Systems and methods for ablating body tissue
First Claim
1. A transducer system comprising:
- a transducer element comprising a proximal surface and a distal surface;
a first heat sink attached to the distal surface of the transducer element;
a second heat sink attached to the proximal surface of the transducer element;
and a base coupled to the first and second heat sinks, wherein the base is configured to allow fluid flow past the transducer element for cooling the proximal and distal surfaces of the transducer element, andwherein the second heat sink comprises a second bonding portion and a second bent portion, and wherein the second bonding portion is bonded to the proximal surface of the transducer, and wherein the second bent portion protrudes proximally from the transducer element, thereby conducting heat away from the proximal surface of the transducer element.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A transducer subassembly with combined imaging and therapeutic capabilities is disclosed. The subassembly includes heat sinks that are configured to maintain the transducer at a low operating temperature so that the transducer operates at high efficiency and also can handle a wider range of frequencies. The subassembly is also configured to allow cooling fluid to flow past the transducer element. One heat sink in the subassembly also acts as an acoustic matching layer and another heat sink acts as a backing. Alternatively, the second heat sink which acts as a backing is optional. The transducer is configured to transmit at one power level for imaging, and at a second power level for ablating. The transducer may comprise sub-elements transmitting at different power levels. The subassembly may be operated at one power level for imaging and a second power level for ablating.
155 Citations
31 Claims
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1. A transducer system comprising:
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a transducer element comprising a proximal surface and a distal surface; a first heat sink attached to the distal surface of the transducer element; a second heat sink attached to the proximal surface of the transducer element; and a base coupled to the first and second heat sinks, wherein the base is configured to allow fluid flow past the transducer element for cooling the proximal and distal surfaces of the transducer element, and wherein the second heat sink comprises a second bonding portion and a second bent portion, and wherein the second bonding portion is bonded to the proximal surface of the transducer, and wherein the second bent portion protrudes proximally from the transducer element, thereby conducting heat away from the proximal surface of the transducer element. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method of ablating tissue, said method comprising:
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introducing an ablation device into a patient, wherein the device comprises a transducer element comprising a proximal surface and a distal surface; and a first heat sink attached to the distal surface of the transducer element; and a second heat sink attached to the proximal surface of the transducer element, wherein the second heat sink comprises a second bonding portion and a second bent portion, and wherein the second bonding portion is bonded to the proximal surface of the transducer, and wherein the second bent portion protrudes proximally from the transducer element, thereby conducting heat away from the proximal surface of the transducer element; and a base coupled to the first and second heat sinks, wherein the base is configured to allow fluid flow past the transducer element for cooling the proximal and distal surfaces of the transducer element; and wherein the transducer element is configured to operate at a first power level and at a second power level, wherein the first power level is used for ultrasonically imaging tissue and identifying a target tissue, and the second power level is used for ablating the target tissue; operating the transducer element at the first power level to image a portion of the tissue and identify the target tissue, and at the second power level to ablate the target tissue; and cooling the surfaces of the ultrasound transducer. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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Specification