DEVICES AND METHODS FOR TRACKING AN ENERGY DELIVERY DEVICE WHICH TREATS ASTHMA

• US 20070265639A1
• Filed: 12/21/2006
• Published: 11/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Asthmatx, Inc. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Laufer, Michael, Wizeman, William, Dalbec, Tim, Danek, Christopher, French, Glendon
• Granted Patent: US 7,708,768 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/130
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1233 with circuits for assuring patient safety
• 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 2017/00119 alarm; indicating an abnormal situation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00214 Expandable means emitting energy, e.g. by elements carried thereon
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00267 having a basket shaped structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00541 Lung or bronchi
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00678 upper
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00702 Power or energy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00791 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00898 Alarms or notifications created in response to an abnormal condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1475 Electrodes retractable in or deployable from a housing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2051 Electromagnetic tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/309 using white LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/365 augmented reality, i.e. correlating a live optical image with another image
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/20 Surgical navigation systems; Devices for tracking or guiding surgical instruments, e.g. for frameless stereotaxis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/25 User interfaces for surgical systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/361 Image-producing devices, e.g. surgical cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/06 for high-frequency therapy
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3601 of respiratory organs
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/403 for thermotherapy, e.g. hyperthermia

Abstract

Methods for treating a network of organs including generating a map of at least a portion of the network of organs using a rendering system; selecting at least one treatment location within the luminal passageway of the network of organs; and applying an energy therapy to the treatment location to treat the smooth muscle tissue, where the energy therapy applied to the respective treatment location is defined by a plurality of parameters that are associated with a map. Such a system allows for historical or ideal treatment parameters to be identified, visually or otherwise to actual treatment locations. Also, control systems and methods for delivery of energy that may include control algorithms that prevent energy delivery if a fault is detected and may provide energy delivery to produce a substantially constant temperature at a delivery site. In some embodiments, the control systems and methods may be used to control the delivery of energy, such as radio frequency energy, to body tissue, such as lung tissue.

Claims

1. A method for tracking an energy delivery device which treats asthma, the method comprising:

generating a virtual map of airways of a lung using a rendering system;

generating a virtual position of an energy delivery device on the virtual map with a locating implement or sensor assembly coupled to a distal portion of the device which is configured to be advanced within the lung airways so as to apply an energy therapy to a selected treatment location to treat asthma; and

displaying the virtual map on a visual display.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the rendering system comprises ultrasonic imaging, computer aided tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), or positron emission tomography (PET).

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the rendering system generates the virtual map externally or internally.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor assembly is configured to transmit information to the rendering system to generate the virtual map as the device is advanced within the lung airways.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the virtual map is rendered prior to or during advancement of the device within the lung airways.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the virtual map comprises a three dimensional map.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the virtual map comprises a graphic display or data coordinates.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a virtual treatment location on the virtual map after the device applies energy therapy to the selected treatment location within the lung airways to treat asthma.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising associating parameters of a particular energy therapy with the respective virtual treatment location.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising preventing energy therapy to a subsequent treatment location if it comprises an overlapping treatment location.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a suggested treatment location on the virtual map.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising guiding a user to the suggested treatment location with the virtual map.

13. The method of claim 11, farther comprising distinguishing the suggested treatment location from the selected treatment location on the virtual map.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising analyzing an anatomical characteristic of the lung airway at the selected treatment location based on the virtual map.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein applying the energy therapy to the selected treatment location to treat asthma comprises adjusting a parameter of the energy therapy based on the anatomical characteristic.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating an ideal procedure profile based on the virtual map.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein applying the energy therapy to the selected treatment location to treat asthma comprises tailoring a parameter of the energy therapy based on the ideal procedure profile.

18. A method for tracking an energy delivery device which treats asthma, the method comprising:

generating a virtual map of airways of a lung using a rendering system;

generating a virtual position of an energy delivery device on the virtual map with a locating implement or sensor assembly coupled to a distal portion of the device which is configured to be advanced within the lung airways; and

generating a virtual treatment location on the virtual map after the device applies an energy therapy to a selected treatment location within the lung airways to treat asthma.

19. An energy delivery and tracking device which treats asthma, the device comprising:

a shaft having a proximal end and a distal end;

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

a locating implement or sensor assembly coupled to the distal end of the shaft so as to track a virtual position of the device on a virtual map.

20. An energy delivery and tracking system comprising:

the device of claim 19;

and

a rendering system for generating the virtual map.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the rendering system comprises ultrasonic imaging, computer aided tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), or positron emission tomography (PET).

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the sensor assembly is configured to transmit information to the rendering system to generate the virtual map as the device is advanced within the lung airway.

23. The system of claim 20, further comprising a locating system in communication with the locating implement.

24. The system of claim 20, further comprising a visual display for displaying the virtual map.

25. The system of claim 20, further comprising a radio frequency controller in communication with the device.