Vacuum coagulation probe for atrial fibrillation treatment
An embodiment of the invention includes a surgical device for coagulating soil tissue such as atrial tissue in the treatment of atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter, and atrial tachycardia. The surgical device can include at least one elongate member comprising conductive elements adapted to coagulate soft tissue when radiofrequency or direct current energy is transmitted to the conductive elements. Openings through said conductive elements are routed through lumens in the elongate member to a vacuum source to actively engage the soft tissue surface intended to coagulate into intimate contact with the conductive elements to facilitate the coagulation process and ensure the lesions created are consistent, contiguous, and transmural. The embodiments of the invention can also incorporate cooling openings positioned near the conductive elements and coupled with a vacuum source or an injection source to transport fluid though the cooling openings causing the soft tissue surface to cool thus pushing the maximum temperature deeper into tissue. The embodiments of the invention can also incorporate features to tunnel between anatomic structures or dissect around the desired tissue surface to coagulate thereby enabling less invasive positioning of the soft tissue coagulating device and ensuring reliable and consistent heating of the soft tissue.
1. A method for coagulating a soft tissue comprising:
placing an elongate member against a surface of the soft tissue, the elongate member comprising at least one lumen, at least one element, and at least one opening through the at least one element where the at least one opening is fluidly coupled to the at least one lumen through the at least one element;
applying a vacuum source to produce a vacuum in the at least one lumen and through the at least one opening to cause the soft tissue to contact a length of the at least one element at the at least one opening; and
transmitting energy using the at least one element to heat the soft tissue to create a contiguous lesion in the soft tissue where a length of the contiguous lesion corresponds to the length of the at least one element that contacts the soft tissue; and
wherein said elongate member further comprises a non-conductive sheath covering a length of the elongate member and movable relative to the elongate member, and placing the elongate member against the soft tissue surface comprises advancing or retracting the non-conductive sheath relative to the elongate member.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the elongate member and said element are malleable such that upon exposure to an external force the at least one element deforms against the soft tissue surface and where suction from the vacuum source is applied to an entire exposed length of the at least one element in the entire length of the at least one opening allowing coagulation of the soft tissue surface along the entire length of the at least one opening.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein placing the elongate member against the soft tissue surface comprises tunneling or dissecting around pulmonary veins to engage the at least one element against a left atrial surface associated with the pulmonary veins.
4. The method of claim 1 , where the at least one element comprises a bi-polar element.
5. The method of claim 1 , where the at least one element comprises a unipolar element.
6. A method for coagulating a soft tissue comprising:
placing an elongate member against the soft tissue, the elongate member comprising at least one vacuum lumen and at least one element, where the at least one element is in fluid communication with the at least one vacuum lumen and exposed at an opening in the elongate member;
applying a vacuum source to produce a vacuum in the at least one vacuum lumen such that the vacuum passes through the at least one element to draw tissue in contact with a length of the at least one element;
transmitting energy through the at least one element to create a contiguous lesion in the soft tissue where the contiguous lesion has a length that corresponds to the length of the at least one element that contacts the tissue; and
wherein the elongate member further comprises a non-conductive sheath covering a length of the elongate member and movable relative to said elongate member, and placing the elongate member against the soft tissue comprises advancing or retracting non-conductive sheath relative to the elongate member.