Apparatus and method for delivering ablative laser energy and determining the volume of tumor mass destroyed

• US 7,725,155 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2006
• Issued: 05/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Novian Health, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Novian Health, Inc.
• Inventors: Dowlatshahi, Kambiz
• Primary Examiner(s): ROBINSON, DANIEL LEON
• Application Number:
  US11/643,515
• Publication Number:
  US 20070100229A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,252 Days
• Field of Search: 600407-480, 505/411, 505/412, 977/888, 977/889
• US Class Current: 600/407
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/20 using laser
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00084 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00011 with fluids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/2005 with beam delivery through an interstitially insertable device, e.g. needle
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/206 the laser light passing along a liquid-filled conduit
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/063 for measuring volume
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/06 Devices, other than using radiation, for detecting or locating foreign bodies for removing same A61B17/50 ; determining position of probes within or on the body of the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/064 using markers A61B5/062 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/0414 with compression means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/502 for diagnosis of breast, i.e. mammography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/06 Measuring blood flow measuring volume flow in general G01F, e.g. G01F1/66, G01F1/72; measuring speed of fluids in general G01P5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/0601 Apparatus for use inside the body

Abstract

An apparatus and method for determining a volume of tumor mass destroyed. The present invention includes a temperature probe and a laser probe having a temperature sensor. The laser probe and temperature probe are inserted to measure a temperature of the tumor mass and a temperature of tissue mass surrounding the tumor mass. By determining the volume of tumor mass destroyed, a graphical representation of the volume of tumor mass destroyed is provided whereby real-time visual monitoring of the destruction of the tumor mass is achieved.

Claims

1. An apparatus for monitoring destruction of a specified amount of a tumor mass, said apparatus comprising:

a cannula configured to receive a fiber for directing a desired amount of energy into the tumor mass;

a temperature probe configured to measure tissue temperature in proximity to the tumor mass; and

a display device configured to display an indication that said amount of tumor mass is destroyed based at least in part on the tissue temperature in proximity to the tumor mass.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cannula is configured to measure temperature of the tumor mass, and the display device is configured to display the indication that said amount of tumor mass is being destroyed also based at least in part on the temperature of the tumor mass.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, which includes a computer control system configured to be connected to the cannula, the temperature probe and the display device, said computer control system configured to determine the amount of tumor mass destroyed based at least in part on the tissue temperature.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cannula has a temperature sensor configured to measure temperature of the tumor mass, and the display device is configured to display the indication that said amount of tumor mass is being destroyed also based at least in part on the temperature of the tumor mass.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, which includes a computer control system configured to be connected to the cannula, the temperature probe and the display device, said computer control system configured to determine the amount of tumor mass destroyed based at least in part on the tissue temperature.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the temperature probe is configured to measure a plurality of tissue temperatures which are in proximity to the tumor mass, and the display device is configured to display the indication that said amount of tumor mass is destroyed based at least in part on the plurality of tissue temperatures.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the temperature probe includes five spaced apart temperature detectors.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, which includes a computer control system configured to be connected to the cannula, the temperature probe and the display device, said computer control system configured to determine the amount of tumor mass destroyed based at least in part on the plurality of tissue temperatures.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, which includes a computer control system configured to be connected to the temperature probe and the display device, said computer control system configured to determine the amount of tumor mass destroyed based at least in part on the tissue temperature.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the indication displayed by the display device includes a graphical representation.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the graphical representation includes a bar graph.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the graphical representation is superimposed onto an image of the tumor mass to provide real-time visual monitoring of the destroyed tumor mass.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the graphical representation includes a geometrical symbol.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the graphical representation includes a two dimensional image.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the graphical representation includes a three dimensional image.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cannula and the temperature probe each include a plurality of position marks for facilitating the determination of the relative positions of the cannula and the temperature probe.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the position marks are respectively evenly spaced apart along a portion of a length of the cannula and along a portion of a length of the temperature probe.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cannula is configured to enable a physiologically acceptable fluid to flow around the fiber.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, which includes a fluid pump configured to deliver the physiologically acceptable fluid to the cannula.

20. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fiber includes an optical laser fiber and which includes a laser source connectable to the optical laser fiber.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the laser source is a diode laser.

22. The apparatus of claim 1, which includes means for conducting a blood circulation test employing a contrasting agent to determine tumor mass destruction.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the means for conducting a blood circulation test includes means for conducting a contrast-enhanced color doppler ultrasound test.

24. The apparatus of claim 1, which includes a processor configured to be connected to display device, said processor configured to cause the display device to display the indication that said amount of tumor mass is destroyed.

25. An apparatus for monitoring destruction of an amount of a tumor mass, said apparatus comprising:

a temperature probe configured to measure at least one tissue temperature in proximity to the tumor mass; and

a display device configured to display an indication that said amount of tumor mass is destroyed based at least in part on the at least one tissue temperature in proximity to the tumor mass.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, which includes a cannula configured to receive a fiber for directing a desired amount of energy into the tumor mass.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the cannula is configured to measure a temperature of the tumor mass, and the display device is configured to display the indication that said amount of tumor mass is being destroyed also based at least in part on the temperature of the tumor mass.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, which includes a computer control system including at least one processor, the computer control system configured to be connected to the cannula, the temperature probe, and the display device, said computer control system configured to determine the amount of tumor mass destroyed based at least in part on the at least one tissue temperature.

29. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the cannula is configured to enable a physiologically acceptable fluid to flow around the fiber.

30. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the temperature probe is configured to measure a plurality of tissue temperatures which are in proximity to the tumor mass, and the display device is configured to display the indication that said amount of tumor mass is destroyed based at least in part on the plurality of tissue temperatures.

31. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the indication displayed by the display device includes a graphical representation.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the graphical representation includes a bar graph.

33. The apparatus of claim 25, which includes a processor configured to be connected to display device, said processor configured to cause the display device to display the indication that said amount of tumor mass is destroyed.