Flexible catheter for ablation therapy

• US 20070179496A1
• Filed: 01/31/2006
• Published: 08/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Swoyer, John, Gerber, Martin
• Application Number:
  US11/343,967
• Publication Number:
  US 20070179496A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/41
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1477 Needle-like 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 2017/00274 Prostate operation, e.g. prostatectomy, turp, bhp treatment
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00285 Balloons
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00547 Prostate
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1425 Needle
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1472 for use with liquid electrolyte, e.g. virtual electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1475 Electrodes retractable in or deployable from a housing

Abstract

The disclosure describes a system that may be used to deliver ablation therapy to a target tissue within a patient. The system uses a flexible catheter to navigate through a passage and reach a target tissue. Once at the desired location, a side of the flexible catheter is forced against a wall of the passage to allow a needle to be extended from the side of the flexible catheter and into the target tissue. A pull-wire or inflatable balloon may be used as the control mechanism that forces the flexible catheter against the passage wall. In the case of the pull-wire, the flexible catheter may also be steered through the passage. As an example, the flexible catheter may be inserted into the urethra and the needle may be deployed into the prostate to treat benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH).

Claims

1. A method for ablating tissue, the method comprising:

inserting a flexible catheter into a passage;

biasing a first side of the flexible catheter against a wall of the passage;

extending a needle from the first side of the flexible catheter through the wall of the passage and into a target tissue; and

delivering energy via the needle to ablate at least a portion of the target tissue.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first side of the flexible catheter is near a distal end of the flexible catheter.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein forcing the first side of the flexible catheter against the wall of the passage is performed by pulling a pull-wire located within the flexible catheter.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising steering the flexible catheter through the passage.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising locking the pull-wire in place once the first side of the flexible catheter is against the wall of the passage.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein two or more pull-wires are located within the flexible catheter.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein forcing the first side of the flexible catheter against the wall of the passage is performed by inflating a balloon attached to a second side of the flexible catheter.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising pumping a fluid through the flexible catheter to inflate the balloon.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising rotating the flexible catheter to position the flexible catheter within the passage.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising delivering a conductive fluid to the target tissue via the needle.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising moving the conductive fluid through a plurality of holes in the needle.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising inserting a flexible cystoscope into the flexible catheter.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the passage includes the urethra.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the target tissue is the prostate.

15. A system for ablating tissue, the system comprising:

a generator that generates energy to ablate at least a portion of a target tissue;

a flexible catheter that is inserted into a passage;

a housing that accepts the flexible catheter;

a control mechanism that biases a first side of the flexible catheter against a wall of the passage; and

a needle that extends from the first side of the flexible catheter through the wall of the passage and into the target tissue to deliver the energy.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the first side of the flexible catheter is near a distal end of the flexible catheter.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the control mechanism is a pull-wire located within the flexible catheter.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising a ratcheting mechanism on the housing, wherein the ratcheting mechanism is attached to the pull-wire and pulls the wire towards the housing.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the control mechanism is two or more pull-wires located at different circumferential positions within the flexible catheter.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the control mechanism is a balloon attached to a second side of the flexible catheter.

21. The system of claim 20, further comprising a pump that pumps a fluid through the flexible catheter and into the balloon, wherein the fluid causes the balloon to expand.

22. The system of claim 15, wherein at least a portion of the flexible catheter is rigid.

23. The system of claim 15, further comprising a pump that delivers a conductive fluid through the needle, wherein the needle comprises a plurality of holes that allow the conductive fluid to enter the target tissue.

24. The system of claim 15, further comprising a flexible cystoscope that is insertable into the flexible catheter.

25. The system of claim 15, wherein the passage includes the urethra.

26. The system of claim 15, wherein the target tissue is the prostate.

27. A device for accessing a tissue to be ablated, the device comprising:

a flexible catheter that is inserted into a passage;

a control mechanism that biases a first side of the flexible catheter against a wall of the passage;

a needle that extends from the first side of the flexible catheter through the wall of the passage and into a target tissue, wherein the first side of the flexible catheter is near a distal end of the flexible catheter; and

an axial channel that accepts a flexible cystoscope.

28. The device of claim 27, wherein the control mechanism is a pull-wire located within the flexible catheter.

29. The device of claim 27, wherein the control mechanism is a balloon attached to a second side of the flexible catheter.

30. The device of claim 27, wherein at least a portion of the flexible catheter is rigid.

31. The system of claim 27, wherein the flexible catheter is bent to a radius of curvature greater than 2 cm.

32. The device of claim 27, wherein the flexible catheter is flexible within one plane.

33. The device of claim 27, wherein the flexible catheter may bend a plurality of locations along the length of the flexible catheter.

34. The device of claim 27, wherein the passage is the urethra.