Method and system for direct heating of fluid solution in a hollow body organ
First Claim
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1. A thermal ablation device for thermally ablating a hollow body organ, the device comprising:
- an elongate member having a proximal end, a distal end, and a heating chamber near the distal end;
a heating apparatus operably attached to the elongate member near the distal end, the heating apparatus being constructed to heat a thermally conductive fluid without substantial direct heating of the heating apparatus; and
a fluid circulator operably attached to the elongate member near the heating apparatus which circulates the thermally conductive fluid past the heating apparatus;
wherein the heating apparatus and the fluid circulator are disposed in the heating chamber, and wherein the heating chamber includes an inlet and an outlet which are exposed to the hollow body organ and which are disposed such that the thermally conductive fluid may be drawn through the inlet from the hollow body organ, circulated past the heating apparatus, expelled through the outlet into contact with the hollow body organ and recirculated through the inlet upon operation of the fluid circulator.
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Abstract
The invention provides improved methods and devices for heating a thermally conductive fluid within an internal body organ to thermally ablate or necrose the body organ. In an exemplary embodiment, the invention provides a thermal ablation device having an elongate member with a proximal end and a distal end. A heating apparatus is provided near the distal end of the elongate member which is constructed to heat a thermally conductive fluid without substantial direct heating of the heating apparatus. A fluid circulator is provided near the heating apparatus which circulates the thermally conductive fluid past the heating apparatus.
388 Citations
50 Claims
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1. A thermal ablation device for thermally ablating a hollow body organ, the device comprising:
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an elongate member having a proximal end, a distal end, and a heating chamber near the distal end; a heating apparatus operably attached to the elongate member near the distal end, the heating apparatus being constructed to heat a thermally conductive fluid without substantial direct heating of the heating apparatus; and a fluid circulator operably attached to the elongate member near the heating apparatus which circulates the thermally conductive fluid past the heating apparatus; wherein the heating apparatus and the fluid circulator are disposed in the heating chamber, and wherein the heating chamber includes an inlet and an outlet which are exposed to the hollow body organ and which are disposed such that the thermally conductive fluid may be drawn through the inlet from the hollow body organ, circulated past the heating apparatus, expelled through the outlet into contact with the hollow body organ and recirculated through the inlet upon operation of the fluid circulator. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A thermal ablation device, comprising:
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an elongate member having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the elongate member defines a heating chamber near the distal end; a pair of spaced-apart electrodes operably attached to the elongate member and disposed within the heating chamber; an impeller operably attached to the elongate member, the impeller being disposed within the heating chamber and spaced-apart from the pair of electrodes, wherein a thermally and electrically conductive fluid may be circulated between the electrodes upon operation of the impeller; and a pair of spaced apart occlusion members about the periphery of the elongate member for receiving the cervical os, wherein one of the occlusion members is axially translatable relative to the other occlusion member. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A method for thermally ablating a hollow body organ, said method comprising:
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introducing a thermally conductive fluid and a heating apparatus having a fluid circulator into the hollow body organ so that the fluid circulator is within the hollow body organ; operating the heating apparatus to heat the fluid within the hollow body organ, with the temperature of the heating apparatus generally not exceeding the temperature of the fluid while heating the fluid; and continuously circulating the fluid within the hollow body organ with the fluid circulator without substantially varying the pressure within the hollow body organ. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33)
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34. A method for thermally ablating a hollow body organ, said method comprising:
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introducing a thermally and electrically conductive fluid into the hollow body organ; passing radio frequency current through the fluid while the fluid is within the hollow body organ to heat the fluid; and circulating the fluid within the hollow body organ without substantially varying the pressure within the hollow body organ; wherein the hollow body organ comprises the uterus, and further comprising heating the fluid until a substantially uniform temperature in the range from 60°
C. to 100°
C. is obtained within the uterus, and wherein the intrauterine pressure is in maintained at a substantially constant pressure in the range from 30 mmHg to 50 mmHg. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. A method for thermally ablating a hollow body organ, said method comprising:
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introducing a thermally conductive fluid into the hollow body organ; generating an alternating magnetic flux within the fluid to heat the fluid within the hollow body organ; and continuously circulating the fluid within the hollow body organ with a fluid circulator disposed within the hollow body organ without substantially varying the pressure within the hollow body organ. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44)
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45. A thermal ablation device, comprising:
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an elongate member having a proximal end, a distal end, the elongate member defining a heating chamber near the distal end; a pair of spaced-apart electrodes operably attached to the elongate member and disposed within the heating chamber; an impeller operably attached to the elongate member, the impeller being disposed within the heating chamber and spaced-apart from the pair of electrodes, wherein a thermally and electrically conductive fluid may be circulated between the electrodes upon operation of the impeller; and a temperature sensor disposed on an exterior surface of the elongate member.
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46. A method for thermally ablating a hollow body organ, said method comprising:
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introducing a thermally conductive fluid and a heating apparatus having a fluid circulator into the hollow body organ so that the fluid circulator is within the hollow body organ; operating the heating apparatus to heat the fluid within the hollow body organ, with the temperature of the heating apparatus generally not exceeding the temperature of the fluid while heating the fluid; and circulating the fluid within the hollow body organ without substantially varying the pressure within the hollow body organ, wherein the circulating step comprises rotating the impeller within the hollow body organ.
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47. A method for thermally ablating a hollow body organ, said method comprising:
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introducing a thermally and electrically conductive fluid into the hollow body organ; passing radio frequency current through the fluid while the fluid is within the hollow body organ to heat the fluid; and circulating the fluid within the hollow body organ without substantially varying the pressure within the hollow body organ; wherein the heating step comprises introducing a pair of spaced-apart electrodes into the hollow body organ and passing radio frequency current between the pair of electrodes.
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48. A method for thermally ablating a hollow body organ, said method comprising:
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introducing a thermally and electrically conductive fluid into the hollow body organ; passing radio frequency current through the fluid while the fluid is within the hollow body organ to heat the fluid; and circulating the fluid within the hollow body organ without substantially varying the pressure within the hollow body organ, wherein the circulating step comprises rotating impeller within the hollow body organ. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50)
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Specification