Intraluminal method and apparatus for ablating nerve tissue
First Claim
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1. A minimally-invasive intraluminal ablation device configured to ablate nerve tissue surrounding a bodily lumen of a subject, the minimally-invasive intraluminal ablation device comprising:
- a catheter comprising a distal end, a proximal end, and an interior fluid passage;
a cylindrical ultrasonic transducer disposed along the distal end of the catheter, the cylindrical ultrasonic transducer comprising an integral circumferential arrangement machined into the cylindrical ultrasonic transducer to form an end region and a center region of the cylindrical ultrasonic transducer, wherein the end region is thinner than the center region of the cylindrical ultrasonic transducer and the cylindrical ultrasonic transducer is configured to emit unfocused acoustic energy radially outward in a uniform manner through a wall of the bodily lumen to ablate nerve tissue; and
an inflatable balloon disposed along the distal end of the catheter to surround the cylindrical ultrasonic transducer, the inflatable balloon configured to receive a cooling fluid circulating through an interior of the inflatable balloon via the interior fluid passage of the catheter when the cylindrical ultrasonic transducer is energized.
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Abstract
Methods and apparatus for treating gastroesophageal reflex and other luminal conditions provide for delivering acoustic energy to a body lumen to remodel tissue surrounding the body lumen. In the case of treating GERD, a catheter carrying an ultrasonic or other vibrational transducer is introduced to the lower esophageal sphincter, and acoustic energy is delivered to the sphincter in order to tighten or bulk the sphincter such that reflex is reduced.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A minimally-invasive intraluminal ablation device configured to ablate nerve tissue surrounding a bodily lumen of a subject, the minimally-invasive intraluminal ablation device comprising:
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a catheter comprising a distal end, a proximal end, and an interior fluid passage; a cylindrical ultrasonic transducer disposed along the distal end of the catheter, the cylindrical ultrasonic transducer comprising an integral circumferential arrangement machined into the cylindrical ultrasonic transducer to form an end region and a center region of the cylindrical ultrasonic transducer, wherein the end region is thinner than the center region of the cylindrical ultrasonic transducer and the cylindrical ultrasonic transducer is configured to emit unfocused acoustic energy radially outward in a uniform manner through a wall of the bodily lumen to ablate nerve tissue; and an inflatable balloon disposed along the distal end of the catheter to surround the cylindrical ultrasonic transducer, the inflatable balloon configured to receive a cooling fluid circulating through an interior of the inflatable balloon via the interior fluid passage of the catheter when the cylindrical ultrasonic transducer is energized. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A minimally-invasive method of intraluminal ablation of nerve tissue surrounding a bodily lumen of a subject, the method comprising:
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delivering an ultrasound device within a bodily lumen of a subject, the ultrasound device comprising an elongated catheter and a cylindrical ultrasonic transducer positioned along a distal end of the elongated catheter, the elongated catheter comprising an inflatable balloon positioned to surround the cylindrical ultrasonic transducer and positioned proximal to a distal tip of the elongated catheter, the cylindrical ultrasonic transducer comprising an integral circumferential arrangement machined into the cylindrical ultrasonic transducer to form an end region and a center region of the cylindrical ultrasonic transducer, wherein the end region is thinner than a center region of the cylindrical ultrasonic transducer and the cylindrical ultrasonic transducer is configured to emit unfocused acoustic energy; advancing the ultrasound device within the bodily lumen to position the cylindrical ultrasonic transducer adjacent target nerve tissue positioned in nerve pathways that run along and adjacent the bodily lumen; at least partially inflating the inflatable balloon by delivering a cooling fluid through a fluid passage of the elongated catheter; circulating the cooling fluid through an interior of the inflatable balloon via the fluid passage of the elongated catheter during a time when the cylindrical ultrasonic transducer is energized to remove heat away from the cylindrical ultrasound transducer and the interior of the inflatable balloon and to reduce the likelihood of heating a lining of the bodily lumen to the point of irreversible damage; energizing the cylindrical ultrasonic transducer to emit unfocused acoustic energy radially outwardly from the cylindrical ultrasonic transducer through the inflatable balloon and toward the wall of the bodily lumen so as to deliver the unfocused acoustic energy to at least partially ablate nerve tissue adjacent the wall of the bodily lumen; and removing the ultrasound device from the subject after the cylindrical ultrasonic transducer is de-energized. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification