaped shank cover configured to surround said shank portion, said tip cap including at least one aperture corresponding to said irrigation exit port.

12. An electrode assembly for an electrode catheter, comprising:

a positioning magnet body having a proximal shank portion and a distal portion; and

a unitary outer casing surrounding said body so as to isolate said body from external bio-fluids, said casing including a cup-shaped tip cap configured to cover said distal portion of said body and a cylindrical-shaped shank cover configured to surround said shank portion of said body, said casing including said cup-shaped tip cap comprising electrically conductive material, said shank cover being configured to receive a distal end portion of a catheter shaft.

13. The assembly of claim 12 wherein said body is one of a permanent magnet, a permanent magnet comprising rare earth elements and an electro-magnet.

14. The assembly of claim 13 wherein said permanent magnet comprises neodymium iron boron (NdFeB) material.

15. The assembly of claim 1 further including a safety line having distal end portion coupled to an inner bore of said body and a proximal end.

16. The assembly of claim 15 wherein said safety line comprises one of liquid crystal polymer (LCP) material and a para-aramid synthetic fiber.