ENERGY DELIVERY AND ILLUMINATION DEVICES AND METHODS

• US 20070123961A1
• Filed: 12/28/2006
• Published: 05/31/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Asthmax Incorporated
• Inventors: Laufer, Michael, Kaplan, Gary, Wizeman, William, Danek, Christopher
• Application Number:
  US11/617,512
• Publication Number:
  US 20070123961A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/101
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/02 by cooling, e.g. cryogenic techniques devices for cooling specific reflex points of the body within cell-life limits A61H39/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/08 by means of electrically-heated probes
• 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 2018/00214 Expandable means emitting energy, e.g. by elements carried thereon
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0022 Balloons
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00267 having a basket shaped structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00541 Lung or bronchi
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00791 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00797 measured by multiple temperature sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00821 measured by a thermocouple
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/30 Devices for illuminating a surgical field, the devices having an interrelation with other surgical devices or with a surgical procedure
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 7/022 intracavitary

Abstract

This relates to methods and devices for improving treatment to a wall, a cavity or passageway with a medical device when used in tortuous anatomy.

Claims

1. A method for differentiating treated tissue from untreated tissue in an airway of a human lung, the method comprising:

delivering energy to tissue of an airway of a lung so as to treat asthma; and

illuminating the tissue so as to differentiate treated tissue from untreated tissue.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein illuminating comprises emitting light at certain wavelengths.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the certain wavelengths include 470 nm, 570 nm, or 590 nm.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein illuminating comprises emitting light at a single wavelength or multiple wavelengths.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein illuminating comprises emitting light in a visible, ultraviolet, infrared, or non-visible spectrum.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising filtering the light.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein illuminating the tissue comprises emitting light through a polarizing filter or fiber so as to differentiate treated tissue from untreated tissue based on birefringence.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the polarized light is reflected or transmitted.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein delivering energy to tissue comprises heating the tissue such that the tissue loses an ability to polarize light.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein illuminating the tissue so as to differentiate treated tissue from untreated tissue is based on reflectance of the tissue.

11. A method for differentiating treated tissue from untreated tissue in an airway of a human lung, the method comprising:

delivering energy to tissue of an airway of a lung so as to treat asthma; and

filtering tissue images from a bronchoscopic visualization system so as to differentiate treated tissue from untreated tissue.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein filtering comprises electronically filtering the tissue images for desired wavelengths.

13. An energy delivery and illumination device for use within an airway of a human lung, the device comprising:

an elongate shaft having a proximal portion and a distal portion;

a plurality radio frequency electrodes disposed at the distal portion of the shaft, the electrodes being configured to contact a lung airway wall in an expanded radial configuration and apply energy to treat asthma; and

an illumination source located towards the distal portion of the shaft.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the illumination source is coupled to the distal portion of the shaft.

15. The device of claim 13, wherein the illumination source is coupled to one of the electrodes.

16. The device of claim 13, further comprising a distal tip coupled to distal ends of the electrodes.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the illumination source is coupled to the distal tip.

18. The device of claim 16, further comprising a center wire extending from the proximal portion of the shaft to the distal tip, wherein the illumination source is coupled to the center wire.

19. The device of claim 13, wherein the illumination source comprises a plurality of illumination sources.

20. The device of claim 13, wherein the illumination source comprises a light emitting diode.

21. The device of claim 13, wherein the illumination source comprises an optical fiber or filament.

22. The device of claim 13, further comprising a filter located towards the distal portion of the shaft.

23. An energy delivery and illumination system comprising:

the device of claim 13;

a source of energy electrically coupled to the electrodes for the delivery of monopolar or bipolar radio frequency energy.

24. The system of claim 23, further comprising an illumination supply coupled to the illumination source for emitting light.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the illumination supply comprises a coherent light source.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the coherent light source comprises a laser.

27. The system of claim 23, further comprising a bronchoscope having a working channel for slidably receiving the device.

28. The system of claim 27, further comprising a filter coupled to the bronchoscope.