Ablation Devices with Adjustable Radiating Section Lengths, Electrosurgical Systems Including Same, and Methods of Adjusting Ablation Fields Using Same

• US 20110238054A1
• Filed: 03/26/2010
• Published: 09/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Vivant Medical, Inc. (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Kim, Steven, Rossetto, Francesca, Prakash, Mani N., Bonn, Kenlyn S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,409,188 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/33
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/18 by applying electromagnetic radiation, e.g. microwaves radiation therapy A61N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1815 using microwaves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00577 Ablation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1861 with an instrument inserted into a body lumen or cavity, e.g. a catheter

Abstract

An energy applicator for directing energy to tissue includes a feedline and a radiating section operably coupled to the feedline, wherein the radiating section has a length. The energy applicator also includes a length adjustment member adapted to allow for selective adjustment of the length of the radiating section.

Claims

1. An energy applicator for directing energy to tissue, comprising:

a feedline;

a radiating section operably coupled to the feedline, wherein the radiating section has a length; and

a length adjustment member adapted to allow for selective adjustment of the length of the radiating section.

2. The energy applicator of claim 1, wherein the length adjustment member includes an inner sleeve and an outer sleeve disposed around at least a portion of the inner sleeve.

3. The energy applicator of claim 2, wherein the inner sleeve includes a proximal end portion, a distal end portion, and a threaded middle portion disposed between the proximal and distal end portions, and the outer sleeve includes a threaded end portion engaged with the threaded middle portion of the inner sleeve.

4. The energy applicator of claim 3, wherein the outer sleeve further includes a middle portion and wherein the distal end portion of the inner sleeve includes a mechanical interface configured to engage an inner surface of the middle portion of the outer sleeve.

5. The energy applicator of claim 3, wherein the outer sleeve further includes a middle portion and a tapered end portion disposed distal to the middle portion.

6. The energy applicator of claim 3, wherein the inner sleeve is formed of a rigid dielectric material.

7. The energy applicator of claim 3, wherein the inner sleeve is formed of an electrically-conductive material.

8. The energy applicator of claim 1, wherein the feedline includes an inner conductor, an outer conductor coaxially disposed around the inner conductor, and a dielectric material disposed therebetween.

9. The energy applicator of claim 8, wherein a portion of the inner conductor and the dielectric material of the feedline extends beyond the outer conductor at a distal end of the feedline

10. The energy applicator of claim 9, wherein the inner conductor is electrically coupled to the length adjustment member.

11. An electrosurgical system, comprising:

a generator; and

an ablation device including;

a feedline;

a radiating section operably coupled to the feedline, wherein the radiating section has a length; and

a radiation field adjustment member adapted to allow for selective adjustment of the ablation field radiated about the radiating section into tissue.

12. The electrosurgical system of claim 11, wherein the radiation field adjustment member includes a length adjustment member adapted to allow for selective adjustment of the length of the radiating section.

13. The electrosurgical system of claim 12, wherein the length adjustment member includes an inner sleeve and an outer sleeve disposed around at least a portion of the inner sleeve.

14. The electrosurgical system of claim 13, wherein the inner sleeve includes a proximal end portion, a distal end portion, and a threaded middle portion disposed between the proximal and distal end portions, and the outer sleeve includes a middle portion and a threaded end portion engaged with the threaded middle portion of the inner sleeve.

15. The electrosurgical system of claim 14, wherein the outer sleeve further includes a middle portion and wherein the distal end portion of the inner sleeve includes a mechanical interface configured to engage an inner surface of the middle portion of the outer sleeve.

16. The electrosurgical system of claim 14, wherein when the outer sleeve is placed in a proximal-most position, the threaded end portion engages with a proximal portion of the threaded middle portion disposed closest to the proximal end portion of the inner sleeve.

17. A method of directing energy to tissue, comprising the steps of:

providing an energy applicator including a radiating section having a length, a distal portion of the radiating section including an inner conductor and a length adjustment member electrically coupled to the inner conductor;

positioning the energy applicator in tissue;

transmitting energy through the radiating section to generate an ablation field radiating about at least a portion of the energy applicator into tissue; and

adjusting the length of the radiating section via the length adjustment member to adjust the ablation field radiating about the portion of the energy applicator into tissue.