Methods and systems for enhancing ultrasonic visibility of energy-delivery devices within tissue

• US 9,332,959 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 05/10/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Arts, Gene H., Peterson, Darion R., Brannan, Joseph D., Vantuno, John R., Larson, Eric W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Peng, Bo J
• Application Number:
  US13/835,183
• Publication Number:
  US 20130345551A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,152 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1477 Needle-like probes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1482 having a long rigid shaft for accessing the inner body transcutaneously in minimal invasive surgery, e.g. laparoscopy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1815 using microwaves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00539 hydraulically
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00023 closed, i.e. without wound contact by the fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00285 Balloons
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00577 Ablation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00642 with feedback, i.e. closed loop control
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00666 using a threshold value
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00684 using lookup tables
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00744 Fluid flow
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00797 measured by multiple temperature sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1425 Needle
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/378 using ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3929 Active markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/0841 for locating instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/481 involving the use of contrast agent, e.g. microbubbles introduced into the bloodstream analysis of echo signal exploiting properties of a contrast enhancer in devices for short-range imaging with acoustic waves G01S7/52039
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/39 Markers, e.g. radio-opaque or breast lesions markers

Abstract

In accordance with aspects of the present disclosure, electrosurgical systems are provided generally including at least one energy-delivery device for delivering energy to tissue when inserted or embedded within tissue. The energy-delivery device can be a tissue ablation device, such as an ablation probe, needle, etc. for ablating tissue as commonly known in the art. The electrosurgical systems include at least one structure and/or operational characteristic for enhancing ultrasonic visibility of the energy-delivery devices within tissue during ultrasonography.

Claims

1. An electrosurgical system, comprising:

an energy-delivery device adapted to direct energy to tissue; and

a hydraulic assembly comprising a fluid source in fluid communication with a distal end of the energy-delivery device and a flow-control device for selectively blocking and unblocking fluid flow, or controlling the rate of fluid flow, wherein said hydraulic assembly creates and transmits hydraulic energy to said energy-delivery device for vibrating said energy-delivery device.

2. The electrosurgical system of claim 1, wherein the flow-control device is a valve.

3. The electrosurgical system of claim 1, further comprising a pulsating device in operative communication with the flow-control device.

4. The electrosurgical system of claim 3, wherein the pulsating device alternates the direction of fluid flow.

5. The electrosurgical system of claim 1, wherein the energy-delivery device is selected from the group consisting of an electrode, a probe, and an antenna.

6. A method for increasing the ultrasonic visibility of an energy-delivery device of an electrosurgical system within tissue during ultrasonography, the method comprising:

providing the electrosurgical system with a hydraulic assembly in fluid communication with a distal end of the energy-delivery device and a flow-control device;

controlling the flow-control device for selectively blocking and unblocking fluid flow, or controlling the rate of fluid flow, for creating and transmitting hydraulic energy to said energy-delivery device for vibrating said energy-delivery device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the flow-control device is a valve.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the flow-control device is a pump.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the controlling step comprises varying the speed of the flow-control device to selectively adjust the rate of the fluid flow.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the controlling step creates and transmits the hydraulic energy in the form of pulses to the energy-delivery device.

11. The method of claim 6, further comprising positioning the flow-control device on the energy-delivery device.

12. The method of claim 6, wherein the controlling step is performed by a processor unit.

13. The method of claim 6, wherein the controlling step comprises controlling the amount of time the fluid flow is blocked.

14. The method of claim 6, wherein the controlling step comprises controlling the rate of the fluid flow.

15. The method of claim 6, further comprising utilizing the hydraulic assembly for cooling the energy-delivery device.

16. The method of claim 6, further comprising adjusting a speed of the flow-control device.

17. The method of claim 6, further comprising alternating a direction of fluid flow.

18. The method of claim 6, further comprising sweeping a frequency to allow the energy-delivery device to pass through a resonant frequency of an ultrasonic imaging system performing the ultrasonography.

19. The method of claim 6, further comprising sweeping a frequency to allow the energy-delivery device to pass through a harmonic frequency of an ultrasonic imaging system performing the ultrasonography.

20. The method of claim 6, wherein the controlling step comprising controlling the flow-control device using temperature data received from at least one temperature sensor.

21. The method of claim 6, wherein the energy-delivery device is selected from a group consisting of an electrode, a probe, and an antenna.