VACUUM COAGULATION PROBES

• US 20080114355A1
• Filed: 11/09/2006
• Published: 05/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Atricure, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Ncontact Surgical, Inc.
• Inventors: Rogers, Earl Wayne, Fleischman, Sidney D., Whayne, James G.
• Application Number:
  US11/558,423
• Publication Number:
  US 20080114355A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/49
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/082 Probes or electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/14 Probes or electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1445 at the distal end of a shaft, e.g. forceps or scissors at the end of a rigid rod
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/148 having a short, rigid shaft for accessing the inner body transcutaneously, e.g. for neurosurgery or arthroscopy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/003 Steerable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22038 with a guide wire
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2945 Curved jaws
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320069 for ablating tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/32007 with suction or vacuum means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320071 with articulating means for working tip
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00035 with return means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00291 using suction
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00589 Coagulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1432 curved
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1435 Spiral
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1437 whereby the windings of the spiral touch each other such as to create a continuous surface
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1807 using light other than laser radiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2218/002 Irrigation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2218/007 Aspiration

Abstract

A surgical device integrating a suction mechanism with a coagulation mechanism is provided for improving lesion creation capabilities. The device comprises an elongate member having an insulative covering attached about means for coagulating soft tissue. Openings through the covering expose regions of the coagulation-causing elements and are coupled to lumens in the elongate member which are routed to a vacuum source. A fluid source to passively transport fluid along the contacted soft tissue surface may be provided in order to push the maximum temperature deeper into tissue.

Claims

1-58. -58. (canceled)

59. A method of coagulating a length of soft tissue in a body, the method comprising:

placing a track into the body;

advancing an elongate housing into the body over the track, where the elongate housing includes a main cavity and at least one conductive element within the main cavity, where the conductive element is exposed at an opening in the elongate housing to create the length of soft tissue, and where the elongate housing further includes a track lumen extending therethrough and fluidly isolated from the main cavity, where the track passes through the track lumen;

applying a vacuum source to the main cavity to pull soft tissue into contact with the conductive element; and

energizing the conductive element to coagulate the length of soft tissue.

60. The method of claim 59, where energizing the conductive element comprises applying RF energy to the conductive element.

61. The method of claim 59, where energizing the conductive element comprises applying electrical energy to the conductive element to resistive heat the conductive element.

62. The method of claim 59, where the elongate housing is attached to a shaft, where the shaft includes a perfusion lumen in fluid communication with the main cavity, and further comprising delivering a perfusing fluid to the soft tissue through the perfusion lumen.

63. The method of claim 62, where delivering the perfusing fluid comprises delivering the perfusing fluid simultaneously with applying the vacuum.

64. The method of claim 59, where placing the track into the body comprises shaping a portion of the track to have a profile, where on advancement of the elongate housing over the portion causes the elongate housing to conform to the profile.

65. The method of claim 64, where the track comprises device selected from the group consisting of a wire, a steerable catheter, a steerable guide-wire, a shaped tube, and a shaped mandrel.

66. The method of claim 59, where a lip surrounds the opening in the elongate housing, where on applying the vacuum causes the lip to form a seal on the soft tissue causing soft tissue to be drawn into the opening.