Tissue-treatment methods

• US 7,963,287 B2
• Filed: 04/28/2005
• Issued: 06/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Lanphere, Janel, Anderson, Steve, Dicarlo, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Farah; Ahmed M
• Application Number:
  US11/117,156
• Publication Number:
  US 20060247610A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,245 Days
• Field of Search: 607 88- 94, 607 96-107, 607/115, 607/133, 606/8, 606/9, 606/15, 128/898
• US Class Current: 128/898
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/14 Probes or electrodes therefor
• 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 2017/008 Removal of tumors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0472 against ultrasound energy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0481 against EM radiation, e.g. microwave
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/049 against light, e.g. laser
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/04 Protection of tissue around surgical sites against effects of non-mechanical surgery, e.g. laser surgery protection of eyes against laser radiation A61F9/022
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 47/30 Macromolecular organic or inorganic compounds, e.g. inorganic polyphosphates
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/0019 Injectable compositions; Intramuscular, intravenous, arterial, subcutaneous administration; Compositions to be administered through the skin in an invasive manner non-active ingredients are additionally classified in A61K47/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/3683 subjected to a specific treatment prior to implantation, e.g. decellularising, demineralising, grinding, cellular disruption/non-collagenous protein removal, anti-calcification, crosslinking, supercritical fluid extraction, enzyme treatment
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 7/02 Localised ultrasound hyperthermia hyperthermia in general A61F7/00

Abstract

Polymer insulators and methods of using polymer insulators are disclosed. In some embodiments, a method includes separating a first portion of a subject'"'"'s tissue from a second portion of the subject'"'"'s tissue so that there is a space between the first and second portions of tissue. Deionized water, a buffered saline solution, liquid polymers, gels, particles, foams, and/or gases are disposed between the first and second portions of tissue, and the first portion of tissue is exposed to energy to treat the first portion of tissue.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

separating a first portion of tissue of a subject from a second portion of tissue of the subject so that there is a space between the first and second portions of tissue;

disposing a material between the first and second portions of tissue; and

exposing the first portion of tissue to energy to treat the first portion of tissue,

wherein;

the material is selected from at least one member of the group consisting of deionized water, a buffered saline solution, liquid polymers, gels, particles, foams and gases; and

the second portion of tissue is substantially unexposed to the energy while the first portion of tissue is exposed to the energy.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the energy comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of RF energy, microwave energy, ultrasonic energy, laser energy, and heat.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein exposing the first portion of tissue to energy comprises cooling the first portion of tissue.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first portion of tissue comprises an unhealthy tissue.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the first portion of tissue comprises cancerous tissue.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the second portion of tissue comprises a healthy tissue.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first portion of tissue comprises at least one member of the group consisting of bodily vessel tissue, bladder tissue, bone tissue, brain tissue, breast tissue, bronchi tissue, diaphragm tissue, esophagus tissue, gall bladder tissue, heart tissue, intestine tissue, kidney tissue, larynx tissue, liver tissue, lung tissue, lymph vessel tissue, lymph node tissue, nerve tissue, ovary tissue, pancreas tissue, prostate tissue, skin tissue, stomach tissue, thyroid tissue, trachea tissue, urethra tissue, ureter tissue, uterus tissue, and vertebral disc tissue.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the second portion of tissue comprises at least one member of the group consisting of bodily vessel tissue, bladder tissue, bone tissue, brain tissue, breast tissue, bronchi tissue, diaphragm tissue, esophagus tissue, gall bladder tissue, heart tissue, intestine tissue, kidney tissue, larynx tissue, liver tissue, lung tissue, lymph vessel tissue, lymph node tissue, nerve tissue, ovary tissue, pancreas tissue, prostate tissue, skin tissue, stomach tissue, and thyroid tissue, trachea tissue, urethra tissue, ureter tissue, uterus tissue, and vertebral disc tissue.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first portion of tissue is the same type of tissue as the second portion of tissue.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the material comprises a liquid polymer.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the liquid polymer comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl alcohols, polyacrylic acids, polymethacrylic acids, poly vinyl sulfonates, carboxymethyl celluloses, hydroxyethyl celluloses, substituted celluloses, polyacrylamides, polyethylene glycols, polyamides, polyureas, polyurethanes, polyesters, polyethers, polystyrenes, polysaccharides, polylactic acids, polyethylenes, polymethylmethacrylates, polycaprolactones, polyglycolic acids, poly(lactic-co- glycolic) acids, polypropylene, polytetrafluorethylene, polyethyleneterephthalate, polycarbonate, polyphenyleneoxide, polysulfone, polyhydantoine, polyamide-imide, polyimide, cellulose triacetate, and cellulose acetate butyrate.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the material comprises a gel.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the gel comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl alcohols, polyacrylic acids, polymethacrylic acids, poly vinyl sulfonates, carboxymethyl celluloses, hydroxyethyl celluloses, substituted celluloses, polyacrylamides, polyethylene glycols, polyamides, polyureas, polyurethanes, polyesters, polyethers, polystyrenes, polysaccharides, polylactic acids, polyethylenes, polymethylmethacrylates, polycaprolactones, polyglycolic acids, poly(lactic-co- glycolic) acids, polypropylene, polytetrafluorethylene, polyethyleneterephthalate, polycarbonate, polyphenyleneoxide, polysulfone, polyhydantoine, polyamide-imide, polyimide, cellulose triacetate, and cellulose acetate butyrate.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the material comprises particles.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the particles have a size of at most about 10,000 microns.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the particles comprise at least one material selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl alcohols, polyacrylic acids, polymethacrylic acids, poly vinyl sulfonates, carboxymethyl celluloses, hydroxyethyl celluloses, substituted celluloses, polyacrylamides, polyethylene glycols, polyamides, polyureas, polyurethanes, polyesters, polyethers, polystyrenes, polysaccharides, polylactic acids, polyethylenes, polymethylmethacrylates, polycaprolactones, polyglycolic acids, poly(lactic-co- glycolic) acids, polypropylene, polytetrafluorethylene, polyethyleneterephthalate, polycarbonate, polyphenyleneoxide, polysulfone, polyhydantoine, polyamide-imide, polyimide, cellulose triacetate, and cellulose acetate butyrate.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the particles comprise a material having a dielectric constant of at least about 2.1.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the particles comprise a material having a dielectric strength of at least about 100 Kv/mm.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the material comprises a foam.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the foam comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl alcohols, polyacrylic acids, polymethacrylic acids, poly vinyl sulfonates, carboxymethyl celluloses, hydroxyethyl celluloses, substituted celluloses, polyacrylamides, polyethylene glycols, polyamides, polyureas, polyurethanes, polyesters, polyethers, polystyrenes, polysaccharides, polylactic acids, polyethylenes, polymethylmethacrylates, polycaprolactones, polyglycolic acids, poly(lactic-co- glycolic) acids, polypropylene, polytetrafluorethylene, polyethyleneterephthalate, polycarbonate, polyphenyleneoxide, polysulfone, polyhydantoine, polyamide-imide, polyimide, cellulose triacetate, and cellulose acetate butyrate.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the material comprises a gas.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the material comprises deionized water.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the material comprises a buffered saline solution.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the material comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of water soluble polysaccharides and ionically cross- linkable polymers.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein the material comprises a ceramic material.

26. The method of claim 1, wherein the material is capable of undergoing an endothermic reaction.

27. The method of claim 1, wherein the space between the first and second portions of tissue is at most about five centimeters.

28. A method, comprising:

separating a first portion of tissue of a subject from a second portion of tissue of the subject so that there is a space between the first and second portions of tissue;

disposing a material between the first and second portions of tissue; and

exposing the first portion of tissue to energy to treat the first portion of tissue,

wherein;

the material is selected from at least one member of the group consisting of deionized water, a buffered saline solution, liquid polymers, gels, particles, foams and gases; and

the second portion of tissue is substantially unexposed to the energy while the first portion of tissue is exposed to the energy, and the space between the first and second portions of tissue is at most about five centimeters.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the energy comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of RF energy, microwave energy, ultrasonic energy, laser energy, and heat.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein exposing the first portion of tissue to energy comprises cooling the first portion of tissue.

31. The method of claim 28, wherein the material comprises a liquid polymer.

32. The method of claim 28, wherein the material comprises a gel.

33. The method of claim 28, wherein the material comprises particles.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the particles have a size of at most about 10,000 microns.

35. The method of claim 28, wherein the material comprises a foam.

36. The method of claim 28, wherein the material comprises a gas.

37. The method of claim 28, wherein the material comprises deionized water.

38. The method of claim 28, wherein the material comprises a buffered saline solution.

39. The method of claim 28, wherein the material comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of water soluble polysaccharides and ionically cross-linkable polymers.

40. The method of claim 28, wherein the material comprises a ceramic material.

41. The method of claim 28, wherein the material is capable of undergoing an endothermic reaction.