Vacuum-stabilized ablation system
First Claim
1. A tissue ablation catheter comprising:
- an elongate catheter body with a central longitudinal axis, the catheter body having at least a first lumen and a second lumen extending longitudinally through the catheter body, wherein the elongate catheter body is deflectable;
an ultrasound ablation element positioned within a distal region of the elongate catheter body, the ultrasound ablation element comprising;
an ultrasound transducer; and
a membrane extending over at least a portion of the ultrasound transducer, thereby defining a cavity between the membrane and the ultrasound transducer,wherein the second lumen is coupled to the cavity to define a fluid pathway;
a first orifice in the elongate catheter body proximal of the ultrasound ablation element and open to the first lumen to define a first vacuum pathway;
a distal vacuum chamber defined by the elongate catheter body distal of the ultrasound ablation element and in communication with the first lumen to define a second vacuum pathway;
a second orifice in the elongate catheter body distal of the ultrasound ablation element and open to the distal vacuum chamber; and
at least one flow control apparatus positioned to regulate flow through one of the vacuum pathways independent of flow through the other vacuum pathway.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A tissue ablation apparatus includes a body having at least two lumens extending therethrough and an ultrasound ablation element positioned within a distal region of the body. The ultrasound ablation element includes an ultrasound transducer and a membrane. One of the lumens is arranged so as to deliver a fluid into a cavity defined between the transducer and the membrane. A first orifice is provided in the body proximal of the ultrasound ablation element and is open to the first lumen to define a first vacuum pathway. A distal vacuum chamber, opening to a second orifice in the body, is defined by the body distal of the ultrasound ablation element and is in communication with the first lumen to define a second vacuum pathway. At least one flow control apparatus is provided to regulate flow through one of the vacuum pathways independent of flow through the other vacuum pathway.
-
Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A tissue ablation catheter comprising:
-
an elongate catheter body with a central longitudinal axis, the catheter body having at least a first lumen and a second lumen extending longitudinally through the catheter body, wherein the elongate catheter body is deflectable; an ultrasound ablation element positioned within a distal region of the elongate catheter body, the ultrasound ablation element comprising; an ultrasound transducer; and a membrane extending over at least a portion of the ultrasound transducer, thereby defining a cavity between the membrane and the ultrasound transducer, wherein the second lumen is coupled to the cavity to define a fluid pathway; a first orifice in the elongate catheter body proximal of the ultrasound ablation element and open to the first lumen to define a first vacuum pathway; a distal vacuum chamber defined by the elongate catheter body distal of the ultrasound ablation element and in communication with the first lumen to define a second vacuum pathway; a second orifice in the elongate catheter body distal of the ultrasound ablation element and open to the distal vacuum chamber; and at least one flow control apparatus positioned to regulate flow through one of the vacuum pathways independent of flow through the other vacuum pathway. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. A tissue ablation catheter comprising:
-
an elongate catheter body having a central longitudinal axis, the elongate catheter body having at least a first lumen and a second lumen extending through the catheter body, wherein the catheter body is deflectable; an ultrasound ablation element positioned within a distal region of the elongate catheter body, the ultrasound ablation element comprising; an ultrasound transducer; and a membrane extending over at least a portion of the ultrasound transducer, thereby defining a cavity between the membrane and the ultrasound transducer, wherein the second lumen is coupled to the cavity to define a fluid pathway; a first orifice in the elongate catheter body proximal of the ultrasound ablation element and open to the first lumen to define a first vacuum pathway; a second orifice in the elongate catheter body distal of the ultrasound ablation element and open to the first lumen to define a second vacuum pathway, wherein the fluid pathway is coupled to the second vacuum pathway; a flow control apparatus positioned to regulate flow through the second vacuum pathway independent of flow through the first vacuum pathway; and a fluid flow control apparatus positioned to regulate flow through the fluid pathway into the second vacuum pathway. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. A tissue ablation catheter comprising:
-
an elongate tubular body having a central longitudinal axis, the elongate tubular body having a proximal end and a distal region, wherein the elongate tubular body is deflectable; a vacuum lumen extending through the elongate tubular body from the proximal end to the distal region; an irrigation lumen extending through the elongate tubular body from the proximal end to the distal region; an ultrasound ablation element positioned within the distal region of the elongate tubular body, the ultrasound ablation element comprising; an ultrasound transducer; and a membrane extending over at least a portion of the ultrasound transducer, thereby defining a cavity between the membrane and the ultrasound transducer, wherein the irrigation lumen discharges into the cavity; a first vacuum orifice through the elongate tubular body into the vacuum lumen proximal of the ultrasound ablation element; a second vacuum orifice through the elongate tubular body into the vacuum lumen distal of the ultrasound ablation element, a fluid discharge orifice in communication with the cavity and proximate a junction between the second vacuum orifice and the vacuum lumen; and at least one means for controlling a flow through one of the first vacuum orifice, the second vacuum orifice, and the fluid discharge orifice independent of others of the first vacuum orifice, the second vacuum orifice, and the fluid discharge orifice. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
-
Specification