Method and apparatus for endovascular thermal thrombosis and thermal cancer treatment
First Claim
1. An improvement in an endovascular device for use within a vascular system comprising:
- at least one elongate, flexible, fully insulated and substantially unsupported delivery wire having a first resistance; and
at least one elongate, flexible, fully insulated, substantially unsupported, and longitudinally resilient heating coil having a second resistance coupled to said delivery wire, said first resistance being less than said second resistance, wherein said delivery wire and heating coil are both electrically insulated to permit endovascular disposition of said delivery wire and heating coil into said vascular system to deliver heat to blood within said vascular system at a predetermined location, substantially all of said heat being generated by electrical current flowing within said heating coil rather than within said delivery wire,whereby endovascular thermal treatment is provided within said vascular system.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A thrombus is generated in an aneurysm, arteriovenous malformation or fistula by means of a catheter having an insulated heating coil coupled to an insulated delivery wire. In one embodiment, two delivery wires are coupled to heating coils to provide a closed circuit. The heating coils may be in the form of a double helix or a single helix in combination with a straight heating coil. The heating coils are permanently connected to the delivery wires. Alternatively, a single insulated heating coil may be attached to a single insulated delivery wire with a uninsulated coil attached to the tip of the insulated heating coil. The electrical circuit is then made through the heating coil and non-insulated electrode coil into the vascular system and to a body electrode. A catheter may also be used for heating blood within the vascular system which is directly flowed into a tumoral mass for the purposes of thermal treatment of cancer.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. An improvement in an endovascular device for use within a vascular system comprising:
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at least one elongate, flexible, fully insulated and substantially unsupported delivery wire having a first resistance; and at least one elongate, flexible, fully insulated, substantially unsupported, and longitudinally resilient heating coil having a second resistance coupled to said delivery wire, said first resistance being less than said second resistance, wherein said delivery wire and heating coil are both electrically insulated to permit endovascular disposition of said delivery wire and heating coil into said vascular system to deliver heat to blood within said vascular system at a predetermined location, substantially all of said heat being generated by electrical current flowing within said heating coil rather than within said delivery wire, whereby endovascular thermal treatment is provided within said vascular system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. An improvement in an endovascular device for use within a vascular system comprising:
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at least one delivery wire having a first resistance; at least one heating coil having a second resistance coupled to said delivery wire, said first resistance being less than said second resistance, wherein said delivery wire and heating coil are both electrically insulated to permit endovascular disposition of said delivery wire and heating coil into said vascular system to deliver heat to a fluid within said vascular system at a predetermined location, substantially all of said heat being generated by electrical current flowing within said heating coil rather than within said delivery wire; and at least two delivery wires and at least two heating coils each having a proximal and distal end, said proximal end of each of said heating coils being coupled to corresponding ones of said two delivery wires, said distal end of said two heating coils being coupled together to provide a continuous circuit through a first one of said two delivery wires to a first one of said two heating coils, to a second one of said two heating coils, and to a second one of said two delivery wires, whereby endovascular thermal treatment is provided within said vascular system. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for selectively heating tissue at a predetermined location within a vascular system comprising:
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disposing a microcatheter within said vascular system at said predetermined location; disposing from said microcatheter at said predetermined location at least one insulated heating coil, said insulated heating coil being electrically coupled to an insulated delivery wire included within said microcatheter and extending exteriorly to said vascular system; applying electrical current through said delivery wire to said heating coil to heat blood within said vascular system at said predetermined location to thermally heat tissue in contact with said blood; and withdrawing said microcatheter and delivery wire from said vascular system, whereby thermal heating of tissue within said vascular system is selectively formed. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for treating cancer comprising:
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disposing a microcatheter within said vascular system at said predetermined location in a blood flow to a tumoral mass; disposing from said microcatheter at said predetermined location at least one insulated heating coil, said insulated heating coil being electrically coupled to an insulated delivery wire included within said microcatheter and extending exteriorly to said vascular system; and applying an electrical current through said delivery wire to said heating coil to heat said blood flow within said vascular system at said predetermined location to thermally stress said tumoral mass downstream, whereby thermal treatment of said tumoral mass is effected. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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Specification