Staging medical treatment using ultrasound

• US 20030092988A1
• Filed: 05/22/2002
• Published: 05/15/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Makin, Inder Raj S.
• Application Number:
  US10/152,900
• Publication Number:
  US 20030092988A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/439
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/0233 Pointed or sharp biopsy instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/22012 in direct contact with, or very close to, the obstruction or concrement for removing obstructions in blood vessels by laser A61B18/245
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/2202 the ultrasound transducer being inside patient's body at the distal end of the catheter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/29 Forceps for use in minimally invasive surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320093 additional movable means performing cutting operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/378 using ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3784 both receiver and transmitter being in the instrument or receiver being also transmitter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3929 Active markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3975 active
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/12 in body cavities or body tracts, e.g. by using catheters catheters per se A61M25/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/445 Details of catheter construction
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4488 the transducer being a phased array
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0078 with multiple treatment transducers
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 7/022 intracavitary

Abstract

A method for medical treatment of a patient. An ultrasound imaging transducer assembly is obtained. The assembly is inserted into a gastrointestinal area of the patient. The assembly is guided within the gastrointestinal area. Patient tissue in the gastrointestinal area is identified for medical treatment. The medical treatment is staged from ultrasound imaging using the assembly. The patient tissue is medically treated according to the staging. In one example, the medical treatment is not ultrasound medical treatment. In another example, the ultrasound imaging transducer assembly is an ultrasound imaging and medical-treatment transducer assembly which is used for the medical treatment.

Claims

1. A method for medical treatment of a patient comprising the steps of:

a) obtaining an ultrasound imaging transducer assembly;

b) inserting the transducer assembly into a gastrointestinal area of the patient;

c) guiding the transducer assembly within the gastrointestinal area;

d) identifying patient tissue in the gastrointestinal area for medical treatment;

e) staging the medical treatment from ultrasound imaging using the transducer assembly; and

f) medically treating the patient tissue according to the staging of step e).

2. A method for ultrasound medical treatment of a patient comprising the steps of:

a) obtaining an end effector having an ultrasound imaging and medical-treatment transducer assembly;

b) inserting the end effector into a gastrointestinal area of the patient;

c) guiding the transducer assembly within the gastrointestinal area;

d) identifying patient tissue in the gastrointestinal area for medical treatment;

e) staging the medical treatment from ultrasound imaging using the transducer assembly; and

f) medically treating the patient tissue with ultrasound using the transducer assembly according to the staging of step e).

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the patient tissue is gastroesophageal tissue containing a lesion, and wherein step e) ultrasonically substantially ablates the lesion.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the gastroesophageal tissue contains a blood vessel supplying blood to the lesion, and wherein step e) ultrasonically treats the blood vessel to substantially stop the supply of blood to the lesion from the blood vessel.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the patient tissue is liver tissue containing a lesion and a blood vessel supplying blood to the lesion, and wherein step e) ultrasonically treats the blood vessel to substantially stop the supply of blood to the lesion from the blood vessel.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the patient tissue is liver tissue containing a lesion, and wherein step e) ultrasonically substantially ablates the lesion.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the liver tissue contains a blood vessel supplying blood to the lesion, and wherein step e) ultrasonically treats the blood vessel to substantially stop the supply of blood to the lesion from the blood vessel.

8. A method for ultrasound medical treatment of a patient comprising the steps of:

a) obtaining an end effector having an ultrasound imaging and medical-treatment transducer assembly;

b) inserting the end effector into a gastrointestinal area of the patient;

c) guiding the transducer assembly within the gastrointestinal area;

d) identifying patient tissue in the gastrointestinal area for medical treatment at least in part from ultrasound imaging using the transducer assembly;

e) staging the medical treatment from ultrasound imaging using the transducer assembly, and

f) medically treating the patient tissue with ultrasound using the transducer assembly according to the staging of step e).

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the patient tissue is gastroesophageal tissue containing a lesion, and wherein step f) ultrasonically substantially ablates the lesion.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the gastroesophageal tissue contains a blood vessel supplying blood to the lesion, and wherein step f) ultrasonically treats the blood vessel to substantially stop the supply of blood to the lesion from the blood vessel.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the patient tissue is liver tissue containing a lesion and a blood vessel supplying blood to the lesion, and wherein step f) ultrasonically treats the blood vessel to substantially stop the supply of blood to the lesion from the blood vessel.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the patient tissue is liver tissue containing a lesion, and wherein step f) ultrasonically substantially ablates the lesion.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the liver tissue contains a blood vessel supplying blood to the lesion, and wherein step f) ultrasonically treats the blood vessel to substantially stop the supply of blood to the lesion from the blood vessel.