SURGICAL PROBE AND METHODS FOR TARGETED TREATMENT OF HEART STRUCTURES

• US 20080082099A1
• Filed: 09/29/2006
• Published: 04/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ValveCure, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Quantumcor, Inc.
• Inventors: Witzel, Thomas, Dickens, Duane
• Granted Patent: US 8,187,266 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/42
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/14 Probes or electrodes therefor
• 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 2018/1407 Loop
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1475 Electrodes retractable in or deployable from a housing

Abstract

A surgical probe and methods for targeted treatment of structures of the heart with heat and radiofrequency energy. The probe which is designed to operated by hand has a elongate member with a handle and an energy-delivering member in an adjustable loop configuration. The control placed on the handle allow the user to alter the length of the loop configuration of the energy-delivering member and to thus place energy-delivering elements located on the energy-delivering member at selected or targeted portions of the heart or structures within the heart. The elongate member is conformable and can be bent into different configurations to allow additional targeted treatment of the particular portions of the heart.

Claims

1. A surgical probe for treating an annular organ structure of a patient comprising:

an elongate member having a distal end and a proximal end, said elongate member adapted to allow insertion of at least a portion of said elongate member into a body vessel;

an energy-delivering member having an adjustable length and extending from the distal end of said elongate member in a loop configuration;

a control located adjacent the proximal end of said elongate member, said control adapted to remotely adjust the length of said energy delivering member extending from the distal end of the elongate member and thereby adjust the loop configuration;

energy-delivering elements operably connected to said energy-delivering member and adapted to be placed in communication with selected portions of the organ structure by the user-controlled length adjustments of the energy delivering member and to supply tissue-shrinkable energy to the selected portions of the organ structure in communication with said energy-delivering elements.

2. The surgical probe of claim 1 wherein said elongate member is comprised of a malleable material.

3. The surgical probe of claim 1 wherein said energy-delivering elements comprise electrodes.

4. The surgical probe of claim 1 wherein said energy-delivering elements comprise a radiofrequency source.

5. The surgical probe of claim 1 wherein said tissue-shrinkable energy comprises heat energy.

6. The surgical probe of claim 1 wherein said tissue shrinkable energy comprises radiofrequency energy.

7. The surgical probe of claim 4 further comprising at least one thermocouple in communication with each of said electrodes.

8. The surgical probe of claim 4 further comprising at least two thermocouples in communication with each of said electrodes.

9. A method for repairing an annular organ structure of a patient using a surgical probe comprising an elongate member having a distal end and a proximal end, an energy-delivering member adjustably extending from the distal end of said elongate member, energy-delivering elements operably connected to said energy-delivering member and a control adjacent to said proximal end, the improvement comprising:

placing at least a portion of said energy-delivering member within a body vessel;

placing said energy-delivering elements in communication with selected portions of the organ structure by user-controlled length adjustments of the energy-delivering member through user input to the control; and

supplying tissue-shrinkable energy to the selected portions of the organ structure that are in communication with said energy-delivering elements.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said elongate member is configured to place the energy-delivering elements in communication with the selected portions of the organ structure.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein said energy-delivering elements comprise electrodes.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein said energy-delivering elements comprise a radiofrequency source.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein said tissue-shrinkable energy comprises heat energy.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein said tissue shrinkable energy comprises radiofrequency energy.

15. The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of providing at least one thermocouple in communication with each of said electrodes.

16. The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of providing at least two thermocouples in communication with each of said electrodes.

17. A surgical probe for treating a heart structure of a patient comprising:

elongate means having a distal end and a proximal end for allowing insertion of at least a portion of said elongate member into a body vessel;

energy-delivering means having an adjustable length and extending from the distal end of said elongate member in a loop configuration;

control means for remotely adjusting the length of said energy delivering member extending from the distal end of the elongate member and thereby adjust the loop configuration; and

energy delivering means operably connected to said energy-delivering means for delivering energy when placed in communication with selected portions of the organ structure and supplying tissue-shrinkable energy to the selected portions of the heart structure in communication with said energy delivering means.

18. The surgical probe of claim 17 wherein said elongate means comprises a malleable material.

19. The surgical probe of claim 17 wherein said energy-delivering means comprise electrodes.

20. The surgical probe of claim 17 wherein said energy-delivering means comprise a radiofrequency source.