RF treatment apparatus

• US 6,660,002 B1
• Filed: 02/11/2000
• Issued: 12/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AngioDynamics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Rita Medical Systems Incorporated (AngioDynamics, Inc.)
• Inventors: Baker, James, Edwards, Stuart D., Lax, Ronald G., Strul, Bruno
• Primary Examiner(s): PEFFLEY, MICHAEL F
• Application Number:
  US09/502,430
• Time in Patent Office: 1,397 Days
• Field of Search: 606/31, 606/41, 606/42, 606/45-50, 607/101-105
• US Class Current: 606/41
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1206 Generators therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/14 Probes or electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1402 Probes for open surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1477 Needle-like probes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1482 having a long rigid shaft for accessing the inner body transcutaneously in minimal invasive surgery, e.g. laparoscopy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1492 having a flexible, catheter-like structure, e.g. for heart ablation A61B18/1477 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/18 by applying electromagnetic radiation, e.g. microwaves radiation therapy A61N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1815 using microwaves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00026 Conductivity or impedance, e.g. of tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00084 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00011 with fluids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00196 reciprocating lengthwise
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00452 Skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00476 Hair follicles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00577 Ablation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00642 with feedback, i.e. closed loop control
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00666 using a threshold value
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00678 upper
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00702 Power or energy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00708 switching the power on or off
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00726 : Duty cycle
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00761 : Duration
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00779 : Power or energy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00791 : Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00821 : measured by a thermocouple
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00827 : Current
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00875 : Resistance or impedance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00892 : Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/124 : switching the output to different electrodes, e.g. sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1253 : monopolar
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/126 : bipolar
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1425 : Needle
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1435 : Spiral
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/162 : located on the probe body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1861 : with an instrument inserted into a body lumen or cavity, e.g. a catheter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2218/002 : Irrigation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/007 : Side holes, e.g. their profiles or arrangements; Provisions to keep side holes unblocked
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/02 : using microwaves
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/04 : Radiators for near-field treatment
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/045 : specially adapted for treatment inside the body

Abstract

An RF treatment apparatus includes a catheter with a catheter lumen. A removable needle electrode is positioned in the catheter lumen in a fixed relationship to the catheter. The needle electrode includes a needle lumen and a needle electrode distal end. A removable introducer is slidably positioned in the needle lumen. The introducer includes an introducer distal end. A first sensor is positioned on a surface of the needle electrode or the insulator. An RF power source is coupled to the needle electrode and a return electrode. An insulator sleeve is slidably positioned around the electrode and includes a second sensor. Resources are associated with the electrodes, sensors as well as the RF power source for maintaining a selected power at the electrode independent of changes in current or voltage.

Claims

1. A cell necrosis apparatus, comprising:

an elongated delivery device including a lumen; and

an energy delivery device including at least a first and a second RF electrode each with a tissue piercing distal portion, the first and second RF electrodes being positionable in the elongated delivery device in a compacted state and being preformed to assume a curved shape when deployed, the first and second RF electrodes exhibiting a changing direction of travel when advanced from the elongated delivery device to a selected tissue site;

where said RF electrodes have an infusion lumen extending therethrough and terminating at an infusion port at the distal end of said electrodes.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one infusion port includes at least two infusion ports.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

an infusion lumen positioned in one of the elongated delivery device or the energy delivery device.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the first and second RF electrodes are positionable in the infusion lumen of the elongated delivery device.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is configured to be operable in a bi-polar mode.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein at least one of the first or the second RF electrode is configured as a positive electrode.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is configured to be operable in a mono-polar mode.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a rigid electrode advancement member coupled to the energy delivery device.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a current and voltage measurement device coupled to the energy delivery device.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the current and voltage measurement device is configured to monitor or control a delivery of energy from the energy delivery device to the tissue site.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

an insulator positioned in a surrounding relationship to at least a portion of one of the elongated delivery device or the energy delivery device.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the insulator is slidably positionable over the energy delivery device to produce a selectable energy delivery surface.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a first insulator positioned in a surrounding relationship to at least a portion of the first RF electrode; and

a second insulator positioned in a surrounding relationship to at least a portion of the second RF electrode.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the first insulator is positioned at a distal portion of the first RF electrode and the second insulator is positioned at a distal portion of the second RF electrode.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising:

a first sensor positioned at a distal end of the first insulator; and

a second sensor positioned at a distal end of the second insulator.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:

a third sensor positioned at a proximal end of the first insulator; and

a fourth sensor positioned at a proximal end of the second insulator.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:

a third sensor positioned at a distal portion of the elongated delivery device.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a sensor coupled to the first RF electrode.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the sensor is selected from the group consisting of a thermal sensor, a thermocouple, an optical sensor, a current sensor, voltage sensor or a pH sensor.

20. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a sensor coupled to the elongated delivery device.

21. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising:

feedback control resources coupled to at least one of the sensor, the first RF electrode or a fluid delivery device coupled to the at least one infusion port.

22. The apparatus of claims 21, wherein the feedback control resources includes at least one of a microprocessor, a controller, a software program set forth in a tangible media, a power control circuit, a voltage and current monitor, a user interface or a display.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the feedback control resources are configured to control process variables to reduce one of a tissue desiccation in proximity to the energy delivery device or an impedance rise.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the process variables are at least one of a power level, a duty cycle, an energy delivery, an RF energy delivery, a rate of RF energy delivery to the tissue site, a fluid delivery, a fluid flow rate or a fluid pressure.

25. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the elongated delivery device includes a tapered distal end.

26. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first RF electrode includes a first infusion lumen and the second RF electrode includes a second infusion lumen.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the at least one infusion port includes a first infusion port and a second infusion port, the first RF electrode infusion lumen being coupled to the first infusion port to define a first fluid path and the second RF electrode infusion lumen being coupled to the second infusion port to define a second fluid path.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the first and second fluid paths are configured to be one of fluidically or electrically isolated from each other.

29. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

an infusion device with a lumen, the infusion device being removably coupled to the elongated delivery device.

30. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the lumen of the elongated delivery device terminates at an infusion port at the distal end of said lumen.