Thin layer ablation apparatus
First Claim
1. An oblation apparatus for ablating an inner layer in an organ or lumen of a body, comprising:
- an expandable member, made of a material with a porous exterior surface. defining an expandable member interior that contains an electrolytic solution, the expandable member releasing the electrolytic solution through the porous exterior surface;
an RF electrode;
a conforming member, with an RF conductive surface and a back side in a surrounding relationship to an exterior surface of the expandable member, made of a material that provides substantial conformity between the RF conductive surface and the inner layer, the conforming member including non-zone areas with a first porosity rate for delivering electrolytic solution to the inner layer and a zone for housing an electrode and receiving at least some of the electrolytic solution delivered to the inner layer, the zone having a second porosity rate that is less than the first porosity rate with electrolytic solution passing through the zone at a slower rate than electrolytic solution passing through non-zone areas of the conforming member; and
an RF power source coupled to the electrode.
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Abstract
An ablation apparatus for ablating an inner layer in an organ or lumen of a body, or any desired thin layer, includes an expandable member made of a material with a porous exterior surface. An electrolytic solution, housed in an interior of the expandable member, releases electrolytic solution through the porous exterior surface. A conforming member, which can be an open cell foam material, has an RF conductive surface, and a back side in a surrounding relationship to an exterior surface of the expandable member. Further, the conforming member includes non-zone areas that have a first porosity rate for delivering electrolytic solution to the inner layer. The conforming member also includes a zone for housing each RF electrode and electrolytic solution. Zones have a second porosity rate that is less than the first porosity rate, thus permitting electrolytic solution to pass through the non-zone areas at a faster rate than in the zones. The zones provide an area where electrolytic solution is heated to a higher temperature, due to the differences in porosity with the non-zones. With the combination of the electrode and the heated electrolytic solution in each zone, a larger electrode is created, and there is a more effective, and even application of both RF and thermal energy to the tissue site, such as the endometrium.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. An oblation apparatus for ablating an inner layer in an organ or lumen of a body, comprising:
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an expandable member, made of a material with a porous exterior surface. defining an expandable member interior that contains an electrolytic solution, the expandable member releasing the electrolytic solution through the porous exterior surface; an RF electrode; a conforming member, with an RF conductive surface and a back side in a surrounding relationship to an exterior surface of the expandable member, made of a material that provides substantial conformity between the RF conductive surface and the inner layer, the conforming member including non-zone areas with a first porosity rate for delivering electrolytic solution to the inner layer and a zone for housing an electrode and receiving at least some of the electrolytic solution delivered to the inner layer, the zone having a second porosity rate that is less than the first porosity rate with electrolytic solution passing through the zone at a slower rate than electrolytic solution passing through non-zone areas of the conforming member; and an RF power source coupled to the electrode. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An oblation apparatus for ablating an inner layer in an organ or lumen of a body, comprising:
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an expandable member, made of a material with a porous exterior surface, defining an expandable member interior that contains a heated electrolytic solution, the expandable member releasing electrolytic solution through the porous exterior surface; a device coupled to the expandable member interior for heating the electrolytic solution to a selected temperature; a fluid conduit with a conductive surface and a back side in a surrounding relationship to the expandable member, the fluid conduit being made of a material that provides substantial conformity between the conductive surface and the inner layer of the organ, the fluid conduit delivering heated electrolytic solution received from the interior of the expandable member to the inner layer; a plurality of electrodes positioned in one of the fluid conduit or between the expandable member and the fluid conduit; and an RF power source coupled to the plurality of electrodes. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. An ablation apparatus for ablating an inner layer in an organ of a body comprising:
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a first expandable member; a second expandable member surrounding the first expandable member and attached thereto, the second expandable member having a porous structure to deliver an electrolytic solution to the inner layer of the organ, the second expandable member including non-zone areas with a first porosity rate for delivering electrolytic solution to the inner layer and one or more zones each housing an electrode and receiving at least some of the electrolytic solution delivered to the inner layer, each zone having a second porosity rate that is less than the first porosity rate with electrolytic solution passing through each zone at a slower rate than electrolytic solution passing through non-zone areas of the second expandable member; an electrical connector device connecting each electrode to an RF energy source; and an electrolytic solution delivery device coupled to one of an interior of the first or second expandable members to deliver electrolytic solution to the interior of the second expandable member and wherein the second expandable member expands to conform to at least a portion of the inner layer of the organ. - View Dependent Claims (30)
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Specification