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Abstract

Methods and apparatus for delivering precise amounts of fluid under pressure into cardiac tissue for the purpose of facilitating ablation of the tissue along a desired lesion line. One method injects fluid under pressure through a discharge orifice in a needle-less injection device. The injected fluid can be a cytotoxic fluid and/or a highly conductive fluid injected in conjunction with radio frequency ablation to create an ablative virtual electrode. The injected fluid can provide deeper and narrower conduction paths and resulting lesions. Radio frequency ablation can be performed at the same time as the fluid injection, using the injection device as an electrode, or subsequent to the fluid injection, using a separate device. In some methods, the injected fluid is a protective fluid, injected to protect tissue adjacent to the desired lesion line. Fluid delivery can be endocardial, epicardial, and epicardial on a beating heart. The present methods find one use in performing maze procedures to treat atrial fibrillation.

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