Portable therapy delivery device with fluid delivery

• US 20060264831A1
• Filed: 04/28/2006
• Published: 11/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Skwarek, Thomas R., Christopherson, Mark A.
• Application Number:
  US11/414,503
• Publication Number:
  US 20060264831A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/151
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1206 Generators therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00199 with a console, e.g. a control panel with a display
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00547 Prostate
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00577 Ablation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1472 for use with liquid electrolyte, e.g. virtual electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7475 User input or interface means, e.g. keyboard, pointing device, joystick
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/505 Touch-screens; Virtual keyboard or keypads; Virtual buttons; Soft keys; Mouse touches
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/587 Lighting arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 3/0202 with electronic control means or interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 3/0258 by means of electric pumps
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/17 delivered via infusion or injection
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation

Abstract

The disclosure describes a system that may be used to deliver a plurality of therapies using one portable device. The system includes a fluid pump that pumps fluid from a container to a therapy device to treat a patient. The fluid pump resides within a pump bay of the therapy delivery device. The fluid may be used to increase cool a tissue of the patient or clear debris. In one embodiment, generated signals may be delivered by a peripheral accessory connected to the generator through the connector board, and the generator may generate radio frequency (RF) energy for the purpose of prostate tissue ablation, where the effective ablation area of an electrode is increased by the fluid. In addition, the therapy delivery device may include a touch screen user interface, a visual operation indicator, a signal generator, and a removable connector board.

Claims

1. A fluid delivery system, the system comprising:

a fluid pump that moves a fluid from a first container to an ablation device, wherein the ablation device delivers the fluid to a target tissue of a patient;

a pump bay of a device housing that accepts the fluid pump;

a processor that controls a rate that the fluid is moved from the first container to the ablation device; and

a user interface that allows a user to provide instructions to the processor.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a pump bay door that encloses the pump bay when the pump bay door is in a closed configuration, wherein the pump bay door opens and allows a user to access the fluid pump.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising a hinge that attaches the pump bay door to the device housing.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the pump bay comprises a channel around the pump bay door that prevents any uncontained fluid from entering the pump bay.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a pump securing mechanism that secures the fluid pump within the pump bay.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the securing mechanism is a plurality of screws that attaches a base of the fluid pump to the pump bay.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the fluid pump is a positive displacement pump.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the positive displacement pump is one of a peristaltic pump, an external gear pump, and internal gear pump, a vane pump, a flexible member pump, a lobe pump, a circumferential piston pump, and a screw pump.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the ablation device delivers the fluid to the target tissue adjacent to an electrode of the therapy device to increase an effective ablation area of the electrode.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the ablation device delivers the fluid into the patient to aid in at least one of reducing the temperature of the target tissue and clearing a distal tip of the ablation device.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a connector board removably coupled to a connector board port within the device housing;

a signal generator that produces radio frequency energy for tissue ablation therapy;

a screen housing that accepts the user interface, wherein the screen housing is attached to the device housing via a hinge and the user interface is a touch screen user interface; and

a visual operation indicator disposed on an exterior surface of the screen housing, wherein the visual operation indicator comprises a plurality of lights.

12. A method for delivering a fluid, the method comprising:

accepting a fluid pump within a pump bay of a device housing;

delivering a fluid from a first container to a target tissue of a patient via a fluid pump and an ablation device;

controlling a fluid delivery rate between the first container and the target tissue; and

receiving a user input specifying a particular fluid delivery rate.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

closing a pump bay door to enclose the pump bay; and

opening the pump bay door to allow a user to access the fluid pump, wherein closing and opening the pump bay door comprises rotating the pump bay door about an axis of a hinge that attaches the pump bay door to the device housing.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising channeling uncontained fluid near the pump bay door away from entering the pump bay.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising securing the fluid pump within the pump bay via a pump securing mechanism.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein securing the fluid pump within the pump bay comprises inserting a plurality of screws through a base of the fluid pump and into the pump bay.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein delivering the fluid comprises pumping the fluid with a positive displacement pump.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising increasing an effective ablation area of an electrode of the ablation device by delivering the fluid adjacent to the electrode.

19. The method of claim 12, further comprising at least one of reducing the temperature of the target tissue with the fluid and clearing a material from a distal tip of the ablation device with the fluid.

20. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

removably coupling a connector board to a connector board port within a device housing;

generating radio frequency energy with a signal generator; and

ablating the target tissue by transferring the radio frequency energy to a patient via an electrode of a tissue ablation device,

wherein receiving the user input comprises receiving a user input via a touch screen user interface.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

visually indicating a system power status via a visual operation indicator; and

visually indicating a therapy delivery status via the visual operation indicator, wherein the visual operation indicator emits light of a plurality of wavelengths.

22. A fluid delivery device, the device comprising:

a device housing comprising a pump bay;

a fluid pump that moves a fluid from a first container to an ablation device, wherein the fluid pump is disposed within the pump bay;

a pump bay door attached to the device housing via a hinge, wherein the pump bay door encloses the fluid pump when the pump bay door is in a closed configuration; and

a securing mechanism that secures the fluid pump within the pump bay.

23. The device of claim 22, wherein the pump bay comprises a channel around the pump bay door that prevents any uncontained fluid from entering the pump bay

24. The device of claim 22, further comprising:

a processor that controls a rate that the fluid is moved from the first container to the ablation device; and

a user interface that allows a user to provide instructions to the processor.

25. The device of claim 22, wherein the fluid pump is a positive displacement pump.

26. The device of claim 25, wherein the positive displacement pump is one of a peristaltic pump, an external gear pump, and internal gear pump, a vane pump, a flexible member pump, a lobe pump, a circumferential piston pump, and a screw pump.

27. The device of claim 22, wherein the ablation device delivers the fluid to a target tissue of a patient to increase an effective ablation area of an electrode of the ablation device.

28. The device of claim 22, wherein the ablation device delivers the fluid into the patient to aid in at least one of reducing the temperature of the target tissue and clearing a distal tip of the ablation device.