Surgical ablation instruments with irrigation features

• US 20040147913A1
• Filed: 01/13/2004
• Published: 07/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Edwards Lifesciences Corporation
• Original Assignee: Cardiofocus Incorporated
• Inventors: Sinofsky, Edward L.
• Application Number:
  US10/756,717
• Publication Number:
  US 20040147913A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/15
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1492 having a flexible, catheter-like structure, e.g. for heart ablation A61B18/1477 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/22 the beam being directed along or through a flexible conduit, e.g. an optical fibre; Couplings or hand-pieces therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/24 with a catheter A61B18/26, A61B18/28 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00057 Light
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00243 cardiac
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22058 reflective
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22059 transparent
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00577 Ablation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00642 with feedback, i.e. closed loop control
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00839 Bioelectrical parameters, e.g. ECG, EEG
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/2238 with means for selectively laterally deflecting the tip of the fibre
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/2261 with scattering, diffusion or dispersion of light
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/2272 with reflective or refractive surfaces for deflecting the beam A61B2018/2261, A61B2018/2266 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/2288 the optical fibre cable having a curved distal end
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0105 Steering means as part of the catheter or advancing means; Markers for positioning systems for detection of markers A61B
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 7/02 Localised ultrasound hyperthermia hyperthermia in general A61F7/00

Abstract

Surgical ablation instruments are disclosed for creating lesions in tissue, including cardiac tissue for treatment of arrhythmias and other diseases. These photoablative instruments include a housing and an ablation element disposed within a lumen of the housing. An irrigation system associated with the instruments enables a cooling fluid to be introduced to the ablation element during delivery of the ablation energy.

Claims

1. A surgical ablation instrument comprising:

a housing having a proximal end, a distal end and a longitudinal lumen extending therebetween;

an ablation element disposable within the lumen of the housing to ablate tissue at a target site; and

a fluid source connected to the housing for introducing fluid to the ablation element during delivery of the ablation energy.

2. The instrument of claim 1, wherein the fluid is delivered between the ablation element and the housing.

3. The instrument of claim 1, wherein the housing further includes a handle portion at a proximal end.

4. The instrument of claim 3, wherein the handle portion includes a fluid inflow port and a fluid carrying lumen for delivering the fluid to the housing.

5. The instrument of claim 1, wherein the distal end of the housing includes a fluid outflow port for release of the fluid.

6. The instrument of claim 1, wherein the fluid comprises a material which cools the ablation element during delivery of ablative energy.

7. The instrument of claim 1, wherein the fluid is a lubricating fluid.

8. The instrument of claim 1, wherein the fluid comprises a physiologically compatible fluid.

9. The instrument of claim 8, wherein the fluid is saline.

10. A method for ablating a target tissue, comprising the steps of:

providing a surgical ablation instrument comprising a housing having a proximal end, a distal end and a longitudinal lumen extending therebetween, an ablation element disposed within the lumen of the housing to ablate tissue at a target site, and a fluid source connected to the housing for introducing fluid to the ablation element during delivery of the ablation energy;

positioning the surgical ablation instrument proximate to a predetermined tissue site;

delivering ablative energy to said distal end of said housing through said ablation element, such that said target tissue is ablated, coagulated or phototherapeutically modulated without damaging surrounding tissue.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of introducing a fluid between the ablation element and the housing during the energy delivery.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the fluid comprises a material which cools the ablation element, and the step of introducing a fluid cools the ablation element during delivery of the ablative energy.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the fluid comprises a lubricating fluid, and the step of introducing a fluid lubricates the ablation element during delivery of the ablative energy.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of irrigating the target site by releasing the fluid from the housing into the target site.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of repeating the steps of positioning and delivering until a composite lesion of a desired shape is formed.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the target site is cardiac tissue.