Multiple antenna ablation apparatus and method
First Claim
1. A method of volumetric ablation of tumorous tissue, comprising:
- providing a tissue ablation apparatus comprising an elongated delivery device having a tissue piercing distal end and a proximal end, and at least one RF electrode having a tissue penetrating distal portion, said at least one RF electrode being pre-shaped to assume a curved shape and define an ablation volume when deployed;
advancing the elongated delivery device to the selected tissue site, wherein said advancing is effective to place the distal end of the delivery device in or adjacent the tumorous tissue;
deploying said at least one RF electrode from the distalmost end of the elongated delivery device;
delivering energy to a selected tissue site through said at least one RF electrode to ablate said tissue;
monitoring a temperature of said tissue using at least one sensor positioned on said at least one RF electrode, and modulating delivery of said energy when said temperature reaches a predetermined limit.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A multiple antenna ablation apparatus includes an electromagnetic energy source, a trocar including a distal end, and a hollow lumen extending along a longitudinal axis of the trocar, and a multiple antenna ablation device with three or more antennas. The antennas are initially positioned in the trocar lumen as the trocar is introduced through tissue. At a selected tissue site the antennas are deployable from the trocar lumen in a lateral direction relative to the longitudinal axis. Each of the deployed antennas has an electromagnetic energy delivery surface of sufficient size to, (i) create a volumetric ablation between the deployed antennas, and (ii) the volumetric ablation is achieved without impeding out any of the deployed antennas when 5 to 200 watts of electromagnetic energy is delivered from the electromagnetic energy source to the multiple antenna ablation device. At least one cable couples the multiple antenna ablation device to the electromagnetic energy source.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method of volumetric ablation of tumorous tissue, comprising:
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providing a tissue ablation apparatus comprising an elongated delivery device having a tissue piercing distal end and a proximal end, and at least one RF electrode having a tissue penetrating distal portion, said at least one RF electrode being pre-shaped to assume a curved shape and define an ablation volume when deployed;
advancing the elongated delivery device to the selected tissue site, wherein said advancing is effective to place the distal end of the delivery device in or adjacent the tumorous tissue;
deploying said at least one RF electrode from the distalmost end of the elongated delivery device;
delivering energy to a selected tissue site through said at least one RF electrode to ablate said tissue;
monitoring a temperature of said tissue using at least one sensor positioned on said at least one RF electrode, and modulating delivery of said energy when said temperature reaches a predetermined limit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method of ablating a tissue mass comprising:
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positioning in a patient an ablation apparatus comprising an elongated delivery device and a plurality of electrodes that are pre-shaped to assume a curved shape and define an ablation volume when deployed, wherein said positioning is effective to place the distal tip of the delivery device in or adjacent the tissue mass;
deploying said plurality of electrodes from the distalmost end of the elongated delivery device, thus to define an ablation volume that includes the tissue mass;
applying an ablating current to the deployed electrodes, wherein said tissue mass contained within the defined volume is ablated;
monitoring a characteristic of said tissue mass using at least one sensor positioned on at least one of said electrodes as said tissue mass is being ablated; and
controlling the extent of ablation in response to the characteristic detected at said at least one sensor. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification