US6508765B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Ultrasound-guided ablation catheter and methods of use
Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed Inc
•
Filing: 2000-12-28
•
Granted: 2003-01-21
•
Expires: 2020-12-28
Abstract
Abstract The present invention provides ultrasound-guided ablation catheters and methods for their use. In one embodiment, a tissue ablation apparatus ( 2 ) includes a flexible elongate body ( 12 ) having proximal ( 14 ) and distal ( 12 ) ends. A plurality of spaced-apart electrodes ( 24 ) are operably attached to the flexible body near the distal end. A plurality of transducer elements ( 28 ) are disposed between at least some of the electrodes. Transducers assist the physician in determining whether or not the ablation elements are in contact with the tissue to be ablated.
Inventors
- 👤 Veijo T. Suorsa
- 👤 David K. Swanson
- 👤 Dorin Panescu
- 👤 Harm Tenhoff
- 👤 James G. Whayne
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-22 21:54
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B18/00; A61B18/04; A61B18/12; A61B18/14; A61B18/1492; A61B17/00; A61B2017/00017; A61B2017/00022; A61B2017/00106; A61B2018/00053; A61B2018/0016; A61B2018/00315; A61B2018/00345; A61B2018/00351; A61B2018/00571; A61B2018/00577; A61B2018/00636; A61B2018/00642; A61B2018/00654; A61B18/1206; A61B2018/124; A61B90/00; A61B90/06; A61B2090/064; A61B2090/065; A61B90/36; A61B90/37; A61B2090/378; A61B2090/3782; A61B2090/3784; A61N; A61N7/00; A61N2007/0078; A61N7/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 26
Claim 1
Independent Claim
124 words
A system for ablating tissue, comprising: an ablation apparatus comprising, a flexible elongate body having a distal end and a proximal end; a plurality of spaced apart ablation elements operably attached to said flexible body near said distal end; a plurality of transducer elements disposed between at least some of said ablation elements; and a temperature sensor coupled to the distal end and positioned distal to the plurality of ablation elements and distal to the plurality of transducer elements; and a controller in electrical communication with said ablation elements and said transducer elements; wherein each said ablation element has at least one said transducer element adjacent thereto, and wherein each said ablation element has at least one of said transducer elements located distal thereto.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
124 words
A system for ablating tissue, comprising: an ablation apparatus comprising, a flexible elongate body having a distal end and a proximal end; a plurality of spaced apart ablation elements operably attached to said flexible body near said distal end; a plurality of transducer elements disposed between at least some of said ablation elements; and a temperature sensor coupled to the distal end and positioned distal to the plurality of ablation elements and distal to the plurality of transducer elements; and a controller in electrical communication with said ablation elements and said transducer elements; wherein each said ablation element has at least one said transducer element adjacent thereto, and wherein each said ablation element has at least one of said transducer elements located distal thereto.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
A system as in claim 1 , wherein said transducer elements and said ablation elements are operably attached to said flexible body in an alternating fashion.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
18 words
A system as in claim 1 , wherein said plurality of ablation elements comprise a plurality of electrodes.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
A system as in claim 1 , wherein said plurality of ablation elements comprise a plurality of ablation transducer elements.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
A system as in claim 1 , wherein said controller comprises an ultrasound imaging and ablation controller.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
33 words
A system as in claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of leads, wherein at least one lead is operably attached to each of said ablation elements and each of said transducer elements.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
41 words
A system as in claim 6 , wherein said plurality of leads are in electrical communication with said controller to allow a plurality of electrical signals to be sent by said controller to said ablation elements and to said transducer elements.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
38 words
A system as in claim 6 , further comprising a multiplexer operably attached to said flexible body and in electrical communication with said controller, and wherein at least some of said leads are operably attached to said multiplexer.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
15 words
A system as in claim 1 , wherein said transducer elements comprise cylindrical transducer elements.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
39 words
The system as in claim 1 , wherein each of said ablation elements has at least one of said transducer elements located proximal said ablation element, and at least one of said transducer elements located distal said ablation element.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
40 words
The system as in claim 1 wherein said transducer elements comprise cylindrical transducer elements, said elements each having a throughhole, and wherein said transducer elements are positioned so that a longitudinal axis of said flexible body passes through said throughholes.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
42 words
The system as in claim 1 further comprising a plurality of insulators operably attached to the elongate body and positioned so that each of the ablation elements has at least one insulator positioned between the ablation element and the adjacent transducer element.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
21 words
The system as in claim 1 wherein the transducer element adjacent said ablation element is directly distal to the ablation element.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
21 words
The system as in claim 1 wherein the transducer element adjacent said ablation element is directly proximal to the ablation element.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
21 words
The system as in claim 1 wherein each of said ablation elements has at least one transducer element located proximal thereto.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
186 words
A method of ablating tissue comprising: providing a tissue ablation apparatus, said apparatus comprising a flexible elongate body, a plurality of ablation elements and a plurality of transducer elements, said ablation elements and said transducer elements being operably attached to said body so that each of said plurality of ablation elements has at least one of the plurality of transducer elements located distal thereto and at least one of the plurality of transducer elements located proximal thereto, the plurality of ablation elements and transducer elements coupled to a controller; inserting said ablation apparatus into a patient; positioning said ablation apparatus within said patient so that said ablation apparatus is proximate a tissue to be ablated; energizing said transducer elements; receiving a plurality of reflected signals from said transducer elements; processing said reflected signals to determine if said transducer elements are in contact with said tissue to be ablated; and activating at least one of said ablation elements to ablate said tissue if said controller determines that at least one of said transducer elements adjacent said at least one ablation element is in contact with said tissue.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
186 words
A method of ablating tissue comprising: providing a tissue ablation apparatus, said apparatus comprising a flexible elongate body, a plurality of ablation elements and a plurality of transducer elements, said ablation elements and said transducer elements being operably attached to said body so that each of said plurality of ablation elements has at least one of the plurality of transducer elements located distal thereto and at least one of the plurality of transducer elements located proximal thereto, the plurality of ablation elements and transducer elements coupled to a controller; inserting said ablation apparatus into a patient; positioning said ablation apparatus within said patient so that said ablation apparatus is proximate a tissue to be ablated; energizing said transducer elements; receiving a plurality of reflected signals from said transducer elements; processing said reflected signals to determine if said transducer elements are in contact with said tissue to be ablated; and activating at least one of said ablation elements to ablate said tissue if said controller determines that at least one of said transducer elements adjacent said at least one ablation element is in contact with said tissue.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method of ablating tissue as in claim 16 , wherein said plurality of ablation elements comprise a plurality of electrodes for supplying current to said tissue.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method of ablating tissue as in claim 16 , wherein said plurality of ablation elements comprise a plurality of ablation transducers, and said activating step comprises activating said ablation transducers to ablate said tissue using ultrasound energy.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method as in claim 16 , further comprising activating said transducer elements to ablate said tissue using ultrasound energy.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 16 wherein the number of transducer elements exceeds the number of ablation elements by at least one.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 16 wherein said apparatus comprises between about two and about fourteen ablation elements, and between about three and about fifteen transducer elements.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method as in claim 16 , further comprising activating the at least one ablation element if the controller determines one of said transducer elements located directly adjacent the ablation element is in contact with the tissue.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
57 words
The method as in claim 16 further comprising activating the at least one ablation element if the controller determines that one of the transducer element s located distal to the ablation element is in contact with the tissue, and that one of the transducer elements located proximal to the ablation element is in contact with the tissue.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method as in claim 23 further comprising activating the at least one ablation element if the controller determines that the transducer element immediately distal the at least one ablation element and the transducer element immediately proximal the at least one ablation element are both in contact with the tissue.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4706681A
Cited
US4917097A
Cited
US4998933A
Cited
US5178620A
Cited
US5228442A
Cited
US5697281A
Cited
US5713363A
Cited
US5419767A
Cited
US5697536A
Cited
US5697909A
Cited
US5697882A
Cited
US5295484A
Cited
US5571088A
Cited
US5630837A
Cited
US5385148A
Cited
US5409000A
Cited
US5840030A
Cited
US5640371A
Cited
WO1996000036A1
Cited
US5769847A
Cited
US5590659A
Cited
US5735280A
Cited
US5749833A
Cited
US5752518A
Cited
WO1998029032A1
Cited
US6053868A
Cited
US5954649A
Cited
US6206831B1
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2006-01-20 | 2006-07-22 | 2007-01-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2010-01-20 | 2010-07-22 | 2011-01-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2014-01-20 | 2014-07-22 | 2015-01-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |