Thermal treatment methods and apparatus with focused energy application
First Claim
Patent Images
1. Apparatus for applying energy within the body of a living subject comprising:
- (a) a probe having a proximal end and a distal end adapted for insertion into the body of the patient;
(b) an ultrasonic emitter mounted to the probe assembly adjacent the distal end thereof;
(c) an expansible structure mounted on said probe adjacent the distal end thereof, said expansible structure having a collapsed condition and an expanded condition, said expansible structure including a reflector balloon having an interior space, said ultrasonic emitter being disposed outside of the interior space of the reflector balloon, said reflector balloon having an active region juxtaposed with the emitter when the expansible structure is in said expanded condition so that ultrasonic energy emitted by said emitter will impinge on the active region from outside of the reflector balloon;
whereby when said reflector balloon is inflated with a gas and a liquid is present outside of the reflector balloon, the gas within said reflector balloon and the liquid will form a reflective interface at the active region and ultrasonic energy emitted by said emitter will be reflected from said active region towards tissue of the subject adjacent the expansible structure.
10 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A collapsible ultrasonic reflector incorporates a gas-filled reflector balloon, a liquid-filled structural balloon an ultrasonic transducer disposed within the structural balloon. Acoustic energy emitted by the transducer is reflected by a highly reflective interface between the balloons. In a cardiac ablation procedure, the ultrasonic energy is focused into an annular focal region to ablate cardiac tissue extending in an annular path along the wall. Devices for stabilizing the balloon structure and for facilitating collapse and withdrawal of the balloon structure are also disclosed.
-
Citations
41 Claims
-
1. Apparatus for applying energy within the body of a living subject comprising:
-
(a) a probe having a proximal end and a distal end adapted for insertion into the body of the patient;
(b) an ultrasonic emitter mounted to the probe assembly adjacent the distal end thereof;
(c) an expansible structure mounted on said probe adjacent the distal end thereof, said expansible structure having a collapsed condition and an expanded condition, said expansible structure including a reflector balloon having an interior space, said ultrasonic emitter being disposed outside of the interior space of the reflector balloon, said reflector balloon having an active region juxtaposed with the emitter when the expansible structure is in said expanded condition so that ultrasonic energy emitted by said emitter will impinge on the active region from outside of the reflector balloon;
whereby when said reflector balloon is inflated with a gas and a liquid is present outside of the reflector balloon, the gas within said reflector balloon and the liquid will form a reflective interface at the active region and ultrasonic energy emitted by said emitter will be reflected from said active region towards tissue of the subject adjacent the expansible structure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 28, 29, 30, 31)
-
-
15. Apparatus for applying energy within the body of a living subject comprising:
-
(a) an expansible structure for insertion into the body of the subject, the expansible structure including a reflector having an active region, the expansible structure having a collapsed condition and an expanded condition;
(b) an energy emitter operative to apply energy while the expansible structure is in the expanded condition and disposed within the body of the subject so that the applied energy is directed onto the active region of the reflector and reflected by the active region of the reflector towards the tissue of the subject adjacent the reflector, said expansible structure being operative to focus the energy. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 32, 33)
-
-
34. Apparatus for treating an internal organ of a mammalian subject, said apparatus comprising:
-
(a) a probe having a proximal end and a distal end adapted for insertion into the body of the subject, said probe including a carrier catheter defining a central axis;
(b) a balloon having a proximal end attached to said carrier catheter and having a distal end, said probe having an inflation conduit communicating with the interior of said balloon; and
(c) means for moving said distal end of said balloon distally relative to the proximal arid of the balloon, whereby the balloon can be inflated when the carrier catheter is in the extended position by introducing a fluid through said inflation conduit and then deflated by withdrawing the fluid through the inflation conduit, and the balloon can be elongated in the proximal-to-distal direction by operation of said means for moving so as to substantially collapse the balloon in radial directions transverse to the central axis to facilitate movement of the carrier catheter in the proximal direction. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
-
Specification