Vacuum-assisted securing apparatus for a microwave ablation instrument

• US 7,387,627 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2005
• Issued: 06/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Maquet Cardiovascular LLC (Getinge AB)
• Original Assignee: Maquet Cardiovascular LLC (Getinge AB)
• Inventors: Ormsby, Theodore C., Matheny, Robert, Erb, Lyndall, Woodard, Robert E., Berube, Dany
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, III; Henry M.
• Application Number:
  US11/227,003
• Publication Number:
  US 20060015094A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,007 Days
• Field of Search: 128/898, 600/387, 600/367, 606 27- 50, 607101-102
• US Class Current: 606/33
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/14 Probes or electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1402 Probes for open surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/18 by applying electromagnetic radiation, e.g. microwaves radiation therapy A61N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1815 using microwaves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00291 using suction
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00351 Heart
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00363 Epicardium
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00577 Ablation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1437 whereby the windings of the spiral touch each other such as to create a continuous surface

Abstract

A securing apparatus for selectively securing an ablating element of an ablation instrument proximate to a targeted region of a biological tissue. The securing apparatus includes a support base affixed to the ablation instrument relative the ablating element, and having a support face adapted to seat against the biological tissue proximate to the ablation element. The support base further defines a passage having one end communicably coupled to a vacuum source and an opposite end terminating at an orifice at the support face. The support face together with the biological tissue forms a hermetic seal thereagainst during operation of the vacuum source to secure the ablation instrument thereagainst. Essentially, the hermetic seal and the vacuum source cooperate to form a vacuum force sufficient to retain the ablation device against the biological tissue.

Claims

1. A method of securing an ablation element of an ablation instrument to biological tissue to be ablated along a linear surface path, the method comprising:

introducing the ablation instrument into a patient'"'"'s body to position the ablation element of the ablation instrument adjacent to the biological tissue to be ablated along the surface path;

contacting a support face of the ablation instrument against the biological tissue to be ablated along the surface path, said support face defining an orifice in communication with a vacuum source;

forming a hermetic seal between the support face and the contacted biological tissue with vacuum applied to secure the ablation element in contact with the biological tissue;

ablating the biological tissue along the surface path with the ablation element during vacuum attachment thereof to the biological tissue.

2. The method as defined in claim 1 further including:

removing the vacuum to break the seal for removal of the support face from the biological tissue.

3. A method for forming a linear lesion on a surface of biological tissue using an ablation instrument having an elongated distal ablation portion through which ablative energy is transmitted to biological tissue, said ablation portion having at least one vacuum port adapted to engage biological tissue using negative pressure, the method comprising the steps of:

introducing the ablation instrument onto a surface of biological tissue to be ablated with the distal ablation portion contiguous the surface of the tissue;

positioning the at least one vacuum port to contact the surface of the biological tissue and form a hermetic seal of the vacuum port against the biological tissue to be ablated;

supplying vacuum to the vacuum port for maintaining the hermetic seal thereof against the biological tissue to be ablated to retain the distal ablation portion in position along a linear surface path on the biological tissue during ablation thereof; and

delivering ablation energy through the elongated distal ablation portion to the biological tissue along the surface path thereon during vacuum attachment thereto.

4. The method according to claim 3 in which the distal ablation portion includes a plurality of vacuum ports disposed peripherally thereabout, and in which:

supplying vacuum includes supplying vacuum to each of the plurality of vacuum ports for retaining the distal ablation portion in contact with the biological tissue along the surface path during delivery of ablation energy thereto.

5. The method according to claim 3 including the step of:

terminating vacuum attachment of the distal ablation portion to the surface of the biological tissue after formation of a linear ablation lesion therein; and

removing the ablation instrument from the patient'"'"'s body.

6. The method according to claim 3 in which the step of delivering ablation energy includes applying the ablation energy in a lateral direction through the elongated distal ablation portion toward the biological tissue to form a substantially linear lesion therein.

7. The method according to claim 6 including inhibiting the delivery of ablation energy to biological tissue oriented in other than the lateral direction through the distal ablation portion toward the biological tissue to be ablated.

8. The method according to claim 3 in which the ablation instrument includes a deformable element disposed about the vacuum port, and in which forming a hermetic seal includes configuring the deformable element to contours of contiguous biological tissue to be ablated.