Thermochemical ablation of bodily tissue

• US 8,585,691 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2012
• Issued: 11/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Regents of The University of Minnesota (University of Minnesota)
• Original Assignee: Regents of The University of Minnesota (University of Minnesota)
• Inventors: Cressman, Erik N. K.
• Primary Examiner(s): STIGELL, THEODORE J
• Application Number:
  US13/716,410
• Publication Number:
  US 20130131659A1
• Time in Patent Office: 337 Days
• Field of Search: 606/27, 606/32, 606/41, 606/45, 604 43- 45, 604 82- 92, 604/257
• US Class Current: 606/27
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/06 caused by chemical reaction , e.g. moxaburners
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00577 Ablation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/068 none of the reactants being oxygen

Abstract

Thermochemical ablation techniques may provide ablation of bodily tissue using chemical reaction energy.

Claims

1. A method for thermochemical ablation of targeted tissue, comprising:

delivering a first thermochemical ablation liquid through a first lumen of a percutaneous injection needle, the first lumen extending to at least a first exterior port along an exterior of a distal portion of the injection needle;

delivering a second thermochemical ablation liquid through a second lumen of the percutaneous injection needle, the second lumen extending to at least a second exterior port along the exterior of the distal portion of the injection needle, the second thermochemical ablation liquid being reactive with the first thermochemical ablation liquid and being isolated from the first thermochemical ablation liquid before exiting from the second exterior port of the injection needle; and

simultaneously infusing the first and second thermochemical ablation liquids into a targeted tissue to disperse and mix the first and second thermochemical ablation liquids at the distal portion of the injection needle, wherein when the first thermochemical ablation liquid is dispensed from the first exterior port along the exterior of the injection needle and the second thermochemical ablation liquid is dispensed from the second exterior port along the exterior of the injection needle, the first and second thermochemical ablation liquids mixing with one another to generate an exothermic chemical reaction with heat sufficient to ablate at least a portion of the targeted tissue.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second thermochemical ablation liquids mix with one another to generate the exothermic chemical reaction while substantially eliminating an acid load applied to the targeted tissue from one of the first and second thermochemical ablation liquids.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first and second thermochemical ablation liquids mix with one another to generate the exothermic chemical reaction while substantially eliminating a base load applied to the targeted tissue from the other of the first and second thermochemical ablation liquids.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first thermochemical ablation liquid comprises an acid selected from the group consisting of acetic acid, peracetic acid, hydrochloric acid, hydrobromic acid, hydriodic acid, sulfuric acid, nitric acid, nitrous acid, perchloric acid, phosphoric acid, oxalic acid, pyruvic acid, malonic acid, and amino acids.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the second thermochemical ablation liquid comprises a base selected from the group consisting of KOH, NaOH, NH₄OH, Ca(OH)₂, NaHCO₃, K₂CO₂, BuLi, NaOEt or NaSEt, NaH, KH, and amines.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the targeted tissue comprises a cancerous tumor.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the targeted tissue comprises the cancerous tumor in a liver.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising monitoring in real-time said simultaneously infusing the first and second thermochemical ablation liquids using a medical imaging system.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second exterior ports comprise side ports along the exterior of the injection needle that provide radial dispersion of the first and second thermochemical ablation liquids.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said simultaneously infusing the first and second thermochemical ablation liquids into the targeted tissue comprising simultaneously adjusting a first actuator configured to act upon the first thermochemical ablation liquid and a second actuator configured to act upon the second thermochemical ablation liquid, the first and second actuators being mechanically coupled to one another.

11. A thermochemical ablation system, comprising:

a percutaneous fluid delivery cannula comprising first and second lumens extending from a proximal portion to a distal portion, the distal portion comprising a first exterior port along a distal exterior portion of the percutaneous fluid delivery cannula and a second exterior port along the distal exterior portion of the percutaneous fluid delivery cannula, the first exterior port being in fluid communication with the first lumen, and the second side port in fluid communication with the second lumen;

a first reservoir that contains a first thermochemical ablation liquid so as to communicate the first thermochemical ablation liquid through the first lumen to the first exterior port along the distal exterior portion of the percutaneous fluid delivery cannula; and

a second reservoir that contains a second thermochemical ablation liquid so as to communicate the second thermochemical ablation liquid through the second lumen to the second exterior port along the distal exterior portion of the percutaneous fluid delivery cannula, the second thermochemical ablation liquid being reactive with the first thermochemical ablation liquid and being isolated from the first thermochemical ablation liquid before exiting from the second exterior port of the injection needle,

wherein the first and second thermochemical ablation liquids are simultaneously deliverable out of the respective first and second exterior ports along the distal exterior portion of the percutaneous fluid delivery cannula to provide simultaneous dispersion and mixing of the first and second thermochemical ablation liquids proximate to the distal exterior portion, the second thermochemical ablation liquid being reactive with the first thermochemical ablation liquid to generate tissue ablation heat via an exothermic chemical reaction.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising a first actuator to deliver liquid from the first reservoir and a second actuator to deliver liquid from the second reservoir, the first and second actuators being coupled to one another so as to provide simultaneous actuation.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the first thermochemical ablation liquid comprises an acid.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the first thermochemical ablation liquid comprises an acid selected from the group consisting of acetic acid, peracetic acid, hydrochloric acid, hydrobromic acid, hydriodic acid, sulfuric acid, nitric acid, nitrous acid, perchloric acid, phosphoric acid, oxalic acid, pyruvic acid, malonic acid, and amino acids.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the second thermochemical ablation liquid comprises a base.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the second thermochemical ablation liquid comprises base selected from the group consisting of KOH, NaOH, NH₄OH, Ca(OH)₂, NaHCO₃, K₂CO₂, BuLi, NaOEt or NaSEt, NaH, KH, and amines.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the first thermochemical ablation liquid comprises an electrophile selected from the group consisting of acetic anhydride, acetyl chloride, and acetyl bromide, and the second thermochemical ablation liquid comprises a nucleophile.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the percutaneous fluid delivery cannula comprises a generally rigid injection needle.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the injection needle comprises an outside diameter of about 0.134 inches or less.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein the percutaneous fluid delivery cannula comprises a flexible catheter.