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

[0005] The present invention is directed to improved systems and methods that facilitate the automatic deployment and placement of a needle array for precise ablation of body tissue using RF energy. The RF ablation system of the present invention tends to eliminate any confusion as to when the needle array should be further deployed into the tissue during step deployment ablation procedures, minimize the time to carry out such procedures, and eliminate the need for insertion track bleeding management techniques following such procedures. In one innovative aspect of the present invention, a needle array-type energy delivery system is automatically advanced or step deployed under temperature and / or impedance feedback control. In another innovative aspect of the present invention, a catheter based RF ablation system includes an auto array deployment or advancement system which may comprise a servo, an electromagnetic, an electro-pneumatic, a hydraulic, or the like, actuating mechanism, or a stepper motor. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a catheter based RF ablation system includes a catheter having an elongate tube and a handle connected to the tube, a needle array slidably received in the tube and handle, a servo actuated drive mechanism mounted in the handle and coupled to the needle array, and a control system coupled to the servo actuated drive and needle array. The control system preferably comprises a RF energy source, a drive controller, and a temperature and / or impedance monitoring module for step deployment at predetermined temperature and / or impedance values. The control system may also include a timer for step deployment at predetermined intervals.

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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