Focused ultrasound ablation devices having selectively actuatable emitting elements and methods of using the same

• US 20040015106A1
• Filed: 06/20/2003
• Published: 01/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Coleman R. Glen
• Original Assignee: Coleman R. Glen
• Inventors: Coleman, R. Glen
• Granted Patent: US 7,615,015 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 601/3
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 23/0236 using sonic waves, e.g. using loudspeakers
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0065 Concave transducers
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0078 with multiple treatment transducers
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/027 with multiple foci created simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 7/02 Localised ultrasound hyperthermia hyperthermia in general A61F7/00

Abstract

A focused ultrasound ablation device includes an ultrasound emitting member having a plurality of individual ultrasound emitting elements arranged in an array. The ultrasound emitting elements are actuatable to emit ultrasound energy and focus the emitted ultrasound energy a predetermined distance from the ultrasound emitting member such that the ultrasound energy is focused within anatomical tissue adjacent which the ultrasound emitting member is positioned. The anatomical tissue is heated by the ultrasound energy focused therein to form an internal lesion within the tissue. The ultrasound emitting elements are selectively, independently actuatable, allowing selected ones of the ultrasound emitting elements to be actuated to emit ultrasound energy to obtain a lesion of desired or selected size and/or surface configuration in the tissue of a particular patient. A method of thermal ablation comprises the steps of selecting selected ones of a plurality of ultrasound emitting elements, arranged in an array on an ultrasound emitting member, for actuation to emit ultrasound energy in accordance with a desired size and/or configuration of a lesion to be formed in anatomical tissue of a patient, positioning the ultrasound emitting member adjacent the tissue, actuating the selected ones of the ultrasound emitting elements, focusing the ultrasound energy with the selected ones of the ultrasound emitting elements so that the ultrasound energy is focused within the tissue, and heating the tissue with the focused ultrasound energy to form a lesion within the tissue having the desired size and/or configuration.

Claims

1. A focused ultrasound ablation device for creating a lesion in tissue of a patient comprising:

an ultrasound emitting member having a plurality of individual ultrasound emitting elements spaced from one another along a row, the ultrasound emitting elements being actuatable to emit ultrasound energy a predetermined distance outwardly from an active surface whereby the ultrasound energy is focused within tissue of the patient to form a lesion, the ultrasound emitting elements being selectively, independently actuatable to emit ultrasound energy and being selectively, independently non-actuatable to not emit ultrasound energy whereby a lesion of selected size and configuration is formed in accordance with the positions of the ultrasound emitting elements selected to be actuated; and

a handle coupled to said ultrasound emitting member.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the ultrasound emitting elements each include a piezoelectric element that emits ultrasound energy in response to electric current selectively supplied thereto.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein the piezoelectric elements are curved to effect focusing of the ultrasound energy a predetermined distance outwardly from the active surface.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the handle has a sufficient length to position the ultrasound emitting member adjacent tissue in the patient while the handle is maintained external of the patient.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein the handle includes a malleable shaft.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein the handle has a configuration to facilitate grasping by a surgeon or other operator.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein the handle includes one or more controls or switches.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein the one or more controls or switches actuate the emission of ultrasound energy from the ultrasound emitting elements.

9. A focused ultrasound ablation device for creating a lesion within tissue of a patient comprising:

a handle; and

an ultrasound emitting member coupled to the handle, the ultrasound emitting member comprising an active face adapted for positioning adjacent an area of tissue, the active face carrying one or more rows of spaced apart ultrasound transducer elements, the ultrasound transducer elements selectively, independently actuatable to emit focused ultrasound energy a predetermined distance from the active face such that the area of tissue adjacent the active face is heated by the focused ultrasound energy to create the lesion within tissue of the patient.

10. The device of claim 9 wherein each of the ultrasound transducer elements includes a piezoelectric element.

11. The device of claim 9 further comprising a power supply coupled to said ultrasound emitting member for generating an electric signal capable of actuating the ultrasound transducer elements to emit focused ultrasound energy.

12. The device of claim 11 further comprising a control unit coupled with the ultrasound emitting member for connecting selected ones of said ultrasound transducer elements with the electrical signal.

13. The device of claim 9 wherein the handle includes an elongate shaft.

14. The device of claim 9 wherein the ultrasound emitting elements each include a piezoelectric element that emits ultrasound energy in response to electric current selectively supplied thereto.

15. The device of claim 14 wherein the piezoelectric elements are curved to effect focusing of the ultrasound energy a predetermined distance outwardly from the active surface.

16. The device of claim 9 wherein the handle has a sufficient length to position the ultrasound emitting member adjacent tissue in the patient while the handle is maintained external of the patient.

17. The device of claim 9 wherein the handle includes a malleable shaft.

18. The device of claim 9 wherein the handle has a configuration to facilitate grasping by a surgeon or other operator.

19. The device of claim 9 wherein the handle includes one or more controls or switches.

20. The device of claim 19 wherein the one or more controls or switches are for actuation to emit ultrasound energy from the ultrasound emitting elements.

21. A method of creating an ablation lesion within tissue of a patient comprising:

grasping a handle coupled to an ultrasound emitting member;

selecting one or more of a plurality of ultrasound emitting elements, arranged in an array on an active face of the ultrasound emitting member, for actuation to emit ultrasound energy;

positioning the active face adjacent tissue of the patient;

actuating the selected one or more ultrasound emitting elements to emit ultrasound energy;

focusing the ultrasound energy with the selected one or more of the ultrasound emitting elements so that the ultrasound energy is focused a predetermined distance from the active face; and

heating the tissue with the focused ultrasound energy to create the ablation lesion.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the ultrasound emitting elements emit ultrasound energy in response to an electrical signal supplied thereto and the step of actuating includes electrically coupling the selected one or more of the ultrasound emitting elements with an electrical signal source.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the step of electrically coupling includes electrically coupling the selected one or more of the ultrasound emitting elements with a power supply producing the electrical signal.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein the step of selecting includes selecting a plurality of ultrasound emitting elements to form a continuous lesion.

25. The method of claim 21 wherein the step of selecting includes selecting a plurality of ultrasound emitting elements to form a discontinuous lesion.

26. The method of claim 21 wherein the step of selecting includes selecting a plurality of ultrasound emitting elements to form a lesion comprising a plurality of disconnected lesion segments.

27. The device of claim 21 wherein the handle has a sufficient length for positioning the active face adjacent tissue within the patient while the handle is maintained external of the patient.