Apparatus and method for intraductal abalation

Claim 2

1 . A micro-endoscope assembly for the ablation of tissue from inside breast ducts comprising a cylindrical guide tube having a diameter ranging from 0.5 mm to about 1.2 mm defining an internal cylindrical passageway, a smaller cylindrical tube eccentrically formed in said cylindrical passageway of a smaller diameter than said tube internal cylindrical passageway to receive and guide an endoscope with a handle assembly, said smaller cylindrical tube forming together with an inner wall surface of said cylindrical guide tube at least a second passageway, an endoscope mounted in said smaller cylindrical tube, said at least one second passageway having a moon shaped cross section and an ablation probe moveably mounted withing said second passageway.

Claim 3

2 . A micro-endoscope assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said ablation probe is cryogenic and creates a temperature of at least 20 degrees Celsius.

Claim 4

3 . A micro-endoscope assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said ablation probe provides bipolar desiccation

Claim 5

4 . A micro-endoscope assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said ablation probe distributes microwave energy

Claim 6

5 . A micro-endoscope assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said ablation probe is a laser fiber.

Claim 7

6 . A micro-endoscope assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said ablation probe has at least one radio frequency electrode.

Claim 8

7 . A micro-endoscope assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said ablation probe distributes ultrasound energy.

Claim 9

8 . A micro-endoscope assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said ablation probe distributes ultrasonic energy.

Claim 10

9 . A micro-endoscope assembly for the ablation of tissue from the interior of breast ducts comprising a cylindrical guide tube having a diameter ranging from 0.5 mm to about 1.2 mm defining an internal cylindrical passageway, a smaller cylindrical tube eccentrically formed in said cylindrical passageway of a smaller diameter than said tube internal cylindrical passageway to receive and guide an endoscope with a handle assembly, said smaller cylindrical tube forming together with an inner wall surface of said cylindrical guide tube at least a second passageway, and an endoscope mounted in said smaller cylindrical tube, a second conduit of a smaller diameter than the smaller cylindrical tube is mounted in said at least second passageway to divide said at least a second passageway into two separate divided sections and an ablation probe moveably mounted within said smaller cylindrical tube.

Claim 11

9 . A micro-endoscope assembly for the ablation of tissue from the interior of breast ducts comprising a cylindrical guide tube having a diameter ranging from 0.5 mm to about 1.2 mm defining an internal cylindrical passageway, a smaller cylindrical tube eccentrically formed in said cylindrical passageway of a smaller diameter than said tube internal cylindrical passageway to receive and guide an endoscope with a handle assembly, said smaller cylindrical tube forming together with an inner wall surface of said cylindrical guide tube at least a second passageway, and an endoscope mounted in said smaller cylindrical tube, a second conduit of a smaller diameter than the smaller cylindrical tube is mounted in said at least second passageway to divide said at least a second passageway into two separate divided sections and an ablation probe moveably mounted within said smaller cylindrical tube.

Claim 12

10 . A micro-endoscope assembly as claimed in claim 9 wherein said ablation probe is cryogenic and creates a temperature of at least 20 degrees Celsius.

Claim 13

11 . A micro-endoscope assembly as claimed in claim 9 wherein said ablation probe provides bipolar desiccation.

Claim 14

12 . A micro-endoscope assembly as claimed in claim 9 wherein said ablation probe distributes microwave energy

Claim 15

13 . A micro-endoscope assembly as claimed in claim 9 wherein said ablation probe is a laser fiber.

Claim 16

14 . A micro-endoscope assembly as claimed in claim 9 wherein said ablation probe has at least one radio frequency electrode.

Claim 17

15 . A micro-endoscope assembly as claimed in claim 9 wherein said ablation probe distributes ultrasound energy.

Claim 18

16 . A micro-endoscope assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said ablation probe distributes ultrasonic energy.

Claim 19

17 . A method of ablating tissue in the mammary duct of a woman's breast using a micro-endoscope assembly having a distal end with a diameter ranging from 0.5 mm to about 1.2 mm, the method comprising the steps of: (a) inserting the distal end of the micro-endoscope into the mammary duct of a woman patient; (b) viewing the interior of the duct until an area of abnormal tissue is ascertained; (c) positioning the micro-endoscope assembly proximate the abnormal tissue; (d) placing an ablation probe withing said micro-endoscope assembly until it extends past the distal end of the assembly; (e) activating said ablation probe to transmit a form of energy into said abnormal tissue necrosing said abnormal tissue; and (f) withdrawing ablated tissue from said mammary duct.

Claim 20

17 . A method of ablating tissue in the mammary duct of a woman's breast using a micro-endoscope assembly having a distal end with a diameter ranging from 0.5 mm to about 1.2 mm, the method comprising the steps of: (a) inserting the distal end of the micro-endoscope into the mammary duct of a woman patient; (b) viewing the interior of the duct until an area of abnormal tissue is ascertained; (c) positioning the micro-endoscope assembly proximate the abnormal tissue; (d) placing an ablation probe withing said micro-endoscope assembly until it extends past the distal end of the assembly; (e) activating said ablation probe to transmit a form of energy into said abnormal tissue necrosing said abnormal tissue; and (f) withdrawing ablated tissue from said mammary duct.

Claim 21

18 . A method as claimed in claim 17 wherein said transmitted form of energy into said abnormal tissue is ultrasound energy.

Claim 22

19 . A micro-endoscope assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said ablation probe distributes ultrasonic energy.

Claim 23

20 . A method as claimed in claim 17 wherein said transmitted form of energy into said abnormal tissue is radio frequency energy.

Claim 24

21 . A method as claimed in claim 17 wherein said transmitted form of energy into said abnormal tissue is microwave energy.

Claim 25

22 . A method as claimed in claim 17 wherein said transmitted form of energy into said abnormal tissue is laser energy.

Claim 26

23 . A method as claimed in claim 17 wherein said transmitted form of energy into said abnormal tissue is bipolar electrical energy.

Claim 27

24 . A method as claimed in claim 17 wherein said transmitted form of energy into said abnormal tissue is cryogenic energy.

Claim 28

25 . A method of ablating tissue in a mammary duct with a cannula assembly having a diameter ranging from about 0.5 mm to about 1.2 mm, said cannula assembly having a body with distal end, a proximal end, and defining a conduit for receiving an energy dispensing probe comprising the steps of: (a) placing an energy dispensing probe into a passageway formed in the body of said cannula assembly (b) inserting the distal end of the cannula assembly into the mammary duct of the breast of a woman patient to view the duct for an area of abnormal tissue; (c) positioning the distal end of the cannula assembly in an area proximate the abnormal tissue; (d) applying an energy to said probe to apply a form of energy to said abnormal tissue for a period of time which is less than five minutes to ablate said tissue; (e) irrigating said breast duct ablated tissue area; and (f) initiating a suction effect in suction passageway in said cannula body to to draw ablated tissue away from said abnormal ablated tissue area through said cannula body.

Claim 29

25 . A method of ablating tissue in a mammary duct with a cannula assembly having a diameter ranging from about 0.5 mm to about 1.2 mm, said cannula assembly having a body with distal end, a proximal end, and defining a conduit for receiving an energy dispensing probe comprising the steps of: (a) placing an energy dispensing probe into a passageway formed in the body of said cannula assembly (b) inserting the distal end of the cannula assembly into the mammary duct of the breast of a woman patient to view the duct for an area of abnormal tissue; (c) positioning the distal end of the cannula assembly in an area proximate the abnormal tissue; (d) applying an energy to said probe to apply a form of energy to said abnormal tissue for a period of time which is less than five minutes to ablate said tissue; (e) irrigating said breast duct ablated tissue area; and (f) initiating a suction effect in suction passageway in said cannula body to to draw ablated tissue away from said abnormal ablated tissue area through said cannula body.

Claim 30

26 . A method as claimed in claim 25 wherein said applied form of energy into said abnormal tissue is ultrasound energy.

Claim 31

27 . A method as claimed in claim 25 wherein said applied form of energy into said abnormal tissue is radio frequency energy.

Claim 32

28 . A method as claimed in claim 25 wherein said applied form of energy into said abnormal tissue is microwave energy.

Claim 33

29 . A method as claimed in claim 25 wherein said transmitted form of energy into said abnormal tissue is laser energy.

Claim 34

30 . A method as claimed in claim 25 wherein said applied form of energy into said abnormal tissue is bipolar electrical energy.

Claim 35

31 . A method as claimed in claim 25 wherein said applied form of energy into said abnormal tissue is cryogenic energy.

Claim 36

32 . A method of ablating diseased tissue in the mammary ducts of a patients breast with a micro-endoscopic assembly and a cannula sheath having a diameter ranging from about 0.5 mm to about 1.2 mm wherein said endoscope assembly includes a guide having a working channel, a light source and a lens; said guide forming an irrigation channel and an energy transmitting probe moveably mounted in said endoscope; said method comprising the steps of: (a) inserting the distal end of said cannula sheath into a mammary duct of a dilated nipple of a breast; (b) inserting a micro-endoscope into said cannula sheath and viewing an interior of said breast duct; (c) projecting an image of the interior of said breast duct on a video monitor; (d) moving said micro-endoscope along said duct until an area of abnormality is detected; (e) positioning a probe through said cannula sheath in proximal contact with said area of abnormality; (f) applying energy to said probe to ablate tissue at said area of abnormality; (g) irrigating the interior of said breast duct by injecting liquid through said irrigation channel; and (h) extracting ablated tissue from said breast duct into a collection device.

Claim 37

32 . A method of ablating diseased tissue in the mammary ducts of a patients breast with a micro-endoscopic assembly and a cannula sheath having a diameter ranging from about 0.5 mm to about 1.2 mm wherein said endoscope assembly includes a guide having a working channel, a light source and a lens; said guide forming an irrigation channel and an energy transmitting probe moveably mounted in said endoscope; said method comprising the steps of: (a) inserting the distal end of said cannula sheath into a mammary duct of a dilated nipple of a breast; (b) inserting a micro-endoscope into said cannula sheath and viewing an interior of said breast duct; (c) projecting an image of the interior of said breast duct on a video monitor; (d) moving said micro-endoscope along said duct until an area of abnormality is detected; (e) positioning a probe through said cannula sheath in proximal contact with said area of abnormality; (f) applying energy to said probe to ablate tissue at said area of abnormality; (g) irrigating the interior of said breast duct by injecting liquid through said irrigation channel; and (h) extracting ablated tissue from said breast duct into a collection device.