Vasculature and lymphatic system imaging and ablation associated with a reservoir

• US 20090093728A1
• Filed: 10/05/2007
• Published: 04/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gearbox LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Searete LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Myhrvold, Nathan P., Tegreene, Clarence T., Jung, Edward K.Y., Wood, Lowell L. JR., Hyde, Roderick A., Zare, Richard N., Wattenburg, Willard H.
• Granted Patent: US 8,285,367 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/476
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/041 Capsule endoscopes for imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/043 for fluorescence imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0071 by measuring fluorescence emission
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0075 by spectroscopy, i.e. measuring spectra, e.g. Raman spectroscopy, infrared absorption spectroscopy A61B5/0071 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0084 for introduction into the body, e.g. by catheters A61B5/1459 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0095 by applying light and detecting acoustic waves, i.e. photoacoustic measurements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02007 Evaluating blood vessel condition, e.g. elasticity, compliance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0205 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular conditions and different types of body conditions, e.g. heart and respiratory condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0215 by means inserted into the body catheters A61M25/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/026 Measuring blood flow A61B3/1233, A61B3/1241 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0295 using plethysmography, i.e. measuring the variations in the volume of a body part as modified by the circulation of blood therethrough, e.g. impedance plethysmography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/061 Determining position of a probe within the body employing means separate from the probe, e.g. sensing internal probe position employing impedance electrodes on the surface of the body A61B1/00158 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14539 for measuring pH
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14546 for measuring analytes not otherwise provided for, e.g. ions, cytochromes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/412 Detecting or monitoring sepsis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/418 lymph vessels, ducts or nodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6862 Stents
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6876 Blood vessel
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7267 involving training the classification device
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/12 in body cavities or body tracts, e.g. by using catheters catheters per se A61M25/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/56 : Details of data transmission or power supply

Abstract

Devices, methods, and systems related to imaging and ablation are disclosed.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

one or more reservoirs responsive to control circuitry, and configured to receive one or more targets and to function in, or proximal to, one or more blood vessel or lymph vessel of a subject;

one or more first energy source configured to function in, or proximal to, the one or more reservoirs, and to provide energy configured to elicit one or more image responses associated with the one or more targets;

one or more sensors configured to function in, or proximal to, the one or more reservoirs, and to capture the one or more image responses; and

control circuitry coupled to the one or more sensors, and responsive to at least partially identify the one or more targets during an expected transit time of the one or more targets through a detection area in, or proximal to, the one or more reservoirs at least partially based on the captured one or more image responses.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more reservoirs are configured to function in a vessel lumen, and configured with one or more lumen anchors.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the one or more reservoirs are configured with at least one closable opening.

7. The system of claim 3, wherein one or more of the at least one closable opening is responsive to control circuitry and configured to modulate flow of the one or more targets into the one or more reservoirs.

8. The system of claim 3, wherein one or more of the at least one closable opening is located in an externally accessible location.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein one or more of the at least one closable opening is self-sealing.

10. The system of claim 2, wherein the one or more lumen anchors are configured to attach to the vessel lumen responsive to control circuitry.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more reservoirs are configured to function proximal to the one or more blood vessel or lymph vessel, and configured with at least one vessel insertion unit.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the vessel insertion unit is responsive to control circuitry and configured to modulate flow of the one or more targets to the one or more reservoirs.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the vessel insertion unit is configured to modulate flow of the one or more targets at least partially based on the captured one or more image responses.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the vessel insertion unit includes one or more valves for modulating flow of the one or more targets to the one or more reservoirs.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the one or more valves are responsive to control circuitry.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more reservoirs are configured to contain the one or more targets responsive to control circuitry.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more reservoirs are configured from mesh.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more reservoirs include one or more valves configured to modulate flow of the one or more targets to one or more locations within the one or more reservoirs.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein one or more of the one or more valves are responsive to control circuitry.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein one or more of the one or more valves are self-sealing.

23. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more reservoirs are configured to function proximal to the one or more blood vessel or lymph vessel, and configured with at least one vessel attachment unit.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the at least one vessel attachment unit is configured to attach responsive to control circuitry.

25. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more first energy source is configured to function in the one or more reservoirs.

26. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more first energy source is configured to function proximal to the one or more reservoirs.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the one or more first energy source is configured to function in, or proximal to, the one or more blood vessel or lymph vessel.

30. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors are configured to function in the one or more reservoirs.

31. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors are configured to function proximal to the one or more reservoirs.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the one or more sensors are configured to function in, or proximal to, the one or more blood vessel or lymph vessel.

35. The system of claim 1, wherein the detection area is in the one or more reservoirs.

36. The system of claim 1, wherein the detection area is proximal to the one or more reservoirs.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein the detection area is in, or proximal to, the one or more blood vessel or lymph vessel.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein the detection area is in a vessel lumen.

39. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

one or more second energy source responsive to control circuitry and configured to provide ablation energy to a target area during the expected transit time of the one or more targets through the target area.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein the target area is in a lumen of the one or more blood vessel or lymph vessel.

43. The system of claim 39, wherein the target area is a lumen of one or more of the one or more reservoirs.

4-6. -6. (canceled)

12. (canceled)

15. (canceled)

28-29. -29. (canceled)

33-34. -34. (canceled)

41-42. -42. (canceled)

44. A method comprising:

locally capturing image information associated with a lumen of one or more blood vessel or lymph vessel in a subject;

analyzing the image information to at least partially identify one or more targets during an expected transit time of the one or more targets through a detection area; and

locally collecting the one or more identified targets in one or more reservoirs.

45. The method of claim 44, further comprising:

locally providing energy to the vessel lumen, wherein the energy is configured to elicit the image information.

46. The method of claim 44, further comprising:

locally capturing image information associated with a lumen of the one or more reservoirs.

47. The method of claim 46, further comprising:

locally providing energy to the reservoir lumen, wherein the energy is configured to elicit the image information.

50. The method of claim 46, further comprising:

accessing a lumen of the one or more reservoirs from the exterior of the subject.

52. The method of claim 44, wherein analyzing the image information comprises:

counting the one or more targets in the detection area.

53. The method of claim 44, further comprising:

selecting a target area at least partially based on the one or more targets; and

locally providing ablation energy to the target area, the ablation energy having characteristics appropriate to at least partially ablate the one or more identified targets.

54. The method of claim 53, wherein the target area is associated with the one or more reservoirs.

48. (canceled)

49. The method of claim 48, wherein analyzing the image information comrpsies:

remotely analyzing the image information.

51. (canceled)

55. A method of diagnosing a disease or disorder in a subject comprising:

locally capturing image information associated with a lumen of one or more blood vessel or lymph vessel in the subject;

analyzing the image information to at least partially identify one or more targets during an expected transit time of one or more possible targets through a detection area;

locally collecting the one or more identified targets in one or more reservoirs; and

further analyzing the one or more identified targets;

wherein the one or more identified targets are associated with the disease or disorder.

56-58. -58. (canceled)

59. A system comprising:

one or more reservoirs responsive to control circuitry, and configured to receive one or more targets and to function in, or proximal to, a local bypass, the local bypass configured to function in, or proximal to, one or more blood vessel or lymph vessel of a subject;

one or more first energy source configured to function in, or proximal to, the one or more reservoirs, and to provide energy configured to elicit one or more image responses associated with the one or more targets;

one or more sensors configured to function in, or proximal to, the one or more reservoirs, and to capture the one or more image responses; and

control circuitry coupled to the one or more sensors, and responsive to at least partially identify the one or more targets during an expected transit time of the one or more targets through a detection area in, or proximal to, the one or more reservoirs at least partially based on the captured one or more image responses.

60. The system of claim 59, further comprising:

one or more second energy source responsive to control circuitry, and configured to provide ablation energy to a target area during the expected transit time of the one or more targets through the target area.

61. A method comprising:

locally capturing image information associated with a lumen of a local bypass, the local bypass associated with one or more blood vessel or lymph vessel in a subject;

analyzing the image information to at least partially identify one or more targets during an expected transit time of the one or more targets through a detection area; and

locally collecting the one or more identified targets in one or more reservoirs.

62. A method of diagnosing a disease or disorder in a subject comprising:

locally capturing image information associated with a lumen of a local bypass, the local bypass associated with one or more blood vessel or lymph vessel in a subject;

analyzing the image information to at least partially identify one or more targets during an expected transit time of one or more potential targets through a detection area;

locally collecting the one or more identified targets in one or more reservoirs; and

further analyzing the one or more identified targets;

wherein the one or more identified targets are associated with the disease or disorder.