Method and apparatus for protecting the rectal wall during cryoablation
First Claim
1. A device for facilitating ablation of tissues near a body cavity, comprising a flexible thermal conditioner insertable together with an ultrasound probe into said body cavity, wherein (a) at least a portion of said thermal conditioner comprises ultrasound-transmissive material operable to transmit ultrasound waves between said ultrasound probe and body tissues external to said body cavity when said thermal conditioner and said ultrasound probe are together inserted into said body cavity and said ultrasound probe is operated to image tissues;
- and (b) said thermal conditioner is designed as to allow said ultrasound probe to move freely relative to said conditioner when said conditioner and said ultrasound probe are together inserted in said body cavity.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention relates to apparatus and methods for protecting walls of a body cavity during thermal ablation of tissues near that body cavity, while enabling ultrasound monitoring of the ablation process. Heating protective devices and cooling protective devices are provided. Heatable/coolable ultrasound probes and heatable/coolable independent protective devices compatible with ultrasound imaging by moving ultrasound probes are provided.
50 Citations
51 Claims
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1. A device for facilitating ablation of tissues near a body cavity, comprising a flexible thermal conditioner insertable together with an ultrasound probe into said body cavity, wherein
(a) at least a portion of said thermal conditioner comprises ultrasound-transmissive material operable to transmit ultrasound waves between said ultrasound probe and body tissues external to said body cavity when said thermal conditioner and said ultrasound probe are together inserted into said body cavity and said ultrasound probe is operated to image tissues; - and
(b) said thermal conditioner is designed as to allow said ultrasound probe to move freely relative to said conditioner when said conditioner and said ultrasound probe are together inserted in said body cavity. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A device for facilitating ablation of tissues near a body cavity, comprising a flexible sleeve insertable in said body cavity, said device comprises an internal lumen sized to accommodate an ultrasound probe inserted in said sleeve, wherein
(a) at least a portion of said sleeve comprises ultrasound-transmissive material operable to transmit ultrasound energy between an ultrasound probe inserted in said sleeve and body tissues external to sleeve; - and
(b) said internal lumen is so sized and surfaced as to allow an ultrasound probe inserted therein to move freely within said sleeve when said sleeve is inserted in said body cavity. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A tissue protection device comprising a pouch having:
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(a) a distal end formed as pocket sized to accommodate a distal end of an ultrasound probe; and
(b) an inner sheath wall and an outer sheath wall, said inner sheath wall and outer sheath wall defining a volume, wherein said volume comprises a semi-rigid sound-transmitting material. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. A sheath for protecting a first tissue during ablation of a second tissue, which second tissue is distant from said first tissue, comprising:
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(a) a first portion comprising material substantially transparent to ultrasound waves; and
(b) a thermal conditioning element operable to influence temperature of said first tissue;
wherein said first portion is so sized and shaped as to be operable to be positioned over ultrasound transceivers of an ultrasound probe when said ultrasound probe is inserted in said sheath. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43)
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44. An insertion-blocking device insertable into a temperature-conditioning sheath sized to accommodate an ultrasound probe, said insertion-blocking device serving to distance a distal end of any such inserted probe from a distal end of any such sheath by at least 2 cm.
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45. A system for protection of tissue of a body conduit during ablation of tissue near said body conduit, comprising:
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(a) a sheath sized and shaped to fit over at least a portion of an ultrasound probe, said sheath being at least partially constructed of material transparent to ultrasound waves;
(b) a closed loop conduit operable to contain a fluid, a first portion of said conduit passing within a portion of said sheath and a second portion of said conduit being external to said sheath; and
(c) a peristaltic pump operable to be connected to said second portion of said conduit and to effect a flow in fluid contained within said conduit. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48, 49)
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50. A sleeve for warming a body cavity during treatment of body tissues near said body cavity, said sleeve comprising:
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(a) a lumen defined by an inner wall, said lumen being sized to accommodate an ultrasound probe;
(b) an outer wall surrounding said inner wall, said outer and inner walls together defining a volume;
(c) a fluid hermetically contained within said volume; and
(d) a heating element contained within said volume and operable to be positioned to one side of an ultrasound probe when said ultrasound probe is inserted in said sleeve and said sleeve is inserted in said body cavity.
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51. A sleeve for heating a body cavity sized to accommodate an ultrasound probe insertable into said sleeve, comprising a vent in a distal portion of said sleeve, said vent serving to facilitate venting of air trapped between an ultrasound probe and said sleeve when said probe is inserted into said sleeve.
Specification