Articulating radio frequency probe handle

• US 20040138657A1
• Filed: 01/15/2003
• Published: 07/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Bourne, George, Rioux, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 7,087,051 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/41
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1477 Needle-like probes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/148 having a short, rigid shaft for accessing the inner body transcutaneously, e.g. for neurosurgery or arthroscopy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1425 Needle
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/143 multiple needles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/374 NMR or MRI
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/376 using X-rays, e.g. fluoroscopy

Abstract

A medical probe assembly and method for ablating tissue using radio frequency energy. The medical probe assembly includes an elongated shaft, a needle electrode array, and a hinged handle. The handle has a collar, which when in the up position covers the hinge so that the device can be used as a conventional medical probe. When the collar is in the down position the hinge is exposed, and the handle can be bent to reduce its overall height. With this reduced height the probe can be used while a patient is lying in a CT scanner or an MRI chamber. Therefore, the surgeon can monitor the ablation during the procedure, and thus avoid unnecessary damage to the surrounding healthy tissue on the one hand, and insufficient ablation of the diseased tissue on the other hand. An alternate embodiment uses a flexible handle instead of a hinged one.

Claims

1. A medical probe assembly for ablating tissue, comprising:

an elongated rigid probe having a proximal end and a distal end;

one or more ablative elements mounted on the probe; and

a bendable handle assembly mounted on the proximal end of the probe.

2. The medical probe assembly of claim 1, wherein the handle assembly is configured to be selectively placed in a locked position so that the handle assembly is substantially rigid, and an unlocked position so that the handle assembly is substantially bendable.

3. The medical probe assembly of claim 1, wherein the handle assembly is cylindrical.

4. The medical probe assembly of claim 1, wherein the handle assembly is hinged.

5. The medical probe assembly of claim 4, wherein the handle assembly comprises first and second handle pieces, and a hinge coupling the first and second handle pieces.

6. The medical probe assembly of claim 5, wherein the handle assembly further comprises a slideable collar that can be selectively located to cover and uncover the hinge.

7. The medical probe assembly of claim 1, wherein the bendable handle assembly is flexible.

8. The medical probe assembly of claim 7, wherein the bendable handle assembly is composed of a low durometer material.

9. The medical probe assembly of claim 7, wherein the bendable handle assembly comprises a flexible handle and a rigid sleeve that can be selectively located to cover and uncover the flexible handle.

10. The medical probe assembly of claim 1, wherein the one or more ablative elements comprises one or more ablation electrodes.

11. The medical probe assembly of claim 10, wherein the handle assembly comprises a radio frequency connector, and one or more radio frequency wires electrically coupled between the radio frequency connector and the one or more electrodes.

12. The medical probe assembly of claim 10, wherein the one or more electrodes comprise a plurality of electrodes that form an electrode array.

13. The medical probe assembly of claim 12, wherein the electrodes are needle electrodes.

14. The medical probe assembly of claim 11, wherein the radio frequency wires have slack.

15. The medical probe assembly of claim 11, further comprising a connector piece electrically coupled between the radio frequency connector and the radio frequency wires, the connector piece, being slideably disposed inside of the radio frequency connector in an interference arrangement, is in conductive contact with the radio frequency connector.

16. The medical probe assembly of claim 1, wherein the handle assembly comprises a slideable switch coupled to the one or more ablative elements for selectively deploying and retracting the one or more ablative elements.

17. The medical probe assembly of claim 16, further comprising a push-pull rod coupled between the slideable switch and the one or more ablative elements.

18. The medical probe assembly of claim 17, wherein the push-pull rod is laterally flexible.

19. The medical probe assembly of claim 1, wherein the probe comprises a cannula and an inner shaft slideably disposed within the cannula, wherein the handle assembly is mounted to the cannula, and the one or more ablative elements are mounted to the inner shaft.

20. A medical probe assembly, comprising:

an elongated rigid probe having a proximal end and a distal end;

an operative element mounted on the distal end of the probe; and

a bendable handle assembly mounted on the proximal end of the probe, the handle assembly comprising an actuator that can be manipulated to deploy the operative element.

21. The medical probe assembly of claim 20, wherein the handle assembly is configured to be selectively placed in a locked position so that the handle assembly is substantially rigid, and an unlocked position so that the handle assembly is substantially bendable.

22. The medical probe assembly of claim 20, wherein the handle assembly is cylindrical.

23. The medical probe assembly of claim 20, wherein the handle assembly is hinged.

24. The medical probe assembly of claim 23, wherein the handle assembly comprises first and second handle pieces, and a hinge coupling the first and second handle pieces.

25. The medical probe assembly of claim 24, wherein the handle assembly further comprises a slideable collar that can be selectively located to cover and uncover the hinge.

26. The medical probe assembly of claim 20, wherein the bendable handle assembly is flexible.

27. The medical probe assembly of claim 26, wherein the bendable handle assembly is composed of a low durometer material.

28. The medical probe assembly of claim 26, wherein the bendable handle assembly comprises a flexible handle and a rigid sleeve that can be selectively located to cover and uncover the flexible handle.

29. The medical probe assembly of claim 20, wherein the actuator can be manipulated to selectively deploy and retract the operative element.

30. The medical probe assembly of claim 29, wherein the actuator comprises a slideable switch coupled to the operative element.

31. The medical probe assembly of claim 30, further comprising a push-pull rod coupled between the slideable switch and the operative element.

32. The medical probe assembly of claim 31, wherein the push-pull rod is flexible.

33. The medical probe assembly of claim 20, wherein the operative element comprises a therapeutic element.

34. The medical probe assembly of claim 33, wherein the therapeutic element comprises one or more ablative elements.

35. The medical probe assembly of claim 34, wherein the ablative elements are electrodes.

36. The medical probe assembly of claim 20, wherein the operative element is a diagnostic element.

37. The medical probe assembly of claim 35, wherein the handle assembly comprises a radio frequency connector, and one or more radio frequency wires electrically coupled between the radio frequency connector and the one or more electrodes.

38. The medical probe assembly of claim 35, wherein the one or more electrodes comprise a plurality of electrodes that form an electrode array.

39. The medical probe assembly of claim 35, wherein the electrodes are needle electrodes.

40. The medical probe assembly of claim 37, wherein the radio frequency wires have slack.

41. The medical probe assembly of claim 37, further comprising a connector piece electrically coupled between the radio frequency connector and the radio frequency wires, the connector piece, being slideably disposed inside of the radio frequency connector in an interference arrangement, is in conductive contact with the radio frequency connector.

42. The medical probe assembly of claim 21, wherein the probe comprises a cannula and an inner probe slideably disposed within the cannula, wherein the handle assembly is mounted to the cannula, and the operative element is mounted to the inner probe.

43. A method of performing a medical procedure on a patient, comprising:

inserting a medical probe, having a handle, into the patient;

placing the patient and medical probe into a confined space;

bending the handle of the medical probe; and

operating the medical probe to perform the medical procedure.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein the medical procedure comprises ablating tissue.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein the tissue is a tumor.

46. The method of claim 43, wherein the confined space is a computerized axial tomography chamber, the method further comprising observing the medical procedure using computerized axial tomography.

47. The method of claim 43, wherein the confined space is a magnetic resonance imaging chamber, the method further comprising observing the medical procedure using magnetic resonance imaging.

48. The method of claim 43, wherein bending the handle comprises hinging the handle.

49. The method of claim 43, wherein bending the handle comprises flexing the handle.

50. The method of claim 43, wherein the medical probe comprises a deployable operative element, the method further comprising manipulating the handle to deploy the operative element.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein the operative element is deployed while the handle is bent.

52. The method of claim 50, wherein the operative element comprises one or more ablative elements.

53. The method of claim 43, wherein the handle is bent prior to placing the patient and medical probe into the confined space.

54. The method of claim 43, wherein the handle is bent after placing the patient and medical probe into the confined space.

55. The method of claim 43, wherein the medical probe is inserted into the patient prior to placing the patient and medical probe into the confined space.

56. The method of claim 43, wherein the medical probe is inserted into the patient after placing the patient and medical probe into the confined space.