Manually advanceable radio frequency array with tactile feel

Abstract

A system for ablating lesions in the interior regions of the human body including a RF catheter and a control system adapted to facilitate the automatic step deployment of an array-type energy delivery system positioned within the catheter. The RF catheter and control system further include an auto array deployment mechanism coupled to the array-type energy delivery system and an impedance and temperature monitoring system. In addition, the system includes a probe positioning device adapted to maintain a RF probe in a desired orientation during ablation procedures.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates to systems and methods for ablating tissue in interior regions of the human body and, more particularly, to systems and methods that facilitate the automatic deployment and placement of a needle array for precise lesion ablation. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] Thermal coagulation of tissue using RF energy is frequently being used to treat maladies within the body such as liver tumor lesions. Physicians frequently make use of catheter-based RF systems to gain access to interior regions of the body. For treatment of large lesions, the catheter-based RF systems commonly employ needle array-type energy delivery devices. However, depending on the size of the lesion to be ablated and, thus, the size of the array used to ablate the lesion, many conventional systems experience difficulty providing an adequate amount of current to cause tissue heating and coagulation. To address this problem, many manufacturers simply supply a l...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The system reduces procedural time, eliminates confusion in array deployment, and minimizes post-procedure bleeding by ensuring precise and controlled ablation with reduced risk of damaging unintended tissues.

Problems solved by technology

However, depending on the size of the lesion to be ablated and, thus, the size of the array used to ablate the lesion, many conventional systems experience difficulty providing an adequate amount of current to cause tissue heating and coagulation.

This manual procedure tends to be confusing because of the multiple parameters that need to be observed prior to moving on to the next deployment location.

Physicians may experience other difficulties when the lesion to be ablated is close to the dermis or is in tissue that is light in density.

However, when ablation procedures, including ablation of some liver lesions, are performed relatively close to the dermis or are performed in tissue that is especially light in density, such as the lung, the physician may have a difficult time maintaining the catheter or probe in its initial orientation.

If the physician chooses not to hold or support the probe during such procedures, the probe may sag and could push the energy delivery needles or tines into the dermis layer or other tissue areas not meant to be ablated.

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