Impedance controlled tissue ablation apparatus and method
First Claim
1. A cell necrosis apparatus for use in ablating target tissue, comprising, in operative condition:
- an elongated delivery device including a lumen;
an energy delivery device including a plurality of electrodes, each electrode having a tissue piercing distal portion and being positionable in the elongated delivery device in a compacted state and preformed to assume a curved shape when deployed, the plurality of electrodes exhibiting a changing direction of travel when advanced from the elongated delivery device to a selected tissue site and defining an ablation volume when in said deployed state, said energy delivery device being operably connected to a source of energy;
at least two of the plurality of electrodes being adapted for fluid delivery therethrough to at least one infusion port, wherein said at least two electrodes adapted for fluid delivery are operably connected to a fluid delivery devicean energy control unit operably connected to (i) the source of energy, for controlling energy delivery to said energy delivery device, and to (ii) the energy delivery device for use in detecting impedance; and
a fluid control operatively connected the fluid delivery device by which the amount of fluid infused from the device into the target tissue can be controlled in response to said detected impedance, wherein said fluid control is operable to provide independent control of infusion through the separate infusion lumens.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for carrying our thermal ablation of target tissue is disclosed. The apparatus includes an RF ablation device having a multi-electrode electrode assembly designed to be deployed in target tissue, defining a selected-volume tissue region to be ablated, and having infusion channels for infusing a liquid into the target tissue during the ablation process. A control unit in the apparatus is operably connected to an RF energy source, for controlling the RF power level supplied to the electrodes, and to an infusion device, for controlling the rate of infusion of a liquid through the device into the tissue. During both electrode deployment and tissue ablation, impedance and or temperature measurements made within the tissue are used to control the RF source and infusion device, for optimizing the time and extent of tissue ablation.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A cell necrosis apparatus for use in ablating target tissue, comprising, in operative condition:
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an elongated delivery device including a lumen; an energy delivery device including a plurality of electrodes, each electrode having a tissue piercing distal portion and being positionable in the elongated delivery device in a compacted state and preformed to assume a curved shape when deployed, the plurality of electrodes exhibiting a changing direction of travel when advanced from the elongated delivery device to a selected tissue site and defining an ablation volume when in said deployed state, said energy delivery device being operably connected to a source of energy; at least two of the plurality of electrodes being adapted for fluid delivery therethrough to at least one infusion port, wherein said at least two electrodes adapted for fluid delivery are operably connected to a fluid delivery device an energy control unit operably connected to (i) the source of energy, for controlling energy delivery to said energy delivery device, and to (ii) the energy delivery device for use in detecting impedance; and a fluid control operatively connected the fluid delivery device by which the amount of fluid infused from the device into the target tissue can be controlled in response to said detected impedance, wherein said fluid control is operable to provide independent control of infusion through the separate infusion lumens. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for use in ablating target tissue in a patient, comprising:
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positioning in the patient an energy delivery device having (a) an elongated delivery device that includes a lumen, (b) a plurality of electrodes, with a tissue piercing distal end, that are positionable in the delivery device in a compact state and preformed to assume a curved shape when deployed, the plurality of electrodes exhibiting a changing direction of travel when advanced from the delivery device to a selected tissue site, at least two of the plurality of electrodes being adapted for fluid delivery therethrough to at least one infusion port; and
wherein said positioning is effective to place the distal tip of the elongated delivery device in or adjacent a target tissue;deploying said plurality of electrodes from said delivery device to define an ablation volume that includes at least a portion of the target tissue, selectively infusing a fluid from a fluid delivery device operatively connected to said at least two electrodes and through the electrodes into the defined ablation volume to provide independent infusion through each of the electrodes; applying an ablating current to the electrodes, by said applying, ablating target tissue contained within the defined volume, determining impedance; and regulating the impedance by controlling the amount of fluid infused from the at least two electrodes. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification