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

• US 9,375,198 B2
• Filed: 06/23/2015
• Issued: 06/28/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Vantuno, John R., Larson, Eric W., Arts, Gene H., Peterson, Darion R., Brannan, Joseph D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wieland, Robert N
• Application Number:
  US14/747,597
• Publication Number:
  US 20150289845A1
• Time in Patent Office: 371 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 18/1492 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 2017/00084 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00398 using powered actuators, e.g. stepper motors, solenoids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00539 hydraulically
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/3413 guided by ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00023 closed, i.e. without wound contact by the fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00577 Ablation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00642 with feedback, i.e. closed loop control
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00994 combining two or more different kinds of non-mechanical energy or combining one or more non-mechanical energies with ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1861 with an instrument inserted into a body lumen or cavity, e.g. a catheter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1869 with an instrument interstitially inserted into the body, e.g. needles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/378 using ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3929 Active markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2217/007 with irrigation system
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• 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

Abstract

Electrosurgical systems generally include 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. A method for increasing ultrasonic visibility of an energy-delivery device of an electrosurgical system, the method comprising:

inserting an energy-delivery device within tissue, the energy-delivery device including at least one accelerometer disposed at a distal end of the energy-delivery device;

circulating a fluid through the energy-delivery device;

vibrating the energy-delivery device such that the ultrasonic visibility of the energy-delivery device is increased;

determining a desired flow rate of the fluid flowing through the energy-delivery device based on vibration data received from the at least one accelerometer;

actuating a vibrating device that is in mechanical communication with the energy-delivery device; and

at least one of;

adjusting a vibration frequency of the vibrating device to determine a resonant frequency of the energy-delivery device;

or

sweeping a frequency of the vibrating device.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the vibrating device is a motor.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising controlling the fluid flow based on the determined desired flow rate.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising forming bubbles at the distal end of the energy-delivery device to enhance ultrasonic visibility of the energy-delivery device.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the energy-delivery device includes an air cavity defined therein.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the energy-delivery device includes a metal band.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the energy-delivery device includes an outer surface, the outer surface including at least one of:

a plurality of sides;

a plurality of protrusions;

or

a concave surface.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the energy-delivery device is selected from the group consisting of an electrode, a probe, and an antenna.

9. A method for increasing ultrasonic visibility of an energy-delivery device of an electrosurgical system, the method comprising:

inserting an energy-delivery device within tissue, the energy-delivery device including at least one accelerometer disposed at a distal end of the energy-delivery device;

circulating a fluid through the energy-delivery device;

vibrating the energy-delivery device such that the ultrasonic visibility of the energy-delivery device is increased;

determining a desired flow rate of the fluid flowing through the energy-delivery device based on vibration data received from the at least one accelerometer;

actuating a vibrating device that is in mechanical communication with the energy-delivery device; and

adjusting a vibration frequency of the vibrating device to determine a harmonic frequency of an ultrasonic imaging device that is in operative communication with the energy-delivery device.

10. A method for increasing ultrasonic visibility of an energy-delivery device of an electrosurgical system, the method comprising:

inserting an energy-delivery device within tissue, the energy-delivery device including at least one accelerometer disposed at a distal end of the energy-delivery device, the energy-delivery device including at least one of;

an air cavity defined therein;

or

a metal band;

circulating a fluid through the energy-delivery device;

vibrating the energy-delivery device such that the ultrasonic visibility of the energy-delivery device is increased; and

determining a desired flow rate of the fluid flowing through the energy-delivery device based on vibration data received from the at least one accelerometer.