CONTROLLED HIGH EFFICIENCY LESION FORMATION USING HIGH INTENSITY ULTRASOUND
First Claim
1. An ultrasonic system for destroying undesired tissue at an internal site within a body of a patient, comprising:
- (a) a probe that is sized to be inserted within a body of a patient;
(b) an ultrasonic transducer mounted proximate a distal end of the probe, said ultrasonic transducer being adapted to couple to a power supply to selectively energize the ultrasonic transducer so that it produces a focused beam of high intensity ultrasonic energy; and
(c) an ultrasound transmissive interface that is coupled to the distal end of the probe, said ultrasound transmissive interface being disposed and adapted to conform to a surface of the undesired tissue and provide a liquid layer that more efficiently transmits the high intensity ultrasonic energy produced by the ultrasonic transducer into the undesired tissue, said high intensity ultrasonic energy increasing a temperature of the undesired tissue sufficiently to cause the undesired tissue to necrose.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An ultrasound system used for both imaging and delivery high intensity ultrasound energy therapy to treatment sites and a method for treating tumors and other undesired tissue within a patient'"'"'s body with an ultrasound device. The ultrasound device has an ultrasound transducer array disposed on a distal end of an elongate, relatively thin shaft. In one form of the invention, the transducer array is disposed within a liquid-filled elastomeric material that more effectively couples ultrasound energy into the tumor, that is directly contacted with the device. Using the device in a continuous wave mode, a necrotic zone of tissue having a desired size and shape (e.g., a necrotic volume selected to interrupt a blood supply to a tumor) can be created by controlling at least one of the f-number, duration, intensity, and direction of the ultrasound energy administered. This method speeds the therapy and avoids continuously pausing to enable intervening normal tissue to cool.
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Citations
9 Claims
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1. An ultrasonic system for destroying undesired tissue at an internal site within a body of a patient, comprising:
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(a) a probe that is sized to be inserted within a body of a patient; (b) an ultrasonic transducer mounted proximate a distal end of the probe, said ultrasonic transducer being adapted to couple to a power supply to selectively energize the ultrasonic transducer so that it produces a focused beam of high intensity ultrasonic energy; and (c) an ultrasound transmissive interface that is coupled to the distal end of the probe, said ultrasound transmissive interface being disposed and adapted to conform to a surface of the undesired tissue and provide a liquid layer that more efficiently transmits the high intensity ultrasonic energy produced by the ultrasonic transducer into the undesired tissue, said high intensity ultrasonic energy increasing a temperature of the undesired tissue sufficiently to cause the undesired tissue to necrose. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method for administering an ultrasonic therapy to destroy at least a portion of an undesired tissue mass, comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing an ultrasonic transducer that emits a focused high energy ultrasonic energy when energized; (b) positioning the ultrasonic transducer proximate the undesired tissue mass; (c) directing the ultrasonic transducer toward a desired focal point within the undesired tissue-mass; (d) energizing the ultrasonic transducer so that it emits the focused high energy ultrasonic energy at the desired focal point, causing necrosis of a portion of the undesired tissue mass disposed at the desired focal point; and (e) controlling at least one of an f-number, an intensity, a time, and a direction of the high intensity ultrasonic energy emitted into the undesired tissue mass to achieve a desired shape and size of a necrotic zone of undesired tissue destroyed as a result of being heated by the high intensity ultrasonic energy, said necrotic zone substantially blocking the high intensity ultrasonic energy from penetrating beyond the necrotic zone, said desired shape and size of the necrotic zone being selected and formed so as to cause substantially all of the undesired tissue mass to ultimately be destroyed. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9)
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Specification