RF ABLATION PROBE ARRAY ADVANCING DEVICE

• US 20080161804A1
• Filed: 12/20/2007
• Published: 07/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Bean, Jeffery V., Rioux, Robert F.
• Granted Patent: US 8,608,734 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/41
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1477 Needle-like probes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0016 Energy applicators arranged in a two- or three dimensional array
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00196 reciprocating lengthwise
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00214 Expandable means emitting energy, e.g. by elements carried thereon
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00952 rotatable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1861 with an instrument inserted into a body lumen or cavity, e.g. a catheter

Abstract

An array advancing device that attaches to a tissue ablation probe comprises a housing sized for receiving the handle and reciprocating plunger of the ablation probe, the housing having a proximal section configured to engage the plunger, and a distal section configured to engage the handle, the proximal housing section being controllably moveable relative to the distal housing section to thereby controllably move the plunger relative to the handle.

Claims

1. An array advancing device that attaches to a tissue ablation probe, the ablation probe comprising an array of elongate electrode elements deployable from a distal portion of an elongate delivery cannula, a handle connected to a proximal portion of the delivery cannula, and a plunger coupled in a reciprocating fashion to the handle, the plunger fixedly coupled to the electrode array elements such that, when the plunger is extended proximally relative to the handle, the electrode elements are withdrawn into the cannula, and when the plunger is depressed distally into the handle, the electrode elements are deployed out of the cannula, the array advancing device comprising:

a housing sized for receiving the probe handle and plunger of the ablation probe, the housing having a proximal section configured to engage the plunger, and a distal section configured to engage the handle, the proximal housing section being controllably moveable relative to the distal housing section.

2. The array advancing device of claim 1, wherein proximal housing section is controllably movable relative to the distal housing section by rotating the proximal housing section relative to the distal housing section.

3. The array advancing device of claim 1, wherein, when the ablation probe handle and plunger are positioned in the housing, rotation of the proximal housing section relative to the distal housing section in a first direction depresses the plunger into the handle, and rotation of the proximal housing section relative to the distal housing section in a second direction extends the plunger proximally relative to the handle.

4. The array advancing device of claim 3, wherein the proximal housing section comprises a protrusion extending radially inward and sized to cooperatively engage a distal facing surface of the ablation probe plunger for causing the plunger to be extended proximally relative to the handle upon rotation of the of the proximal housing section in the second direction relative to the distal housing section.

5. The array advancing device of claim 1, further comprising a drive mechanism that precisely controls movement of the proximal housing section relative to the distal housing section.

6. The array advancing device of claim 1, wherein the proximal housing section is fixedly coupled to the distal housing section.

7. The array advancing device of claim 1, wherein the distal and the proximal housing sections comprises respective two-piece hinged assemblies.

8. The array advancing device of claim 1, wherein the proximal housing section is detachably coupled to the distal housing section.

9. The array advancing device of claim 1, wherein the proximal housing section is threadably coupled to the distal housing section.

10. The array advancing device of claim 4, wherein the inwardly extending protrusion of the proximal housing section comprises a flexible resilient component that depresses to allow the ablation probe plunger to be axially received through a distal end opening of the proximal housing section and is self-restoring to cooperatively engage the distal facing surface of the plunger when the plunger is positioned in the proximal housing section.

11. The array advancing device of claim 1, the proximal housing section comprising a proximal end opening sized to receive the ablation probe there through.

12. The array advancing device of claim 11, further comprising a retention member that may be secured over the proximal end opening of the proximal housing section to engage the ablation probe within the housing.

13. The array advancing device of claim 11, wherein the proximal and the distal housing sections are coupled together to define an interior chamber sized to receive the ablation probe through said proximal end opening.

14. The array advancing device of claim 13, further comprising a distal end opening in the distal housing section through which the ablation probe cannula extends when the ablation probe is axially loaded through the proximal end opening of the proximal housing section.

15. The array advancing device of claim 1, wherein the distal housing section comprising respective proximal and distal openings and defines an interior chamber sized so that the ablation probe may be axially received through the proximal end opening, with the probe cannula extending through the distal end opening when the probe handle is positioned in chamber of the distal housing section.

16. An array advancing device that attaches to a tissue ablation probe, the ablation probe comprising an array of elongate electrode elements deployable from a distal portion of an elongate delivery cannula, a handle connected to a proximal portion of the delivery cannula, and a plunger coupled in a reciprocating fashion to the handle, the plunger fixedly coupled to the electrode array elements such that, when the plunger is extended proximally relative to the handle, the electrode elements are withdrawn into the cannula, and when the plunger is depressed distally into the handle, the electrode elements are deployed out of the cannula, the array advancing device comprising:

a housing sized for receiving the probe handle and plunger of the ablation probe, the housing having a proximal section configured to engage the plunger, and a distal section configured to engage the handle, the proximal housing section being threadably coupled to the distal housing section such that the proximal housing section is controllably movable relative to the distal housing section by rotating the proximal housing section relative to the distal housing section,

wherein, when the ablation probe handle and plunger are positioned in the housing, rotation of the proximal housing section relative to the distal housing section in a first direction depresses the plunger into the handle, and rotation of the proximal housing section relative to the distal housing section in a second direction extends the plunger proximally relative to the handle.

17. The array advancing device of claim 16, wherein the proximal housing section comprises a protrusion extending radially inward and sized to cooperatively engage a distal facing surface of the ablation probe plunger for causing the plunger to be extended proximally relative to the handle upon rotation of the of the proximal housing section in the second direction relative to the distal housing section.

18. The array advancing device of claim 16, wherein the proximal housing section is fixedly coupled to the distal housing section.

19. The array advancing device of claim 16, the proximal housing section comprising a proximal end opening sized to receive the ablation probe there through.

20. The array advancing device of claim 16, wherein one or both the distal and the proximal housing sections comprises a two-piece hinged assembly.

21. A tissue ablation system, comprising:

a tissue ablation probe positioned in the array advancing device of claim 16; and

a radio frequency generator electrically coupled to the tissue ablation probe.