DISPOSABLE ACOUSTIC COUPLING MEDIUM CONTAINER

• US 20150290477A1
• Filed: 06/22/2015
• Published: 10/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HistoSonics, Inc, Board of Regents of the University of Michigan (University of Michigan)
• Original Assignee: Charles A. Cain, Dejan Teofilovic, James A. Bertolina, Russell C. Jahnke, Thomas William Davison, William W. Roberts
• Inventors: CAIN, Charles A., TEOFILOVIC, Dejan, JAHNKE, Russell C., BERTOLINA, James A., ROBERTS, William W., DAVISON, Thomas W.
• Granted Patent: US 9,526,923 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/2251 characterised by coupling elements between the apparatus, e.g. shock wave apparatus or locating means, and the patient, e.g. details of bags, pressure control of bag on patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/2256 with means for locating or checking the concrement, e.g. X-ray apparatus, imaging means A61B17/2255 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00274 Prostate operation, e.g. prostatectomy, turp, bhp treatment
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2253 using a coupling gel or liquid
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00547 Prostate
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/378 using ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/12 in body cavities or body tracts, e.g. by using catheters catheters per se A61M25/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4272 involving the acoustic interface between the transducer and the tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4281 characterised by sound-transmitting media or devices for coupling the transducer to the tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/445 Details of catheter construction
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0039 using microbubbles
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0043 intra-cavitary
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 7/00 Ultrasound therapy lithotripsy A61B17/22, A61B17/225; massage using supersonic vibration A61H23/00 ; using ultrasound for introducing media into the body A61M37/0092

Abstract

A medical imaging and therapy device is provided that may include any of a number of features. One feature of the device is that it can acoustically couple an ultrasound therapy transducer to a patient. In some embodiments, the medical imaging and therapy device is configured to conform to the anatomy of a patient'"'"'s perineal area to acoustically couple an ultrasound therapy transducer to the patient for treatment of BPH. The medical imaging and therapy device can be used in therapeutic applications such as Histotripsy, Lithotripsy, and HIFU, for example. Methods associated with use of the medical imaging and therapy device are also covered.

Claims

1. An ultrasound therapy system, comprising:

a pliable frame configured to provide a liquid seal against a patient'"'"'s skin, the pliable frame comprising a first wall portion, a second wall portion, and a third wall portion arranged so as to form a reservoir;

an acoustic coupling medium disposed in the reservoir and placed in direct contact against the patient'"'"'s skin; and

an ultrasound therapy transducer adapted to be immersed in the acoustic coupling medium of the reservoir, wherein the acoustic coupling medium provides acoustic communication between the ultrasound therapy transducer and the patient.

2. The ultrasound therapy system of claim 1, wherein the first and second wall portions are configured to conform to the patient'"'"'s skin along either side of the groin, and wherein the third wall portion is configured to conform to the patient'"'"'s skin below the rectum.

3. The ultrasound therapy system of claim 1 wherein the pliable frame is formed from a transparent plastic.

4. The ultrasound therapy system of claim 1 further comprising an adhesive configured to secure the pliable frame to the patient'"'"'s skin.

5. The ultrasound therapy system of claim 1 wherein the pliable frame forms a dam like structure.

6. A method of providing ultrasound therapy to a patient, comprising the steps of:

placing a frame having an open aperture against the patient'"'"'s skin;

filling the frame with an acoustic coupling medium so that the acoustic coupling medium directly contacts the patient'"'"'s skin through the open aperture;

inserting a rectal imaging probe into a rectum of the patient through a rectal sheath of the frame;

placing an ultrasound transducer in acoustic communication with the acoustic coupling medium;

imaging the patient'"'"'s prostate with the rectal imaging probe; and

providing ultrasound therapy to the patient'"'"'s prostate with the ultrasound transducer.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising moving the ultrasound transducer relative to the frame while maintaining acoustic communication between the ultrasound transducer and the acoustic coupling medium.