Multi-element array for acoustic ablation

• US 7,112,196 B2
• Filed: 10/15/2003
• Issued: 09/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Piezotech LLC (Amphenol Corporation), Piezo Technology Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Piezo Technology Incorporated
• Inventors: Hadjicostis, Andreas, Brosch, Jared
• Primary Examiner(s): Gibson, Roy D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): VRETTAKOS, PETER J
• Application Number:
  US10/686,119
• Publication Number:
  US 20040254569A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,077 Days
• Field of Search: 606 27- 52, 606/32, 606/34, 606/41, 601/2, 600/437, 600/439, 607/99
• US Class Current: 606/27
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/2202 the ultrasound transducer being inside patient's body at the distal end of the catheter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3782 transmitter or receiver in catheter or minimal invasive instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/12 in body cavities or body tracts, e.g. by using catheters catheters per se A61M25/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/445 Details of catheter construction
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4483 characterised by features of the ultrasound transducer
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4488 the transducer being a phased array

Abstract

A tissue ablation apparatus is disclosed that includes an elongate, flexible device operable to be percutaneously place in vasculature of a patient. The device has an array of 8 or more tissue ablation elements carried on a flexible circuit substrate located at a distal end portion. A cable is also included that has a number of electrical conductors insulated from one another that are each electrically coupled to a different one of the elements. One or more connectors are electrically coupled to the cabling at a proximal end portion of the device.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

an ablation device operable to be percutaneously placed within a patient'"'"'s body, the ablation device including a proximal end portion, a distal end portion, and an array of ultrasonic ablation elements carried on a flexible substrate located at the distal end portion;

wherein the flexible circuit substrate is formed in an approximately cylindrical shape with the elements positioned generally equidistant from a central longitudinal axis of the array; and

wherein the elements are each elongate with a longitude generally parallel to said longitudinal axis; and

a control station coupled to the proximal end portion of the ablation device, the station including one or more processors operable to activate one or more elements of the array to selectively ablate tissue while the array is positioned within the patient'"'"'s body.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors include operating logic to activate different groups of the elements in a selected sequence to correspondingly ablate different tissue regions.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the array is generally formed in the shape of a cylinder with the elements being positioned approximately equidistant from a central longitudinal axis of the cylinder;

the control station includes one or more operator input devices; and

the control station is responsive to the one or more operator input devices to adjust focused ultrasonic energy provided by the array in relation to at least one of distance from the axis and angular position with respect to the axis.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the elements number at least 32, the elements are each generally sized and shaped alike, and the elements are each comprised of a piezoelectric material.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the elements number at least 64.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the ablation device includes cabling with a number of electrical conductors electrically insulated from one another, the elements each being electrically connected to a different one of the conductors to receive independent activation signals from the control station.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the station includes one or more operator input devices, a display, and analog circuitry operable to independently drive each of the elements in response to one or more signals from the one or more processors.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the one or more processors are operable to provide a graphical output on the display corresponding to operating status of the ablation device.

9. A system, comprising:

an ablation device operable to be percutaneously placed within a patient'"'"'s body, the ablation device including an array of at least eight ultrasonic tissue ablation elements located at a distal end portion of the device and cabling coupled to the array, the cabling extending to a proximal end portion of the device;

wherein the ultrasonic tissue ablation elements are positioned in an approximately cylindrical shape with the elements positioned generally equidistant from a central longitudinal axis of the array; and

wherein the elements are each elongate with a longitude generally parallel to said longitudinal axis; and

a control station coupled to the cabling, the station including one or more processors operable to activate different subsets of the elements in a desired sequence while the device is in the patient'"'"'s body to correspondingly focus ultrasonic energy emanating from the device and to correspondingly ablate different segments of tissue circumferentially surrounding the device, the subsets each including two or more of the elements.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the number of elements is at least thirty-two.

11. A system, comprising:

an ablation device operable to be percutaneously placed within a patient'"'"'s body, the ablation device including an array of at least eight ultrasonic tissue ablation elements located at a distal end portion of the device and cabling coupled to the array, the cabling extending to a proximal end portion of the device and including a number of electrical conductors each electrically insulated from one another, the elements each being electrically connected to a different one of the conductors;

wherein the ultrasonic tissue ablation elements are positioned in an approximately cylindrical shape with the elements positioned generally equidistant from a central longitudinal axis of the array; and

wherein the elements are each elongate with a longitude generally parallel to said longitudinal axis; and

a control station coupled to the cabling, the station including one or more processors operable to independently activate the elements to selectively change focus of ultrasonic energy emanating from the device to ablate different tissue regions while the device is in the patient'"'"'s body.