Method for ablating target tissue of a patient

• US 10,335,280 B2
• Filed: 04/14/2016
• Issued: 07/02/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Keogh, James R., Ryan, Timothy R., Eberhardt, Carol E., Stewart, Mark T., Skarda, James R., Laske, Timothy G., Hill, Alexander J., Lemmon, Jack D., Francischelli, David E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Ruth S
• Application Number:
  US15/098,494
• Publication Number:
  US 20160302925A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,174 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1442 Probes having pivoting end effectors, e.g. forceps
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00243 cardiac
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22098 Decalcification of valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00291 using suction
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00351 Heart
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00577 Ablation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2051 Electromagnetic tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2063 Acoustic tracking systems, e.g. using ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/378 using ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/397 electromagnetic other than visible, e.g. microwave
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/20 Surgical navigation systems; Devices for tracking or guiding surgical instruments, e.g. for frameless stereotaxis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0044 for the heart
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1076 for measuring dimensions inside body cavities, e.g. using catheters A61B3/1005 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6853 with a balloon
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/445 Details of catheter construction
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/37 Surgical systems with images on a monitor during operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/39 Markers, e.g. radio-opaque or breast lesions markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2433 using balloon catheter
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2496 Devices for determining the dimensions of the prosthetic valve to be implanted, e.g. templates, sizers
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2210/009 magnetic
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0096 : Markers and sensors for detecting a position or changes of a position of an implant, e.g. RF sensors, ultrasound markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 7/02 : Localised ultrasound hyperthermia hyperthermia in general A61F7/00

Abstract

A method for treating a human patient includes emitting ultrasound energy from an ultrasound transducer positioned remotely from target tissue of the patient. The ultrasound transducer is positioned at a desired location relative to the patient and target tissue using location and imaging techniques. The method further includes focusing the ultrasound energy such that one or more focal points are directed to the target tissue of the patient and ablating the target tissue at each focal point. The target tissue is ablated via the focused ultrasound energy without ablating non-target tissue through which the ultrasound energy passes between the ultrasound transducer and the one or more focal points.

Claims

1. A method for treating a human patient, the method comprising:

emitting ultrasound energy from an ultrasound transducer positioned remotely from target tissue of the patient, wherein the ultrasound transducer is positioned at a desired location relative to the patient and target tissue using location and imaging techniques;

focusing the ultrasound energy such that one or more focal points are directed to the target tissue of the patient; and

ablating the target tissue at each focal point with the focused ultrasound energy without ablating non-target tissue through which the ultrasound energy passes between the ultrasound transducer and the one or more focal points.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising steering the focused ultrasound energy to a plurality of discrete focal points throughout the target tissue to be ablated.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the ultrasound transducer comprises a phased array of ultrasound transducer elements, and wherein steering the focused ultrasound energy comprises electronically steering the focused ultrasound energy via microprocessor control of the phased array of ultrasound transducer elements.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein steering the focused ultrasound energy of the phased array of ultrasound transducer elements comprises electronically controlling each individual ultrasound transducer element to focus the ultrasound energy at the one or more focal points.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein steering the focused ultrasound energy comprises physically moving the ultrasound transducer relative to the patient and the target tissue.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the ultrasound transducer is positioned at the desired location relative to the patient and target tissue using fluoroscopy.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the ultrasound transducer is positioned at the desired location relative to the patient and target tissue using magnetic resonance imaging.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the ultrasound transducer is positioned at the desired location relative to the patient and target tissue using direct visualization.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the ultrasound transducer is positioned at the desired location relative to the patient and target tissue using mapping technology.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the ultrasound transducer comprises a phased array of ultrasound transducer elements, and wherein emitting ultrasound energy from an ultrasound transducer positioned remotely from target tissue of the patient comprises emitting ultrasound energy from a first set of the ultrasound transducer elements while a second set of the ultrasound transducer elements are turned off.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the ultrasound transducer comprises a phased array of ultrasound transducer elements, and wherein emitting ultrasound energy from an ultrasound transducer positioned remotely from target tissue of the patient comprises emitting ultrasound energy having a first phase and a first amplitude from a first set of ultrasound transducer elements, and emitting ultrasound energy having a second phase and a second amplitude from a second, different set of ultrasound transducer elements.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein emitting ultrasound energy from an ultrasound transducer positioned remotely from target tissue of the patient comprises emitting high frequency ultrasound (HIFU) energy.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein ablating the target tissue comprises ablating a non-linear area of tissue of the patient.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein ablating the target tissue comprises creating a plurality of non-linear, non-contiguous lesions within the target tissue.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising monitoring a parameter of the ultrasound transducer and/or target tissue within the patient before and during delivery of the ultrasound energy.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein monitoring a parameter comprises monitoring changes in mechanical properties of the target tissue, and wherein the method further comprises altering delivery of the ultrasound energy in response to the monitored parameter.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein ablating the target tissue comprises ablating target nerve tissue within the patient.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein ablating the target tissue comprises ablating nerves of the patient such that neural communication along the nerves is inhibited or blocked.