METHODS TO PREVENT STRESS REMODELING OF ATRIAL TISSUE
Methods and devices are disclosed herein for therapeutically treating atrial tissue to lessen the effects of mechanical stress on atrial tissue, where reducing mechanical stress in the portion of atrial tissue reduces formation of at least one arrhythmia substrate. In one example, the devices and methods are suitable for minimally invasive surgery. More particularly, methods and devices described herein permit creating an ablation pattern on an organ while reducing excessive trauma to a patient.
1 . (canceled)
2 . A method for reducing and preventing atrial fibrillation in an atrial tissue of a heart, the method comprising:
identifying an affected region of the atrial tissue based on a portion of the atrial tissue subject to a mechanical stress;
producing a treated section of the atrial tissue by applying energy to produce a plurality of parallel and adjacent lesions on a left atrium surface; and
wherein the treated section of the atrial tissue and the affected region of the atrial tissue are located on different locations of the heart.
3 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising locating the portion of the atrial tissue of the heart where the portion of atrial tissue is subject to the mechanical stress as a result of an existing medical condition.
4 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising applying energy to at least the portion of atrial tissue to create a treated area of atrial tissue that reduces the mechanical stress on the portion of the atrial tissue, wherein reducing mechanical stress in the portion of atrial tissue reduces formation of at least one arrhythmia substrate.
5 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the existing medical condition comprises a condition selected from the group consisting of obesity, hypertension, and cardiomyopathy.
6 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the mechanical stress is defined by one or more pericardial reflections and is produced as a result of an existing medical condition.
7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the treated section is located around one or more pericardial reflections such that the treated section of the atrial tissue provides increased mechanical support to the affected region of the atrial tissue, wherein the increased mechanical support reduces the mechanical stress in the affected region of tissue to reduce an occurrence of atrial fibrillation within the atrial tissue.
8 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the existing medical condition comprises a condition selected from the group consisting of obesity, hypertension, and cardiomyopathy.
8 . The method of claim 2 , wherein at least two of the plurality of parallel and adjacent lesions overlap.
9 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising overlapping a plurality of the lesions to electrically silence an oblique sinus region.
10 . The method of claim 2 , wherein producing the treated section comprises ablating the treated section sufficiently to ablate at least one existing substrates of tissue causing atrial fibrillation.
11 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising advancing a scope into a body, wherein the scope comprises at least one visualization element configured to observe a locational energy from the atrial tissue.