System and method for energy delivery to a tissue using an electrode array

• US 8,728,139 B2
• Filed: 04/16/2010
• Issued: 05/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LaZure Scientific Inc.
• Original Assignee: LaZure Scientific Inc., Lazure Technologies, LLC
• Inventors: Azure, Larry, Hill, Charles E., Azure, Andrew L.
• Primary Examiner(s): STOKLOSA, JOSEPH A
• Application Number:
  US12/761,915
• Publication Number:
  US 20110060393A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,495 Days
• Field of Search: 607/36, 607/37, 607/96, 607/98, 607/109, 607/115, 607/2
• US Class Current: 607/109
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1206 Generators therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1477 Needle-like probes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00083 low, i.e. electrically insulating
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00547 Prostate
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00577 Ablation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00636 Sensing and controlling the application of energy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/20 Surgical navigation systems; Devices for tracking or guiding surgical instruments, e.g. for frameless stereotaxis
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/403 for thermotherapy, e.g. hyperthermia

Abstract

Devices, systems, and related methods for electric fields delivery for preferential destruction of cancerous cells and tissue ablation.

Claims

1. A control module assembly, comprising:

a housing having a back portion and a front portion forming a plurality of housing channels, each housing channel configured to receive an elongate medical electrode, the back portion disposed substantially opposite the front portion;

a circuit board carried by the housing and disposed between the back portion and the front portion, the circuit board comprising a plurality of board channels, each board channel of the circuit board configured to receive and electrically couple to an elongate medical electrode, wherein the back portion, the front portion and the circuit board are coupled such that the housing channels align with the board channels so as to form elongate medical electrode guide passages through the housing and circuit board; and

a power source input configured to couple a power source to the circuit board so as to deliver electrical current to electrical couplings of the board channels.

2. The control module assembly of claim 1, further comprising a display unit carried by the housing, the display unit comprising one or more LEDs.

3. The control module assembly of claim 1, further comprising a user interface carried by the housing.

4. The control module assembly of claim 3, wherein the user interface is operable for user selection or control of current delivery from a coupled power source to one or more electrical couplings and/or duration thereof.

5. The control module assembly of claim 1, further comprising a processor and a computer readable storage media carried by the housing.

6. The control module assembly of claim 5, the computer readable storage media comprising instructions which, when executed, cause the processor to selectively activate one or more guide passages by activating delivery of electrical current to one or more electrical couplings of the board channels.

7. The control module assembly of claim 1, wherein the circuit board comprises a board component having a single piece construction.

8. The control module assembly of claim 1, further comprising a rear module assembly configured for positioning against a patient'"'"'s tissue.

9. The control module assembly of claim 8, the rear module assembly comprising a back plate having a plurality of openings or channels.

10. The control module assembly of claim 9, wherein the rear module assembly is coupled to the control module assembly such that the back plate openings or channels substantially align with electrode guide passages through the housing and circuit board.

11. The control module assembly of claim 10, wherein the rear module assembly is coupled to the control module assembly about one or more lead screws configured to adjustably control a distance between the rear module and control module.

12. A method of delivering an electrical treatment field to a tissue of a patient, comprising:

providing a control module assembly comprising;

a housing having a back portion and a front portion forming a plurality of housing channels, each housing channel configured to receive an elongate medical electrode, the back portion disposed substantially opposite the front portion;

a circuit board carried by the housing and disposed between the back portion and the front portion, the circuit board comprising a plurality of board channels, each board channel of the circuit board configured to receive and electrically couple to an elongate medical electrode, wherein the back portion, the front portion and the circuit board are coupled such that the housing channels align with the board channels so as to form elongate medical electrode guide passages through the housing and circuit board; and

a power source coupled to the circuit board so as to deliver electrical current to electrical couplings of the board channels;

positioning an array of elongate medical electrodes in a target tissue region, the positioning comprising advancing an elongate medical electrode through an electrode passage of the control module; and

activating one or more groups of positioned electrodes so as to establish electrical current flow through a volume of the tissue.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein a first treatment mode comprises establishing an electrical current flow radially or in a plurality of different directions through the volume of the tissue so as to preferentially ablate cancerous cells in the volume.

14. The method of claim 13, the electrical current flow comprising an alternating current having a frequency of less than about 300 kHz.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the positioning an array of electrodes in the target tissue region comprises advancing electrodes through the control module passages, through the patient'"'"'s tissue, and into the target tissue region.

16. The method of claim 12, the activating comprising differentially activating groups of electrodes of the plurality in seriatim so as to establish an electrical current flow in a plurality of different directions through a volume of the target tissue and preferentially destroy cancerous cells in the volume.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein electrical current flow is established in a first treatment mode so as to heat the target tissue to an average temperature of about 40-48 degrees C.

18. A system for preferential destruction of cancerous cells of a target tissue of a patient, comprising:

a control module assembly comprising;

a housing having a back portion and a front portion forming a plurality of housing channels, each housing channel configured to receive an elongate medical electrode, the back portion disposed substantially opposite the front portion;

a circuit board carried by the housing and disposed between the back portion and the front portion, the circuit board comprising a plurality of board channels, each board channel of the circuit board configured to receive and electrically couple to an elongate medical electrode, wherein the back portion, the front portion and the circuit board are coupled such that the housing channels align with the board channels so as to form elongate medical electrode guide passages through the housing and circuit board; and

a power source input configured to couple a power source to the circuit board so as to deliver electrical current to electrical couplings of the board channels; and

a plurality of elongate medical electrodes configured for advancement and positioning through guide passages of the control module and into a target tissue region of the patient.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising a power source coupled to the electrodes, and a computer readable storage media comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the control system to differentially activate two or more groups of electrodes in seriatim;

and provide electrical current to the electrodes so as to establish a current flow radially or in a plurality of different directions through a volume of the tissue and to preferentially destroy cancerous or hyperplastic cells in the target tissue region.