Surgical probe for supporting inflatable therapeutic devices in contact with tissue in or around body orifices and within tumors
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A surgical probe, comprising:
- a relatively short, relatively stiff shaft defining a distal portion and a proximal portion;
an electrical conductor defining a conductor diameter extending through the shaft;
an inflatable, energy transmitting lesion formation element associated with the distal portion of the shaft that allows substantially no liquid perfusion therethrough, at least a portion of the inflatable, energy transmitting lesion formation element being microporous; and
an electrode, which defines an electrode diameter that is substantially larger than the conductor diameter, located within the inflatable, energy transmitting lesion formation element and operably connected to the electrical conductor.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A probe that facilitates the creation of lesions in bodily tissue. The probe includes a relatively short shaft and an inflatable therapeutic element.
177 Citations
59 Claims
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1. A surgical probe, comprising:
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a relatively short, relatively stiff shaft defining a distal portion and a proximal portion;
an electrical conductor defining a conductor diameter extending through the shaft;
an inflatable, energy transmitting lesion formation element associated with the distal portion of the shaft that allows substantially no liquid perfusion therethrough, at least a portion of the inflatable, energy transmitting lesion formation element being microporous; and
an electrode, which defines an electrode diameter that is substantially larger than the conductor diameter, located within the inflatable, energy transmitting lesion formation element and operably connected to the electrical conductor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A surgical probe, comprising:
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a relatively short, relatively stiff shaft defining a distal portion, a distal end and a proximal portion;
an inflatable, energy transmitting lesion formation element associated with the distal portion of the shaft that allows substantially no liquid perfusion therethrough; and
a needle slidably mounted within the shaft and movable relative to the shaft such that a distal portion of the needle extends outwardly from the distal end of the shaft, the inflatable, energy transmitting lesion formation element being mounted on the distal portion of the needle. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
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13. A surgical probe system, comprising:
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a surgical probe including a relatively short, relatively stiff shaft defining a distal portion and a proximal portion, an electrical conductor defining a conductor diameter extending through the shaft, an inflatable, energy transmitting lesion formation element associated with the distal portion of the shaft that allows substantially no liquid perfusion therethrough, at least a portion of the inflatable, energy transmitting lesion formation element being microporous, and an electrode, which defines an electrode diameter that is substantially larger than the conductor diameter, located within the inflatable, energy transmitting lesion formation element and operably connected to the electrical conductor; and
a fluid source operably connected to the inflatable, energy transmitting lesion formation element and adapted to maintain pressure within the inflatable, energy transmitting lesion formation element at a predetermined level. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A surgical probe system, comprising:
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a surgical probe including a relatively short, relatively stiff shaft defining a distal portion, a distal end and a proximal portion and an inflatable, energy transmitting lesion formation element associated with the distal portion of the shaft that allows substantially no liquid perfusion therethrough;
a fluid source operably connected to the inflatable, energy transmitting lesion formation element and adapted to maintain pressure within the inflatable, energy transmitting lesion formation element at a predetermined level; and
a needle slidably mounted within the shaft and movable relative to the shaft such that a distal portion of the needle extends outwardly from the distal end of the shaft, the inflatable, energy transmitting lesion formation element being mounted on the distal portion of the needle. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26)
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27. A surgical probe, comprising:
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a hollow needle; and
a therapeutic assembly, located within the hollow needle and movable relative thereto, including a relatively short shaft defining a distal portion and a proximal portion, an inflatable, energy transmitting therapeutic element associated with the distal portion of the shaft and a hollow stylet movable relative to the relatively short shaft, the relatively short shaft being located within the stylet. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29)
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30. A surgical probe system, comprising:
a surgical probe including a relatively short shaft defining a distal portion and a proximal portion, an inflatable therapeutic element associated with the distal portion of the shaft, defining an internal fluid storage volume and having at least a portion thereof formed from a porous material that permits ionic transfer when the pores are filled with electrically conductive fluid, an electrode located within the internal fluid storage volume, an infusion lumen that extends proximally from the inflatable therapeutic element, and a ventilation lumen that extends proximally from the inflatable therapeutic element; and
an electrically conductive cooling fluid source operably connected to the surgical probe and adapted to maintain pressure within the inflatable therapeutic element at a predetermined level and to continuously infuse electrically conductive cooling fluid to the internal fluid storage volume by way of the infusion lumen and draw cooling fluid from the internal fluid storage volume by way of the ventilation lumen during a tissue heating procedure. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. A surgical probe system, comprising:
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a relatively short, relatively stiff shaft defining a distal portion and a proximal portion;
an electrode carried on the distal portion of the shaft;
means, associated with the distal portion of the shaft, for inflating and transmitting current from the electrode to tissue at a level sufficient to cause the formation of lesions without substantial liquid perfusion; and
means for continuously infusing and ventilating electrically conductive cooling fluid to and from a volume within the means for inflating and transmitting current. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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49. A surgical probe system, comprising:
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a surgical probe including a relatively short shaft defining a distal portion and a proximal portion and an inflatable lesion formation element associated with the distal portion of the shaft and adapted to form lesions in tissue; and
an electrically conductive cooling fluid source operably connected to the inflatable lesion formation element and adapted to maintain pressure within the inflatable lesion formation element at a predetermined level and to continuously infuse and ventilate electrically conductive cooling fluid to and from a volume within the inflatable lesion formation element during a lesion formation procedure;
wherein at least some of the continuous ventilation of the cooling fluid occurs in a manner other than perfusion through the inflatable lesion formation element. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59)
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Specification