LARGE SURFACE AREA TEMPERATURE SENSING DEVICE

• US 20100030098A1
• Filed: 03/18/2009
• Published: 02/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CIRCA Scientific, LLC
• Original Assignee: CIRCA Scientific, LLC
• Inventors: Fojtik, Shawn P.
• Granted Patent: US 9,155,476 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/549
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/00 Surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body eye surgery A61F9/007; ear surgery A61F11/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00357 Endocardium
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00404 Blood vessels other than those in or around the heart
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00529 Liver
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00547 Prostate
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00577 Ablation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00797 measured by multiple temperature sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2063 Acoustic tracking systems, e.g. using ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/376 using X-rays, e.g. fluoroscopy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0271 Thermal or temperature sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/20 Surgical navigation systems; Devices for tracking or guiding surgical instruments, e.g. for frameless stereotaxis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/00 Measuring for diagnostic purposes radiation diagnosis A61B6/00; diagnosis by ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves A61B8/00; Identification of persons
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0036 including treatment, e.g., using an implantable medical device, ablating, ventilating
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/015 By temperature mapping of body part
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4836 Diagnosis combined with treatment in closed-loop systems or methods A61B5/0036 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6853 with a balloon
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6858 with a distal basket, e.g. expandable basket
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6859 with multiple distal splines
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/687 Oesophagus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6873 : Intestine
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/742 : using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence

Abstract

A temperature probe for monitoring temperatures of a surface of a tissue or organ within the body of a subject includes a section with a substantially two-dimensional arrangement and a plurality of temperature sensors positioned across an area defined by the substantially two-dimensional arrangement. Such an apparatus may be used in conjunction with procedures in which thermal techniques are used to diagnose a disease state or treat diseased tissue. Specifically, a temperature probe may be used to monitor temperatures across an area of a surface of a tissue or organ located close to the treated tissue to prevent subjection of the monitored tissue or organ to potentially damaging temperatures.

Claims

1. A temperature probe configured for introduction against an interior surface of an organ, comprising:

an elongate member including;

a distal portion for insertion into an interior of a hollow organ of a subject and including a portion configured to have a substantially two-dimensional arrangement when present within the interior of the hollow organ, the substantially two-dimensional arrangement having a length that coincides with a remainder of a length of the elongate member, a width that exceeds a width of the elongate member, and a thickness of about a same thickness of the elongate member and any additional elements carried by the distal portion of the elongate member; and

a proximal portion adjacent to an opposite end of the elongate member from the distal portion, the proximal portion configured for communication with apparatus external to a body of the subject; and

a plurality of temperature sensors carried by the distal portion so as to be arranged across an area array when the distal portion is in the substantially two-dimensional arrangement, the area array including at least two sensors spaced laterally (x-axis) apart from each other a first distance that exceeds a width of the elongate member and at least two sensors spaced vertically (y-axis) apart from each other a second distance that is at least as great as the first distance.

2. The temperature probe of claim 1, wherein a combined width of the substantially two-dimensional section of at least the portion of the distal portion of the elongate member and the plurality of temperature sensors carried by the distal portion is configured to reside within the interior of the hollow organ without substantially deforming a cross-sectional shape of the interior of the hollow organ.

3. The temperature probe of claim 1, wherein the distal portion of the elongate member includes a single element.

4. The temperature probe of claim 3, wherein at least the portion of the distal portion of the elongate member is configured to have a substantially two-dimensional arrangement comprising a serpentine configuration.

5. The temperature probe of claim 4, wherein the width of the substantially two-dimensional arrangement corresponds to a lateral (x-axis) distance between two laterally divergent portions of the serpentine configuration of the two-dimensional arrangement.

6. The temperature probe of claim 4, wherein the width of the substantially two-dimensional arrangement corresponds to a distance between at least two adjacently positioned, spaced apart portions of the distal portion.

7. The temperature probe of claim 3, wherein at least the portion of the distal portion of the elongate member is configured to have a substantially two-dimensional arrangement comprising a spiral configuration or a looped configuration.

8. The temperature probe of claim 7, wherein the width of the substantially two-dimensional arrangement corresponds to a distance between at least two adjacently positioned, spaced apart portions of the distal portion.

9. The temperature probe of claim 1, wherein the distal portion of the elongate member includes at least two substantially parallel elongate elements, each elongate element carrying at least one temperature sensor, at least one elongate element carrying a plurality of temperature sensors.

10. The temperature probe of claim 1, further comprising:

a catheter for introducing at least the distal portion of the elongate member into the interior of the hollow organ.

11. The temperature probe of claim 1, wherein:

the catheter includes a lumen that holds the elongate member in a substantially linear configuration until a distal end of the elongate member is positioned at a predetermined location within the interior of the hollow organ; and

at least the portion of the distal portion of the elongate member, upon being withdrawn from the catheter, assumes the substantially two-dimensional arrangement.

12. The temperature probe of claim 11, wherein at least the distal portion of the elongate member comprises a preshaped flexible element constrained to the substantially linear configuration when positioned within the lumen of the catheter and to assume the substantially two-dimensional configuration upon removal from the lumen of the catheter.

13. A temperature probe configured for introduction into an interior of a hollow organ, comprising:

an elongate member including a portion configured to have a substantially two-dimensional arrangement when present within an interior of a hollow organ of a subject, the substantially two-dimensional arrangement having a width that exceeds a width of the elongate member, and a thickness of about a same thickness as the elongate member and any additional elements carried by the elongate member; and

a plurality of temperature sensors carried by the substantially two-dimensional arrangement of the elongate member so as to be arranged in an area array when the portion of the elongate element is in the substantially two-dimensional arrangement, the area array including at least two sensors spaced laterally (x-axis) apart from each other a first distance that exceeds a width of the elongate member and at least two sensors spaced vertically (y-axis) apart from each other a second distance that is at least as great as the first distance.

14. The temperature probe of claim 13, wherein the elongate member is preformed to have the substantially two-dimensional arrangement in a relaxed state.

15. The temperature probe of claim 13, wherein a distal portion of the elongate member includes a plurality of arms defining the substantially two-dimensional arrangement.

16. The temperature probe of claim 15, further comprising an actuation mechanism for causing the plurality of arms to spread over an increased area.

17. The temperature probe of claim 15, wherein the plurality of arms automatically spread across an increased area upon removal of the distal portion of the elongate member from a catheter.

18. A method for treating a subject, comprising:

treating a first organ of the subject with heat or cold; and

monitoring a temperature across an area of an interior surface of an adjacent, second organ without altering a shape of the second organ or increasing contact or decreasing spacing between the second organ and the first organ.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein monitoring the temperature includes preventing heating or cooling of the second organ to a damaging temperature.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein:

treating the first organ comprises atrial fibrillation; and

monitoring the temperature across the area of the interior surface of the second organ comprises monitoring the temperature across an area of an interior surface of an esophagus to prevent formation of an esophageal fistula.