Ultrasonic radial focused transducer for pulmonary vein ablation

• US 7,066,895 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2003
• Issued: 06/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ethicon Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Podany, Vaclav O.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jaworski, Francis J.
• Application Number:
  US10/609,693
• Publication Number:
  US 20040267132A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,093 Days
• Field of Search: 600/439, 600/459, 600/471, 601 2- 4, 606/1
• US Class Current: 601/3
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00243 cardiac
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 7/02 Localised ultrasound hyperthermia hyperthermia in general A61F7/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 7/022 intracavitary

Abstract

A method for ablating tissue with ultrasonic energy is provided. The method including: generating ultrasonic energy from one or more ultrasonic transducers; and focusing the ultrasonic energy in the radial direction by one of: shaping the one or more ultrasonic transducers to focus ultrasonic energy in the radial direction; and arranging one or more lenses proximate the one or more ultrasonic transducers for focusing the ultrasonic energy from the one or more ultrasonic transducers in a radial direction.

Claims

1. An ultrasonic instrument for ablation of tissue, the ultrasonic instrument comprising at least two truncated cone-shaped ultrasonic transducers having truncated ends arranged to face each other, the ultrasonic transducers shaped to focus ultrasonic ablational energy therefrom in a radial direction.

2. The ultrasonic instrument of claim 1, wherein the truncated ends are separated by a predetermined distance to form a gap.

3. The ultrasonic instrument of claim 2, further comprising a cylindrical ultrasonic transducer disposed in the gap.

4. The ultrasonic instrument of claim 3, wherein the cylindrical ultrasonic transducer has a length substantially equal to the predetermined distance.

5. The ultrasonic instrument of claim 1, wherein the truncated ends are separated by a variable distance to form a gap.

6. The ultrasonic instrument of claim 1, wherein the at least two ultrasonic transducers comprises two ultrasonic transducers separated by a gap and wherein the ultrasonic instrument further comprises means for varying the length of the gap.

7. An ultrasonic instrument for ablation of tissue, the ultrasonic instrument comprising:

a body having a distal end;

at least two truncated cone-shaped ultrasonic transducers having truncated ends arranged to face each other, the at least two ultrasonic transducers being shaped to focus ultrasonic ablational energy therefrom in a radial direction; and

an ultrasonic generator operatively connected to provide ablational energy to the at least two ultrasonic transducers.

8. An ultrasonic instrument comprising:

a body having a distal end; and

at least two truncated cone-shaped ultrasonic transducers having truncated ends arranged to face each other, the at least two ultrasonic transducers being shaped to focus ultrasonic ablational energy therefrom in a radial direction.

9. A method for ablating tissue with ultrasonic energy, the method comprising:

generating ultrasonic energy for ablation from at least two truncated cone-shaped ultrasonic transducers having truncated ends arranged to face each other; and

focusing the ultrasonic energy from each of the ultrasonic ablational transducers in the radial direction.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising separating the truncated ends by a predetermined distance to form a gap.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising disposing a cylindrical ultrasonic transducer in the gap.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising varying the distance between the truncated ends.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising inserting at least a portion of the ultrasonic transducers into a pulmonary vein of the heart prior to or simultaneous with the generating.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the ultrasonic transducers are enclosed in an inflatable balloon, the method further comprising inflating the balloon to fix the ultrasonic transducers in a predetermined position in the pulmonary vein.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising varying the distance to which the ultrasonic energy is focused in the radial direction.