System for controlling tissue ablation using temperature sensors

• US 9,737,353 B2
• Filed: 12/16/2010
• Issued: 08/22/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Biosense Webster Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Biosense Webster Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Govari, Assaf, Ephrath, Yaron, Altmann, Andres Claudio
• Primary Examiner(s): Crandall, Lynsey
• Assistant Examiner(s): PAHAKIS, MANOLIS Y
• Application Number:
  US12/969,684
• Publication Number:
  US 20120157890A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,441 Days
• Field of Search: 128898, 606 2- 52
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/08 by means of electrically-heated probes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1206 Generators therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1233 with circuits for assuring patient safety
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/14 Probes or electrodes 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 18/20 using laser
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/24 with a catheter A61B18/26, A61B18/28 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00088 using thermistors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00092 using thermocouples
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00243 cardiac
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00023 closed, i.e. without wound contact by the fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00351 Heart
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00577 Ablation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00648 using more than one sensed parameter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00702 Power or energy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00779 Power or energy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00791 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2053 Tracking an applied voltage gradient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2072 Reference field transducer attached to an instrument or patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/374 NMR or MRI
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/378 : using ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3782 : transmitter or receiver in catheter or minimal invasive instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/01 : Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/055 : involving electronic [EMR] or nuclear [NMR] magnetic resonance, e.g. magnetic resonance imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 7/022 : intracavitary

Abstract

Body tissue ablation is carried out by inserting a probe into a body of a living subject, urging the probe into contact with a tissue in the body, generating energy at a power output level, and transmitting the generated energy into the tissue via the probe. While transmitting the generated energy the ablation is further carried out by determining a measured temperature of the tissue and a measured power level of the transmitted energy, and controlling the power output level responsively to a function of the measured temperature and the measured power level. Related apparatus for carrying out the ablation is also described.

Claims

1. A method of body tissue ablation, comprising the steps of:

inserting a probe into a body of a living subject;

urging the probe into contact with a tissue in the body;

generating ablative energy at a power output level at a level of current;

transmitting the generated energy into the tissue via the probe;

determining a measured temperature of the tissue and a measured power level of the generated energy during the step of transmitting the generated energy into tissue via the probe, via a temperature sensor and a power sensor;

determining a power deviation by comparing a difference between the measured power level and a predetermined target power level;

determining a temperature deviation by comparing a difference between the measured temperature of the tissue and a predetermined target temperature;

calculating a target current value from a control function; and

via a controller, controlling the power output level responsively to the calculated target current value by incrementally adjusting the level of current to the target current value gradually over time to generate energy at a new power output level until the measured temperature of the tissue and the measured power level each reach the predetermined target power level and the predetermined target temperature respectively, wherein the control function is;

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the generated energy is radiofrequency energy.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the generated energy is ultrasound energy.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the generated energy is laser-produced light energy.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein determining a measured temperature is performed using magnetic resonance imaging analysis.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein determining a measured temperature is performed using ultrasound imaging analysis.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the determining the power deviation, determining the temperature deviation, calculating the target current value, and controlling the power output level are iterated 10 times per second.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the determining the power deviation, determining the temperature deviation, calculating the target current value, and controlling the power output level are iterated 5-50 times per second.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the controlling the power output level is performed by limiting an increment or decrement thereof so as not to exceed a predetermined limiting condition, wherein the limiting condition is selected from the group consisting of a maximum current, a minimum electrode temperature, a maximum electrode temperature, a maximum temperature of the tissue, and a maximum power demand.

10. An ablation apparatus, comprising:

a catheter having a distal portion for insertion into a body cavity of a living subject and configured to bring the distal portion into contact with a tissue in the body cavity;

a power generator for generating ablative energy at a power output level having a level of current;

an ablation electrode disposed on the distal portion configured to accept the energy from the power generator via the catheter and to conduct the energy to the tissue for ablation thereof;

a temperature sensor disposed on the distal portion for determining a temperature of the ablation electrode; and

a processor operative for determining a measured temperature of the tissue and a measured power level of the energy conducted through the ablation electrode, the processor configured to;

determine a power deviation by comparing a difference between the measured power level and a predetermined target power level;

determine a temperature deviation by comparing a difference between the measured temperature of the tissue and a predetermined target temperature;

calculate a target current value from a control function; and

control the power output level responsively to the calculated target current value by incrementally adjusting the level of current to the target current value gradually over time to generate energy at a new power output level until the measured temperature of the tissue and the measured power level each reach the predetermined target power level and the predetermined target temperature respectively, wherein the control function is;

11. The ablation apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the generated energy is radiofrequency energy.

12. The ablation apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to determine the power deviation, determine the temperature deviation, calculate the target current value and control the power output level iteratively 10 times per second.

13. The ablation apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to determine the power deviation, determine the temperature deviation, calculate the target current value from the control function and control the power output level iteratively 5-50 times per second.

14. The ablation apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to control the power output level by limiting an increment or decrement thereof so as not to exceed a predetermined limiting condition, wherein the limiting condition is selected from the group consisting of a maximum current, a minimum electrode temperature, a maximum electrode temperature, a maximum temperature of the tissue, and a maximum power demand.