Adjustable clamp systems and methods

Inventors

Morejohn, Dwight P. • Ibrahim, Tamer • Banchieri, Michael J. • Stephanian, Ara

Assignees

Atricure Inc

Abstract

Tissue treatment systems include an actuator handle assembly coupled with a clamp assembly having a first jaw mechanism and a second jaw mechanism. A first jaw mechanism includes a first flexible boot, a first flexible ablation member coupled with the first flexible boot, and a first rotatable jawbone disposed within the first flexible boot. A second jaw mechanism comprises a second flexible boot, a second flexible ablation member coupled with the second flexible boot, and a second rotatable jawbone disposed within the second flexible boot.

Core Innovation

The invention relates to a treatment system for forming a lesion on a tissue of a patient. The system includes an actuator handle assembly and a sliding clamp assembly coupled with the actuator handle assembly, where the sliding clamp assembly has a first jaw mechanism and a second jaw mechanism slidable relative to the first jaw mechanism.

Each jaw mechanism includes a rotatable guide and a flexible ablation member in operative association with the rotatable guide, with a flexible boot coupled to the flexible ablation member. In each jaw mechanism, the rotatable guide is configured to rotate within the corresponding flexible boot, maintaining a flexible ablation member relationship while enabling the rotatable guide to change a 3D lesion configuration through rotation within the boot.

The rotation supports reversible left/right/up/down "curve" lesion configurations while maintaining facing electrodes for bipolar clamp lesion formation. The disclosed clamp also includes multiple clamp actuation and rotation mechanisms for locking jawbone orientations at discrete orientations and maintaining rotationally stationary boots relative to the base during guide rotation.

The system further includes electrode power delivery functionality, including RF/ESU bipolar versus monopolar convertible operation, and multi-channel temperature-controlled ablation using thermocouples or temperature sensors, with optional cooling via delivery and return lumens and cooled jawbone designs. Structural compliant assemblies are described to equalize pressure and maintain contact with irregular tissue, and electrode geometries such as serpentine or fishbone are described as part of the flexible ablation member configurations.

Claims Coverage

Independent claim clm-00001 defines a lesion-forming treatment system with inventive coverage centered on a sliding bipolar clamp having two jaw mechanisms where each jaw mechanism uses a rotatable guide rotating within a flexible boot coupled to a flexible ablation member. Dependent claims in the provided set add specific rotational/boot behavior, electrode roles, adjustable inter-jaw spacing for tissue compression, and specific mechanical coupling features for rotation actuation.

Across the independent claim set provided, the principal inventive coverage is the sliding clamp treatment system using two jaw mechanisms in which rotatable guides rotate within flexible boots coupled to flexible ablation members, enabling lesion shaping while maintaining electrode relationships. Dependent features specify electrode roles (active/ground), adjustable inter-jaw spacing for tissue compression and boot conformity, rotational-stationary boot behavior during guide rotation, and specific push-and-release mechanical coupling geometry.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications