| abstract |
A circumferential ablation catheter is provided, which is particularly useful for treating atrial arrhythmia by ablating a substantial portion of a circumferential region of tissue in a tubular region of or near the heart of a patient. The catheter comprises an elongated tubular catheter body having an outer wall, proximal and distal ends, and at least one lumen extending therethrough. An ablation assembly is mounted at the distal end of the catheter body. The ablation assembly comprises a circumferential ablation element mounted on the distal end of the catheter body, and an inflatable balloon provided in surrounding relation to the circumferential ablation element. The inflatable balloon is adjustable between a radially collapsed position and a radially expanded position. The catheter further comprises a stabilization assembly mounted on the catheter distal to the ablation assembly. The stabilization assembly is designed to contact a plurality of points about an inner circumference of the generally tubular region of or near the heart, and thus serves to stabilize the distal end of the catheter during ablation. The stabilization preferably includes one or more electrodes that can be used for mapping, recording and/or ablating the inner circumference of the generally tubular region of or near the heart. |