Method for ablating body tissue

• US 8,607,800 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2012
• Issued: 12/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Auris Health, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: VytronUS, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Thapliyal, Hira V., Gallup, David A., Arenson, James W.
• Primary Examiner(s): ROANE, AARON F
• Application Number:
  US13/630,652
• Publication Number:
  US 20130096592A1
• Time in Patent Office: 445 Days
• Field of Search: 128/898, 601/2, 601/3, 606/27, 606/28, 606 41- 49
• US Class Current: 128/898
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/2202 the ultrasound transducer being inside patient's body at the distal end of the catheter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/320068 using mechanical vibrations, e.g. ultrasonic A61B17/22012 takes precedence; dental tooth drilling devices operated by vibration A61C3/03; removing intra-ocular material using mechanical vibrations A61F9/00745
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1492 having a flexible, catheter-like structure, e.g. for heart ablation A61B18/1477 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/24 with a catheter A61B18/26, A61B18/28 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00106 ultrasonic
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00243 cardiac
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/003 Steerable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22024 with a part reflecting mechanical vibrations, e.g. for focusing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320069 for ablating tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00029 open
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0078 with multiple treatment transducers
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 7/02 Localised ultrasound hyperthermia hyperthermia in general A61F7/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 7/022 intracavitary

Abstract

A tissue ablation system for treating fibrillation in a patient comprises a steerable interventional catheter having an energy source that emits a beam of energy to ablate tissue thereby creating a conduction block for aberrant electrical pathways. The system also includes a handle disposed near a proximal end of the interventional catheter and has an actuation mechanism for steering the interventional catheter. A console allows the system to be controlled and provides power to the system, and a display pod is electrically coupled with the console. The display pod has a display panel to display system information to a user and allows the user to control the system. A catheter pod is releasably coupled with the handle electrically and mechanically, and also electrically coupled with the display pod.

Claims

1. A method for ablating tissue, said method comprising:

providing an elongate flexible shaft having an ultrasound transducer coupled to a distal portion thereof;

positioning the ultrasound transducer adjacent target tissue;

ablating the target tissue with a beam of energy from the ultrasound transducer thereby forming a lesion in the target tissue, wherein the lesion is formed without contact between the ultrasound transducer and the target tissue; and

sensing a distance between the ultrasound transducer and the target tissue with a sensor, wherein the sensor and the ultrasound transducer are the same ultrasound transducer;

moving the distal portion of the elongate flexible shaft and the ultrasound transducer thereby forming a continuous lesion in the target tissue, wherein the ablating is performed while the ultrasound transducer and the distal portion of the elongate flexible shaft are moving; and

controlling the movement of the ultrasound transducer or controlling the beam of energy based on the sensed distance between the ultrasound transducer and the target tissue.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the beam of energy is a collimated beam of energy.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein moving the ultrasound transducer or moving the distal portion of the elongate flexible shaft comprises bending, translating, or rotating the distal portion of the elongate flexible shaft.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising sensing tissue properties of the target tissue with the sensor.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising controlling the movement of the ultrasound transducer or controlling the beam of energy based on the sensed distance or the sensed properties of the target tissue.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the ablating the target tissue forms a lesion encircling an anatomical structure.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the lesion comprises a ring shape, elliptical shape, linear shape, curvilinear shape, or combinations thereof.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the ablating comprises reflecting the beam of energy off of a reflective surface adjacent to the ultrasound transducer.