Systems for temperature-controlled ablation using radiometric feedback

• US 9,226,791 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2012
• Issued: 01/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Coral Sand Beach, LLC, Advanced Cardiac Therapeutics, Inc. (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Advanced Cardiac Therapeutics, Inc. (Medtronic Plc), Meridian Medical Systems LLC
• Inventors: McCarthy, John F., Lenihan, Timothy J., Kanowsky, Eric R., Allison, Robert C.
• Primary Examiner(s): MALAMUD, DEBORAH LESLIE
• Application Number:
  US13/418,136
• Publication Number:
  US 20130237977A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,394 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/02 by cooling, e.g. cryogenic techniques devices for cooling specific reflex points of the body within cell-life limits A61H39/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/082 Probes or electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/12 by passing a current through the tissue to be heated, e.g. high-frequency current
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1206 Generators therefor
• 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 18/1815 using microwaves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0007 Pyrometers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00486 Adaptors for coupling parts with incompatible geometries
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00357 Endocardium
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00577 Ablation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00642 with feedback, i.e. closed loop control
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00678 upper
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00708 switching the power on or off
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00714 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00797 measured by multiple temperature sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00821 measured by a thermocouple
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00839 Bioelectrical parameters, e.g. ECG, EEG
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2218/002 Irrigation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 7/02 Localised ultrasound hyperthermia hyperthermia in general A61F7/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 7/022 intracavitary

Abstract

The present invention provides systems and methods for temperature-controlled ablation using radiometric feedback. An interface module may include (a) a processor; (b) a first input/output (I/O) port to receive digital radiometer and digital thermocouple signals from an integrated catheter tip (ICT); (c) a second I/O port to receive ablative energy from a generator; (d) a temperature display; (e) a patient relay; (f) a computer-readable medium storing instructions for causing the processor to: (i) calculate a temperature adjacent to the ICT based on the digital radiometer and thermocouple signals and operation parameters; (ii) cause the temperature display to display the calculated temperature; and (iii) close the patient relay to pass ablative energy received on the second I/O port to the first I/O port; and (g) a temperature control subsystem to regulate the ablative power based on the calculated temperature.

Claims

1. An ablation system for regulating delivery of ablative energy to targeted tissue of a subject, comprising:

an ablation energy source configured to generate ablative energy to be delivered to targeted tissue of a subject via an ablation member of a catheter;

a processor;

wherein the processor is configured to calculate a temperature of the targeted tissue of the subject at a depth relative to a surface of the targeted tissue based on, at least in part, a signal generated by a radiometer at a tip of the catheter and a signal generated by a temperature-measurement device at the tip of the catheter; and

wherein the system is configured to automatically regulate operation of the ablation member to deliver the ablative energy based upon at least the calculated temperature.

2. The system of claim 1,

wherein the catheter comprises a fluid passage, and wherein the catheter tip comprises at least one irrigation fluid port, the at least one irrigation fluid port being in fluid communication with the fluid passage of the catheter;

wherein the fluid passage of the catheter is configured to be placed in fluid communication with an irrigation pump, the irrigation pump being configured to selectively deliver irrigation fluid through the fluid passage of the catheter and the at least one irrigation fluid port of the catheter tip.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the ablation member comprises one of a radiofrequency electrode, a microwave ablation member, a cryoablation member and an ultrasound ablation member.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is configured to automatically regulate the operation of the ablation member to maintain the calculated temperature of the targeted tissue within a target temperature setpoint or range.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a temperature display for displaying the calculated temperature of tissue.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is operatively coupled to an electrophysiology monitoring system.

7. An ablation system for regulating delivery of ablative energy to targeted tissue of a subject, comprising:

an ablation energy source configured to generate ablative energy to be delivered to targeted tissue of a subject via an ablation member of a catheter;

wherein the system is configured to calculate a temperature of the targeted tissue of the subject at a depth relative to a surface of the targeted tissue based on, at least in part, a signal generated by a radiometer and a signal generated by a temperature-measurement device; and

wherein the system is configured to automatically regulate operation of the ablation member to deliver the ablative energy based upon at least the calculated temperature.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the system is configured to automatically regulate the operation of the ablation member to maintain the calculated temperature of the targeted tissue within a target temperature setpoint or range.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the ablation member comprises one of a radiofrequency electrode, a microwave ablation member, a cryoablation member and an ultrasound ablation member.

10. The system of claim 7, further comprising an irrigation system comprising a pump in fluid communication with a fluid passage of the catheter, wherein the irrigation system is configured to selectively deliver irrigation fluid through the fluid passage of the catheter and at least one irrigation fluid port of the catheter in fluid communication with the fluid passage of the catheter during use.

11. The system of claim 7, further comprising a temperature display for displaying the calculated temperature of tissue.