Ablation Systems, Probes, and Methods for Reducing Radiation from an Ablation Probe into the Environment
First Claim
1. An ablation probe, comprising:
- a shaft having a proximal portion and a distal portion, the distal portion comprising a radiating portion configured to deliver energy to tissue; and
a retractable sheath surrounding at least the radiating portion of the shaft, the retractable sheath configured to prevent at least a portion of the energy from radiating outside of the retractable sheath, the retractable sheath configured to retract as the shaft is inserted into tissue.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The ablation systems, ablation probes, and corresponding methods according to the present disclosure reduce or eliminate energy radiating from an ablation probe into the environment. Some ablation probes include a retractable sheath that shields at least the radiating portion of the ablation probe. The retractable sheath and/or the ablation probe may include conduits through which a fluid may flow to shield the radiating portion and to drive the retractable sheath to an extended state. Other ablation probes include apertures defined in the probe walls through which the fluid can flow to expand a balloon surrounding the radiating portion. Yet other ablation probes include a thermal indicator to indicate the temperature of the ablation probe to a user. The ablation systems include fluid circuits and associated mechanical controls for varying the contents and/or flow rate of the fluid provided to the radiating portion of the ablation probe.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An ablation probe, comprising:
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a shaft having a proximal portion and a distal portion, the distal portion comprising a radiating portion configured to deliver energy to tissue; and a retractable sheath surrounding at least the radiating portion of the shaft, the retractable sheath configured to prevent at least a portion of the energy from radiating outside of the retractable sheath, the retractable sheath configured to retract as the shaft is inserted into tissue. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An ablation system, comprising:
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an ablation probe including; a shaft having a proximal portion and a distal portion, the distal portion including an antenna configured to deliver energy to tissue; and a sheath surrounding at least the radiating portion of the shaft, the sheath including at least one fluid conduit defined therein; a fluid source in fluid communication with the at least one fluid conduit; a fluid pump in fluid communication with the fluid source and the at least one fluid conduit, the fluid pump configured to pump a fluid through the at least one fluid conduit; and a generator electrically coupled to the antenna, the generator configured to supply electrical energy to the antenna. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of operating an ablation probe to reduce radiation of energy from the ablation probe to a surrounding surgical environment:
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retracting a sheath surrounding at least a radiating portion of an ablation probe, the sheath retracting along a longitudinal axis of the ablation probe toward a proximal end of the ablation probe as the radiating portion of the ablation probe is advanced towards a target volume of tissue; and advancing the sheath along the longitudinal axis of the ablation probe toward a distal end of the probe as the radiating portion of the ablation probe is removed from tissue such that the sheath surrounds at least the radiating portion of the ablation probe. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification