Abstract: A catheter adapted for use in the pericardial sac to sense temperature of an ablation site and surrounding heart tissue within one of the heart's ventricles or atria via proximity with the epicardium in the pericardial sac, includes a catheter body and a temperature sensing array adapted for placement on and contact with the epicardium. The temperature sensing array may comprise a 2-D body, with a surface adapted to contact an area on the epicardial tissue or in pericardial space. The array may also comprise at least one finger member, each having at least one temperature sensing location. The array may further comprise an elongated body having a generally circular configuration, a distal portion of which is movable to a spirally inward position.

Abstract: A deflectable catheter with biased deflection characteristics has an elongated catheter body having a micro-injection molded spine that is configured with a center core, outwardly extending opposing struts, and one or more sets of longitudinally-aligned and discrete fins, wherein the struts resist deflection of the spine in a first plane and bias deflection of the spine in a second plane, wherein parameters of the discrete fins define deflection characteristics of the spine in the second plane.

Abstract: A guiding sheath assembly has a shaft that is operable to define more than one deflection curvature and defines a lumen to slidably receive a cardiovascular catheter. The guiding sheath assembly includes a proximal section, a distal section, and a stiffener member. The proximal section has a proximal shaft that defines a proximal lumen extending distally along a longitudinal axis to the distal section. The distal section has a distal shaft that defines a distal lumen that is configured to be biased (e.g., resiliently biased) laterally away from the longitudinal axis. The stiffener member is a rigid elongate member, such as an inner tubular member, that is configured to counteract the bias of the distal shaft. Longitudinal movement of the stiffener member relative to the distal section enables the operator to select and set a deflection curvature of the distal section.

Abstract: A deflectable catheter with biased deflection characteristics has an elongated catheter body having a micro-injection molded spine that is configured with a center core, outwardly extending opposing struts, and one or more sets of longitudinally-aligned and discrete fins, wherein the struts resist deflection of the spine in a first plane and bias deflection of the spine in a second plane, wherein parameters of the discrete fins define deflection characteristics of the spine in the second plane.

Abstract: A catheter adapted for use in the pericardial sac to sense temperature of an ablation site and surrounding heart tissue within one of the heart's ventricles or atria via proximity with the epicardium in the pericardial sac, includes a catheter body and a temperature sensing array adapted for placement on and contact with the epicardium. The temperature sensing array may comprise a 2-D body, with a surface adapted to contact an area on the epicardial tissue or in pericardial space. The array may also comprise at least one finger member, each having at least one temperature sensing location. The array may further comprise an elongated body having a generally circular configuration, a distal portion of which is movable to a spirally inward position.