Endoscopic ablation system with a distally mounted image sensor

• US 7,137,981 B2
• Filed: 09/18/2002
• Issued: 11/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Long, Gary L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gibson, Roy D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ROANE, AARON F
• Application Number:
  US10/246,056
• Publication Number:
  US 20030181905A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,525 Days
• Field of Search: 606/41, 606/49, 606/50, 606/45, 606/47, 606/129, 606/176, 606/183, 600/129, 600/176, 600/183, 600/127
• US Class Current: 606/41
• 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 2018/00291 using suction
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00494 Stomach, intestines or bowel
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00553 Sphincter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00982 combined with or comprising means for visual or photographic inspections inside the body, e.g. endoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1467 using more than two electrodes on a single probe
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1495 Electrodes being detachable from a support structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3614 using optical fibre
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/30 Devices for illuminating a surgical field, the devices having an interrelation with other surgical devices or with a surgical procedure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/361 Image-producing devices, e.g. surgical cameras

Abstract

A tissue ablation system is described. The tissue ablation system can include a plurality of electrodes, a viewing window between adjacent electrodes, illuminating elements, and an image sensor. The image sensor can be a CMOS device.

Claims

1. An ablation device comprising:

an elongate, relatively flexible member;

a relatively rigid support member disposed at a distal end of the elongate, relatively flexible member;

a relatively flexible tapered end piece extending distally of the relatively rigid support member;

at least two electrodes disposed in spaced apart relationship on an outside surface of the relatively rigid support member, and at least a portion of the relatively rigid support member between the at least two electrodes being transparent to provide a viewing window between the at least two electrodes;

an image sensor supported on the device and positioned to image tissue through the viewing window; and

at least one illuminator supported on the device and positioned to illuminate tissue through the viewing window.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the at least two electrodes provide an ablation index I between about 1 and about 200.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the at least two electrodes provide an ablation index I between about 15 and about 35.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the image sensor comprises a CMOS device.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein the illuminator comprises an LED.