Apparatus and method incorporating an ultrasound transducer onto a delivery member
First Claim
1. A tissue ablation system, comprising:
- an elongate body with a proximal end portion, and a distal end portion having a longitudinal axis and a radial axis and which is adapted to be positioned within a body space of a patient by manipulating the proximal end portion; and
an ultrasound ablation element suspended on the distal end portion with a radial separation that defines a radial separation area between the ultrasound ablation element and the distal end portion, and without a support structure bridging across the radial separation area between the ultrasound ablation element and the distal end portion.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A medical device assembly and method provides an ultrasound transducer mounted onto a delivery member, such the elongate body of a catheter shaft, without a support structure bridging between a separation area between the transducer and the shaft. Mounting flanges are extend from either end of the transducer and are mounted at first and second locations along the catheter shaft such that the transducer is suspended over the catheter shaft between those mounting locations. The flanges may be connected by an intermediate member, with the transducer supported on either an outer surface or an inner surface of the intermediate member. The intermediate member may also provide a housing with an enclosed space that houses the transducer, wherein the flanges extend from the housing for mounting to the catheter shaft. In an overall tissue coupling system, a cylindrical ultrasound transducer are mounted onto a catheter shaft by use of such mounting flanges extending from the transducer'"'"'s ends and such that the ultrasound transducer is enclosed within a balloon also provided on the catheter. The balloon is ideally adapted to engage a circumferential region of tissue where a pulmonary vein extends from an atrium such that the cylindrical ultrasound transducer is able to couple through the balloon inflation fluid and to the circumferential region of tissue surrounding the balloon for ablation. The transducer is substantially “airbacked” when mounted onto a delivery member according to the present assembly and method.
405 Citations
44 Claims
-
1. A tissue ablation system, comprising:
-
an elongate body with a proximal end portion, and a distal end portion having a longitudinal axis and a radial axis and which is adapted to be positioned within a body space of a patient by manipulating the proximal end portion; and
an ultrasound ablation element suspended on the distal end portion with a radial separation that defines a radial separation area between the ultrasound ablation element and the distal end portion, and without a support structure bridging across the radial separation area between the ultrasound ablation element and the distal end portion. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
-
-
24. An ultrasound transducer assembly for use with a delivery member in a tissue ablation system, comprising:
-
a cylindrical ultrasound transducer having a first end portion, a second end portion, a longitudinal axis extending between the first and second end portions, an outer surface, an inner surface that defines an inner bore extending along the longitudinal axis; and
a mounting assembly coupled to cylindrical ultrasound transducer with a first mounting flange extending longitudinally from the first end portion and a second mounting flange extending longitudinally from the second end portion, wherein the first and second mounting flanges are adapted to be secured to the delivery member in order to mount the cylindrical ultrasound transducer to the delivery member. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
-
-
31. A method for manufacturing a tissue ablation device assembly, comprising:
-
mounting a first mounting flange to a first end portion of a cylindrical ultrasound transducer;
mounting a second mounting flange to a second end portion of an ultrasound transducer;
mounting the first mounting flange to a first location along a distal end portion of a delivery member; and
mounting the second mounting flange to a second location along the distal end portion of the delivery member, wherein the cylindrical ultrasound transducer is located along the distal end portion of the delivery member between and without extending over the first and second locations. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35)
-
-
36. A method for manufacturing an ultrasound transducer assembly for use with a delivery member in a tissue ablation system, comprising:
-
mounting a first mounting flange to a first end portion of a cylindrical ultrasound transducer having a longitudinal axis; and
mounting a second mounting flange to a second end portion of the cylindrical ultrasound transducer, wherein the first and second mounting flanges extend from the first and second end portions, respectively, of the cylindrical ultrasound transducer relative to the longitudinal axis such that the mounting flanges are adapted to be secured to the delivery member to thereby mount the cylindrical ultrasound transducer to the delivery member. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
-
Specification