Monitoring system, cooling system and ablation system

Abstract

The application discloses a monitoring system, a cooling system and an ablation system. The monitoring system comprises a first flow detection device arranged at the main liquid supply device and used for detecting a first flow of cooling liquid flowing out of the main liquid supply device; a second flow detection device arranged on the second cooling pipeline and used for detecting a second flow of the cooling liquid in the second cooling pipeline; and a monitoring unit used for determining a flow state of the cooling liquid in the cooling system according to the first flow and the second flow. According to the monitoring system of the embodiment of the application, the first flow and the second flow are monitored and processed by the monitoring unit, and the flow state of the cooling liquid in the cooling system can be determined.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates generally to the technical field of medical devices. More particularly, the present application relates to a monitoring system, a cooling system and an ablation system. BACKGROUND

[0002] Laser interstitial thermotherapy (LITT) is a technique that uses the heat effect of laser to ablate diseased tissue to achieve treatment. LITT technology is gradually applied to the treatment of intracranial lesions such as brain glioma due to its advantages of small trauma and high treatment efficiency. Specifically, LITT technology uses a laser fiber (also known as an ablation fiber) inserted into the intracranial lesion site to generate controllable thermal damage by heating the surrounding tissue to destroy the lesion to achieve the purpose of treatment.

[0003] Since the process of ablation using LITT technology will cause local temperature rise, and excessive temperature will cause increased tissue carbonization and damage to adjacent blood vessels, nerves, etc., therefore, LITT generally needs a cooling system to assist in temperature control during the ablation process, making the laser ablation process safer and more stable. However, the cooling liquid of the traditional cooling system may have a risk of leakage during use, thereby causing damage to the medical instrument and harm to the patient.

[0004] Therefore, there is an urgent need to provide a technical solution capable of monitoring whether the cooling liquid in the cooling system leaks. SUMMARY

[0005] In order to at least solve one or more technical problems as mentioned above, the present application provides a monitoring system, a cooling system and an ablation system in various aspects.

[0006] In a first aspect, the present application provides a monitoring system for monitoring a cooling system, wherein the cooling system is used for cooling a to-be-cooled catheter and includes a main liquid supply device, a first cooling pipeline and a second cooling pipeline, wherein the first cooling pipeline is connected between the main liquid supply device and a cold liquid inlet of the to-be-cooled catheter, and the second cooling pipeline is used to be connected with a cold liquid outlet of the to-be-cooled catheter; the monitoring system includes: a first flow detection device arranged at the main liquid supply device and used for detecting a first flow of cooling liquid flowing out of the main liquid supply device; a second flow detection device arranged on the second cooling pipeline and used for detecting a second flow of cooling liquid in the second cooling pipeline; and a monitoring unit used for determining a flow state of the cooling liquid in the cooling system according to the first flow and the second flow.

[0007] In some embodiments, the monitoring unit is configured to determine the flow state of the coolant in the cooling system by at least one of: determining whether there is a leak in the cooling system according to a comparison between the first flow rate and the second flow rate; determining a degree and / or a location of a leak and / or a blockage in the cooling system according to a variation trend of the first flow rate and / or the second flow rate in response to a change in the first flow rate and / or the second flow rate.

[0008] In some other embodiments, the cooling system further comprises a main power device arranged on the first cooling pipeline and configured to push the coolant in the first cooling pipeline to flow according to a preset flow rate; and the monitoring unit is further configured to determine the flow state of the coolant in the cooling system according to a relationship among the first flow rate, the second flow rate and the preset flow rate.

[0009] In some other embodiments, the monitoring unit is configured to determine the flow state of the coolant in the cooling system by at least one of: determining whether there is a leak in the cooling system according to a comparison between the first flow rate and the second flow rate; determining a degree and / or a location of a leak and / or a blockage in the cooling system according to a variation trend of the first flow rate and / or the second flow rate in response to a change in the first flow rate and / or the second flow rate.

[0010] In some embodiments, the monitoring unit is further configured to at least one of: determine a location of a leak and / or a blockage in the cooling system according to a variation trend of the first flow rate and / or the second flow rate in response to a change in the first flow rate and / or the second flow rate; determine a degree of a leak and / or a blockage in the cooling system according to a variation trend of the first flow rate and / or the second flow rate in response to a change in the first flow rate and / or the second flow rate.

[0011] In some other embodiments, determining the degree of the leak and / or the blockage according to the variation trend comprises: determining that there is a slight blockage in the cooling system in response to the variation trend of the second flow rate being first decreasing and then increasing; determining that there is a severe blockage in the cooling system in response to the first flow rate and the second flow rate both decreasing to zero; determining that there is a slight leak in the cooling system in response to the second flow rate decreasing to a first flow rate threshold; and determining that there is a severe leak in the cooling system in response to the second flow rate decreasing to a second flow rate threshold, wherein the first flow rate threshold is greater than or equal to the second flow rate threshold.

[0012] In yet some embodiments, determining the location of the leak and / or the blockage according to the change trend comprises: determining that there is a mild blockage at the conduit to be cooled in response to a falling speed of the first flow being within a first speed range; determining that there is a severe blockage at the conduit to be cooled in response to a zeroing speed of the first flow being within a second speed range; determining that there is a leak between the main liquid supply device and the main power device in response to the first flow having a rising trend; determining that there is a severe leak at the main power device in response to the second flow falling to a second flow threshold and the first flow having a falling trend.

[0013] In some embodiments, the monitoring system further comprises: a pressure detecting device arranged on the first cooling pipeline between the main power device and the cold liquid inlet for detecting a pipeline pressure between the main power device and the cold liquid inlet; and the monitoring unit is further configured to determine a flow state of the cooling liquid in the cooling system according to the first flow, the second flow and the pipeline pressure.

[0014] In another embodiment, the monitoring unit is further configured to determine a degree and / or a location of a leak and / or a blockage in the cooling system according to a change trend of at least one of the first flow, the second flow and the pipeline pressure.

[0015] In another embodiment, the monitoring unit determining the degree and / or the location of the leak and / or the blockage in the cooling system comprises: determining that there is a blockage in a pipeline other than the main liquid supply device and the main power device in the cooling system in response to both the first flow and the second flow being less than a preset flow and the pipeline pressure increasing; determining that there is a mild blockage at the conduit to be cooled in response to a falling speed of the first flow being within a first speed range and a rising speed of the pipeline pressure being within a third speed range; determining that there is a severe blockage at the conduit to be cooled in response to a zeroing speed of the first flow being within a second speed range and a rising speed of the pipeline pressure being within a fourth speed range; determining that there is a blockage between the main liquid supply device and the main power device and / or at the main power device in response to a stable-state pipeline pressure being one atmosphere; determining that there is a blockage at the conduit to be cooled and a leak between the main power device and the cold liquid inlet in response to a change trend of the first flow being falling first and then rising and a change trend of the pipeline pressure being rising first and then falling; and determining that there is a leak at the conduit to be cooled in response to the first flow being constant, the second flow falling and a falling speed of the pipeline pressure being within a fifth speed range.

[0016] In yet some embodiments, the monitoring system further comprises a third flow detecting device arranged on the first cooling pipeline between the main power device and the cold liquid inlet, for detecting a third flow of the cooling liquid between the main power device and the cold liquid inlet; and the monitoring unit is further configured to determine the flow state of the cooling liquid in the cooling system according to the first flow, the second flow and the third flow.

[0017] In some embodiments, the monitoring unit is further configured to at least one of: adjust the preset flow according to an ablation parameter of the ablation optical fiber and / or a measured temperature of the ablation optical fiber when the cooling system is used to cool the ablation optical fiber in the catheter to be cooled; and regulate the power of the main power device so that the first flow and the second flow reach the preset flow.

[0018] In some other embodiments, the monitoring system further comprises a bubble detecting sensor arranged at the cold liquid inlet or at a position on the first cooling pipeline close to the cold liquid inlet, for detecting whether there is a bubble in the cooling liquid entering the catheter to be cooled; and the monitoring unit is further configured to: adjust the rotating speed of the main power device in response to the bubble detecting sensor detecting the presence of the bubble; and / or send a prompt message in response to the bubble detecting sensor detecting the presence of the bubble.

[0019] In yet some embodiments, the monitoring system further comprises a temperature control device arranged at a position on the first cooling pipeline close to the cold liquid inlet and / or at the main liquid supply device, for detecting and / or controlling a first temperature of the cooling liquid entering the catheter to be cooled.

[0020] In some embodiments, the monitoring system further comprises a temperature detecting device arranged on the second cooling pipeline, for detecting a second temperature of the cooling liquid flowing out of the catheter to be cooled; and the monitoring unit is further configured to determine whether to perform the temperature control operation according to at least one of the first temperature, the second temperature and the measured temperature in the catheter to be cooled.

[0021] In some other embodiments, the monitoring system further comprises a cooling branch connected to the first cooling pipeline between the main power device and the cold liquid inlet; and a backup liquid supply device connected to the cooling branch and configured to supply the cooling liquid via the cooling branch.

[0022] In yet some embodiments, the monitoring system further comprises a backup power device arranged on the cooling branch, for pushing the cooling liquid in the cooling branch to flow.

[0023] In some embodiments, the first flow detection device comprises a liquid level sensor located in the main liquid supply device and configured to detect a liquid level in the main liquid supply device; and the monitoring unit is further configured to determine the first flow based on a change in the liquid level over time.

[0024] In some other embodiments, the first flow detection device comprises a gravity sensor located outside the main liquid supply device and configured to detect a weight of the cooling liquid in the main liquid supply device; and the monitoring unit is further configured to determine the first flow based on a change in the weight over time.

[0025] In a second aspect, the present application provides a cooling system comprising the monitoring system according to any one of the present application in the first aspect.

[0026] In a third aspect, the present application provides an ablation system comprising the cooling system according to the present application in the second aspect.

[0027] By the technical solution of the monitoring system of the present application as provided above, by providing the first flow detection device and the second flow detection device, the first flow and the second flow at different positions in the cooling system can be obtained, and by the data monitoring and analysis of the first flow and the second flow by the monitoring unit, the flow state of the cooling liquid in the cooling system can be determined, so as to at least quickly determine whether there is a leakage problem in the cooling system.

[0028] Further, in some embodiments, by the monitoring unit determining the flow state of the cooling liquid based on the relationship among the first flow, the second flow and the preset flow, not only the presence of leakage in the cooling system can be more accurately determined, but also the presence of blockage in the cooling system can be quickly and more accurately determined. Further, the monitoring unit according to the embodiments of the present application can further determine the position and / or degree of the leakage and / or blockage in the cooling system based on the change trend of the first flow and / or the second flow, so as to achieve more accurate monitoring effect, which is particularly beneficial to improve the safety during the surgery for the cooling system during the surgery. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0029] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present application will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which a number of embodiments of the present application are illustrated by way of example and not limitation. Like or corresponding reference numerals are used to indicate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings, and in which:

[0030] Figure 1 Fig. 1 shows a schematic diagram of an application scenario of a monitoring system according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0031] Figure 2A schematic block diagram of a monitoring system according to an embodiment of the application is shown;

[0032] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a monitoring system according to an embodiment of the application in use in a cooling system comprising a main power device is shown;

[0033] Figure 4 An application state schematic diagram of a monitoring system according to an embodiment of the application comprising a pressure detection device is shown;

[0034] Figure 5 An application state schematic diagram of a monitoring unit according to an embodiment of the application comprising a temperature control device is shown; and

[0035] Figure 6 An application state schematic diagram of a monitoring unit according to an embodiment of the application comprising a backup cooling device is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0036] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are some of the embodiments of the present application, rather than all the embodiments of the present application. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative work fall within the scope of protection of the present application.

[0037] It should be understood that the terms "comprise" and "include" used in the specification and claims of the present application indicate the presence of the described features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof.

[0038] It should also be understood that the terms used in the specification of the present application are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present application. As used in the specification and claims of the present application, the singular forms "a", "an" and "the" are intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should be further understood that the term "and / or" used in the specification and claims of the present application means one or more of the associated listed items and all possible combinations thereof, and includes these combinations.

[0039] As used in this specification and claims, the term "if" may be interpreted, depending on the context, as "when," "once," "in response to determination," or "in response to detection." Similarly, the phrase "if determined" or "if [described condition or event] is detected" may be interpreted, depending on the context, as "once determined," "in response to determination," "once [described condition or event] is detected," or "in response to detection of [described condition or event]."

[0040] The specific embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0041] Figure 1 A schematic diagram illustrating an application scenario of a monitoring system according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. The monitoring system according to an embodiment of the present invention can be used to monitor the flow state of coolant in a cooling system. Figure 1 The diagram schematically illustrates such a cooling system. This cooling system can be used to cool conduits that need to be cooled. Figure 1 As shown, the cooling system may include a main liquid supply device 30, a first cooling pipe 40, and a second cooling pipe 50. The first cooling pipe 40 is connected between the main liquid supply device 30 and the cold liquid inlet 11 of the conduit 10 to be cooled, and the second cooling pipe 50 is connected to the cold liquid outlet 12 of the conduit 10 to be cooled. In some applications, the conduit 10 to be cooled may be an ablation fiber optic conduit, in which an ablation fiber 20 may be placed. It is understood that the conduit 10 to be cooled may not be limited to an ablation fiber optic conduit, but may be other conduits requiring cooling.

[0042] In some embodiments, the main coolant supply device 30 is used to provide coolant, and may include one or more forms such as a coolant bag, coolant bottle, or coolant tank, which can store coolant. The composition of the coolant can be selected as needed, such as cooling water, cooling brine, or cooling oil. The first cooling pipe 40 is used to deliver the coolant from the main coolant supply device 30 to the conduit 10 to be cooled, so that the coolant flows through the conduit 10 and can cool the ablation fiber 20 therein. The coolant after cooling the ablation fiber 20 flows out through the cold liquid outlet 12 of the conduit 10 to be cooled and is discharged through the second cooling pipe 50. In some embodiments, the flow of coolant can be driven by gravity by setting the main coolant supply device 30 higher than the conduit 10 to be cooled and setting the second cooling pipe 50 lower than the conduit 10 to be cooled.

[0043] In some embodiments, the cooling system may further include a coolant recovery device, which may be connected to the second cooling line 50 and used to receive coolant flowing out of the second cooling line 50. The coolant recovery device may be, for example, a coolant recovery tank, a coolant recovery container, or a coolant recovery bag. In other embodiments, the coolant recovery device may be equipped with a refrigeration unit to cool the recovered coolant for recycling. In still other embodiments, the coolant recovery device or the second cooling line 50 may be connected to the main coolant supply device 30 so that the recovered coolant can be returned to the main coolant supply device 30 for closed-loop recycling.

[0044] The above combination Figure 1 The monitoring system of this invention has been described exemplarily for use in cooling systems according to embodiments of the invention. Those skilled in the art will understand that this cooling system is exemplary and not limiting, and the monitoring system of this invention can also be used in other forms, or may include other equipment, cooling systems. The following will be combined with… Figure 2 A monitoring system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0045] Figure 2 A schematic block diagram of a monitoring system according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. Figure 2 As shown, the monitoring system may include a first flow detection device 210, a second flow detection device 220, and a monitoring unit 230, wherein the first flow detection device 210 may be arranged, for example... Figure 1 At the main coolant supply unit in the cooling system shown, a first flow rate of coolant flowing from the main coolant supply unit is used to detect the flow rate; a second flow rate detection device 220 can be arranged, for example... Figure 1 The second cooling pipe in the cooling system shown is used to detect the second flow rate of the coolant in the second cooling pipe; the monitoring unit 230 can be used to determine the flow state of the coolant in the cooling system based on the first flow rate and the second flow rate.

[0046] In some embodiments, the first flow detection device 210 may be disposed inside and / or outside the main liquid supply device. In other embodiments, the first flow detection device 210 may be disposed at the bottom of the main liquid supply device. In some embodiments, the first flow detection device 210 may be one or more of a thermal flow meter, a mechanical flow meter, a mass flow meter, a rotor flow meter, an orifice plate flow meter, etc. In some embodiments, the second flow detection device 220 may be one or more of a thermal flow meter, a mechanical flow meter, a mass flow meter, a rotor flow meter, an orifice plate flow meter, etc. The first flow detection device 210 and the second flow detection device 220 may be of the same or different types.

[0047] In some embodiments, the first flow detecting device 210 can include a liquid level sensor, which can be located in the main liquid supply device and used to detect the liquid level in the main liquid supply device. According to such an arrangement, the monitoring unit 230 can determine the first flow according to the change of the liquid level of the cooling liquid in the main liquid supply device detected by the liquid level sensor over time. Specifically, the monitoring unit 230 can determine the mass and / or volume of the cooling liquid flowing out of the main liquid supply device according to the change of the liquid level, the density of the cooling liquid, and the volume of the main liquid supply device, etc., and thus can determine the first flow. In some embodiments, when the monitoring unit detects that the liquid level of the cooling liquid in the main liquid supply device is less than a preset liquid level threshold, an alarm signal can be sent to prompt the operator to add cooling liquid.

[0048] In some embodiments, the monitoring unit 230 can be communicatively connected with the first flow detecting device 210 and the second flow detecting device 220, so as to receive the first flow and the second flow. In some embodiments, the monitoring unit 230 can include a processor, a memory, etc., for storing and processing the received data of the first flow and the second flow, etc., to obtain the monitoring result. In some embodiments, the monitoring unit 230 can further include a human-computer interaction device, a display, an alarm, etc., which can be used to display the monitoring result, i.e., the flow state of the cooling liquid in the current cooling system, etc., to the operator, and can also send an audible or visible alarm signal in a timely manner to prompt the operator to perform relevant operations when it is determined that there is a risk of failure in the cooling system.

[0049] In some embodiments, the monitoring unit 230 determining the flow state of the cooling liquid in the cooling system can include at least one of the following: determining whether there is a leak in the cooling system according to the comparison result between the first flow and the second flow; in response to a change in the first flow and / or the second flow, determining the degree and / or location of the leak and / or blockage in the cooling system according to the change trend of the first flow and / or the second flow.

[0050] Specifically, when the cooling liquid in the cooling system flows normally, the first flow and the second flow should be in a relatively stable state (i.e., substantially no change within a certain time period) and should be substantially equal (i.e., without considering errors). Therefore, when the monitoring unit 230 obtains the first flow from the first flow detecting device 210 and the second flow from the second flow detecting device 220, which are substantially equal, it can be determined that the flow state of the cooling liquid in the current cooling system is in a normal state.

[0051] Further, when the first flow rate and / or the second flow rate obtained by the monitoring unit 230 changes, it indicates that the flow state of the cooling liquid in the cooling system is unstable, and there may be a blockage or leakage failure, etc. At this time, the monitoring unit 230 can compare the first flow rate and / or the second flow rate when the change is stable to determine the flow state of the cooling liquid. Specifically, in response to the second flow rate being less than the first flow rate, it indicates that the flow rate of the cooling liquid in the second cooling pipeline is smaller, and the monitoring unit 230 can determine that there is a leakage failure in the cooling system. Based on this, when using the monitoring system of the embodiment of the application, the relationship between the first flow rate and the second flow rate can be compared in real time by the monitoring unit 230, so that the cooling liquid in the cooling system can be quickly judged to be in a normal state or a leakage state.

[0052] In still other embodiments, the monitoring unit 230 can not only quickly determine the flow state of the cooling liquid in the cooling system through simple comparison operation, but also determine the degree and / or position of the possible leakage and / or blockage in the cooling system based on the change trend of the first flow rate and / or the second flow rate. Specifically, the monitoring unit 230 can determine the degree of leakage and / or blockage according to the change trend, which can include: in response to the change trend of the second flow rate being first decreasing and then increasing, determining that there is a mild blockage in the cooling system; in response to the first flow rate and the second flow rate both decreasing to zero, determining that there is a severe blockage in the cooling system; in response to the second flow rate decreasing to a first flow rate threshold, determining that there is a mild leakage in the cooling system; and in response to the second flow rate decreasing to a second flow rate threshold, determining that there is a severe leakage in the cooling system, wherein the first flow rate threshold is greater than or equal to the second flow rate threshold. The first flow rate threshold and the second flow rate threshold can be determined according to actual application scenarios and engineering experience, etc., which are not limited here. In some application scenarios, the change trend of the second flow rate being first decreasing and then increasing can be that the second flow rate first decreases to the second flow rate threshold and then increases to the first flow rate threshold and stabilizes around the first flow rate threshold.

[0053] Based on the above change trend, the monitoring unit 230 can not only determine whether there is a leakage in the cooling system, but also accurately and quickly determine other failure types (such as blockage) and the severity of the failure in the cooling system, so as to effectively monitor the cooling system and provide strong technical support and operation reference for the operator, thereby facilitating to improve the safety during the operation process.

[0054] Further, the monitoring unit 230 can also determine the location of the leak and / or the blockage according to the change trend of the first flow rate and / or the second flow rate. For example, in response to the falling speed of the first flow rate being within a first speed range, it can be determined that there is a slight blockage at the cooled catheter; in response to the zeroing speed of the first flow rate being within a second speed range, it can be determined that there is a severe blockage at the cooled catheter; in response to the first flow rate having an upward trend and the second flow rate not having a significant change, it can be determined that there is a possible leak on the first cooling pipeline, and the like. The first speed range and the second speed range can be set as needed, and they can be set to be the same or different. Both the first speed range and the second speed range refer to a certain speed change range, i.e., they can include a lower speed limit and an upper speed limit.

[0055] By determining the location of the leak and / or the blockage through the monitoring unit 230, the operator can determine the impact of the fault, so as to reduce the time for checking the fault location and take effective measures in time. For example, in some application scenarios, the cooling system is used to cool the ablation optical fiber catheter. When the monitoring unit 230 determines that there is a severe blockage at the ablation optical fiber catheter (for example, the ablation optical fiber catheter is bent), it can cause the cooling liquid to fail to flow smoothly, thereby affecting the cooling effect in the ablation operation, and thus the operation may need to be paused to avoid operation risks. For another example, when the monitoring unit 230 determines that there is a slight blockage at the ablation optical fiber catheter (for example, there may be large particles of dust in the ablation optical fiber catheter), the operation can not need to be paused, and the problem of slight blockage can be solved by increasing the flow rate of the cooling liquid and the like.

[0056] Further, in some embodiments, the monitoring system according to the embodiments of the present application can also include other detection devices, such as a bubble detection sensor, which can be arranged at the cold liquid inlet or can be arranged at a position close to the cold liquid inlet in the first cooling pipeline to detect whether there are bubbles in the cooling liquid entering the cooled catheter. Here, close can be understood as the bubble detection sensor being closer to the cold liquid inlet than to the main liquid supply device; or can be understood as the bubble detection sensor being located between the center point of the first cooling pipeline and the cold liquid inlet.

[0057] In other embodiments, the bubble detection sensor can include, for example, a capacitive bubble sensor, a photoelectric bubble sensor, or an ultrasonic bubble sensor, and the like. The capacitive bubble sensor can include capacitor plates arranged on both sides of the pipeline, and its principle is to detect whether there are bubbles in the pipeline according to the change of the capacitance between the capacitor plates on both sides. The photoelectric bubble sensor can include photoelectric devices such as a photoelectric triode, a photoelectric diode, and the like, and its principle is that according to the volt-ampere characteristic, the relationship between the output voltage and the light intensity can be obtained. When there are bubbles in the cooling liquid in the pipeline, the output voltage changes due to the change of the light intensity received by the photoelectric device caused by the reflection of light and the different absorption of light by different media.

[0058] An ultrasonic bubble sensor may include an ultrasonic transmitting component and an ultrasonic receiving component (e.g., a voltage crystal that can emit and receive ultrasonic waves). Its principle is to detect the presence of bubbles in the pipeline based on changes in the ultrasonic waves received by the ultrasonic receiving component. The bubble detection sensor may employ existing or other future-featured devices capable of detecting bubbles in liquids, and this document does not impose any limitations. In some embodiments, the first flow detection device 210 may simultaneously possess bubble detection and flow detection functions.

[0059] In applications involving cooling ablation fibers, air bubbles in the coolant entering the fiber duct can affect the cooling effect on the fiber. Furthermore, the bubbles may create a lensing effect, interfering with the light emission at the fiber's exit point and posing a significant safety risk. Detecting air bubbles in the coolant before it enters the fiber duct allows for early warning and preventative measures to mitigate their impact on the ablation process. For example, upon detecting bubbles, the bubble detection sensor can send the result to the monitoring unit 230, which can then issue a notification to the operator. Alternatively, increasing the initial flow rate can expedite the passage of bubbles through the fiber duct, reducing their potential influence on the ablation process.

[0060] The above combination Figure 2 The monitoring system according to embodiments of the present invention has been described exemplarily. It is understood that by setting up a first flow detection device, a second flow detection device, and a monitoring unit, flow monitoring of each pipe in the cooling system can be achieved. Furthermore, by observing whether the first and second flow rates change and their trends, it is possible to quickly determine whether there are leaks or other faults in the cooling system, thereby improving the safety and reliability of the surgical procedure. It is also understood that the above description is exemplary and not restrictive. For example, the monitoring system according to embodiments of the present invention may not be limited to only [specific applications]. Figure 1 The cooling system shown can also be applied to cooling systems for power equipment in some application scenarios. The following will combine... Figure 3 To elaborate further.

[0061] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a monitoring system according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown for use in a cooling system including a main power unit. Figure 3As shown in the above, the cooling system can include a main liquid supply device 30, a first cooling pipeline 40, a second cooling pipeline 50 and a main power device 60, wherein the cooling liquid in the main liquid supply device 30 can flow into the to-be-cooled conduit 10 via the first cooling pipeline 40 and the cooling liquid inlet 11 to cool the ablation optical fiber 20 in the to-be-cooled conduit 10 when the ablation optical fiber 20 is placed in the to-be-cooled conduit 10; the main power device 60 is arranged on the first cooling pipeline 40 and used to push the cooling liquid in the first cooling pipeline 40 to flow according to a preset flow rate. In some other application scenarios, the cooling system can further include a cooling liquid recovery device 70, which will not be described herein.

[0062] In some embodiments, the main power device 60 can include a peristaltic pump, a centrifugal pump or other water pumps, etc. The preset flow rate can be a flow rate value set as needed. The preset flow rate can be set in advance before the operation or adjusted in time according to the needs during the operation. Taking the peristaltic pump as an example, the rotation speed of the peristaltic pump can be set according to the required preset flow rate, so that the operation of the peristaltic pump can push the cooling liquid in the first cooling pipeline 40 to flow at the preset flow rate. Generally, the greater the required preset flow rate, the greater the rotation speed of the peristaltic pump. The rotation speed of the peristaltic pump refers to the speed of the motor of the peristaltic pump. However, even if the main power device 60 operates according to the preset flow rate, when there is leakage and / or blockage in the cooling system, the actual flow rate of the cooling liquid will change.

[0063] Therefore, the monitoring system according to the embodiments of the present application can perform more accurate monitoring in combination with the set preset flow rate. For example, Figure 3 As further shown in the above, the monitoring system according to the embodiments of the present application can include a first flow detection device 210, a second flow detection device 220 and a monitoring unit 230, the monitoring unit 230 can be in communication connection with the first flow detection device 210 and the second flow detection device 220 (shown by a dashed line in the figure), and used to determine the flow state of the cooling liquid in the cooling system according to the relationship among the first flow rate, the second flow rate and the preset flow rate.

[0064] Specifically, the monitoring unit 230 used to determine the flow state of the cooling liquid in the cooling system can include: in response to the first flow rate, the second flow rate and the preset flow rate being equal (without considering errors), it can be determined that the flow state in the cooling system is normal; in response to the first flow rate and the second flow rate being less than the preset flow rate, it can be determined that there is blockage in the cooling system; in response to the first flow rate being greater than the second flow rate in the stable state, it can be determined that there is leakage in the cooling system.

[0065] Since the main power device 60 is operated according to the preset flow rate, even if there is a leakage and / or a blockage in the cooling system, the rotation speed of the main power device 60 will not be affected, i.e. the preset flow rate will not be changed, and thus the monitoring system according to the embodiments of the present application can determine whether there is a leakage and / or a blockage in the cooling system based on the preset flow rate.

[0066] Further, in some other embodiments, the monitoring unit 230 can be further configured to at least one of: in response to the change of the first flow rate and / or the second flow rate, determine the location of the leakage and / or the blockage in the cooling system according to the change trend of the first flow rate and / or the second flow rate; in response to the change of the first flow rate and / or the second flow rate, determine the degree of the leakage and / or the blockage in the cooling system according to the change trend of the first flow rate and / or the second flow rate.

[0067] For example, in some embodiments, the monitoring unit 230 determining the degree of the leakage and / or the blockage according to the change trend can include: in response to the change trend of the second flow rate being first decreasing and then increasing, determining that there is a mild blockage in the cooling system; in response to the first flow rate and the second flow rate both decreasing to zero, determining that there is a severe blockage in the cooling system; in response to the second flow rate decreasing to a first flow rate threshold, determining that there is a mild leakage in the cooling system; in response to the second flow rate decreasing to a second flow rate threshold, determining that there is a severe leakage in the cooling system, wherein the first flow rate threshold is greater than or equal to the second flow rate threshold.

[0068] For another example, in some other embodiments, the monitoring unit 230 determining the location of the leakage and / or the blockage according to the change trend can include: in response to the decreasing speed of the first flow rate being within a first speed range, determining that there is a mild blockage at the to-be-cooled conduit; in response to the zeroing speed of the first flow rate being within a second speed range, determining that there is a severe blockage at the to-be-cooled conduit; in response to the first flow rate having an increasing trend, determining that there is a leakage between the main liquid supply device and the main power device; in response to the second flow rate decreasing to the second flow rate threshold and the first flow rate having a decreasing trend, determining that there is a severe leakage at the main power device. It can be understood that the main power of the first flow rate is provided by the main power device, and when the main power device has a severe leakage, the insufficient power provided by the main power device will cause the first flow rate to have some decreasing trend, and thus monitoring the first flow rate is helpful to determine whether there is a leakage at the main power device.

[0069] According to such an arrangement, the monitoring unit 230 can quickly determine whether there is a blockage fault at the catheter to be cooled, a leakage fault at the main power device, and the degree of the fault, thereby achieving more accurate monitoring effect. For the cooling system used in ablation surgery, a fault occurring at the ablation fiber catheter and the main power device will have a more serious impact than a fault occurring at other positions except the ablation fiber catheter and the main power device, so identifying the fault position will be of great significance.

[0070] As further shown in the Figure 3 In some embodiments, the first flow detection device 210 can include a gravity sensor, which can be located outside the main liquid supply device 30 and can be used to detect the weight of the cooling liquid in the main liquid supply device 30. The gravity sensor can be connected to the main liquid supply device 30 through the hook 211 to detect the weight of the main liquid supply device 30, and thus detect the weight change of the cooling liquid in the main liquid supply device 30. According to such an arrangement, the monitoring unit 230 can determine the first flow according to the change of the weight of the cooling liquid in the main liquid supply device detected by the gravity sensor over time.

[0071] The gravity sensor can also be referred to as a weighing sensor, which is a device that can convert a mass signal into a measurable electrical signal output. In other embodiments, when the monitoring unit 230 detects that the weight of the main liquid supply device 30 is less than a preset weight threshold, an alarm signal can be sent to prompt the addition of cooling liquid. In yet other embodiments, the monitoring system according to embodiments of the present application can further include an alarm device, and the monitoring unit 230 can send an alarm signal to the alarm device for alarm by the alarm device.

[0072] Further, in some embodiments, the monitoring unit 230 can be used for at least one of the following: when the cooling system is used to cool the ablation fiber in the catheter to be cooled, adjusting the preset flow according to the ablation parameters of the ablation fiber 20 and / or the measured temperature of the ablation fiber 20; and / or regulating the power of the main power device 60 to make the first flow and the second flow reach the preset flow. According to such an arrangement, manual judgment and adjustment can be avoided, and closed-loop control of the cooling system can be achieved through the monitoring system according to embodiments of the present application to cope with more complex situations and application scenarios.

[0073] Specifically, in actual ablation process, the ablation fiber catheter matched with the cooling system is not of a uniform specification, i.e., the pipe diameter, length, etc. of the ablation fiber catheter used in different operations can be different, and thus the power provided by the main power device is inconsistent when the cooling liquid flowing through the ablation fiber catheter reaches the required preset flow rate. Although the preset rotation speed table can be used for operation, i.e., the rotation speed of the main power device required for the preset flow rate to correspond to the ablation fiber catheter of which model is obtained by experience value, various complex situations cannot be coped with, and artificial judgment is required. For example, when the cooling liquid pipeline is long, the power required to reach the preset flow rate is different. For another example, when the ablation power determined by the doctor in clinic is not the conventional ablation power, the cooling liquid flow rate required is also not the conventional setting value, and thus cannot be found in the preset rotation speed table, and thus on-site adjustment is often required.

[0074] Based on this, the monitoring unit 230 according to the embodiments of the present application can control the power of the main power device 60 in real time by monitoring whether the first flow rate and the second flow rate reach the preset flow rate, so that the first flow rate and the second flow rate in the cooling system in the normal state can quickly and stably reach the preset flow rate to meet the requirements of ablation.

[0075] In some other application scenarios, even if the same ablation fiber, the power required for ablation of different regions is different, or the measured temperature of the ablation fiber does not meet the ablation requirements (for example, the measured temperature is too low), or the measured temperature of the ablation fiber exceeds the safe range (for example, the measured temperature is too high), the demand for the flow rate of the cooling liquid will also change, i.e., the preset flow rate will change. The monitoring system according to the embodiments of the present application can automatically adjust the preset flow rate in real time according to the ablation parameters of the ablation fiber 20 and / or the measured temperature of the ablation fiber 20, etc. so that the main power device 60 can adjust the power (for example, by adjusting the rotation speed) in time according to the updated preset flow rate to adapt to different ablation requirements.

[0076] In some embodiments, the ablation parameters can include, for example, ablation power, etc. In some other embodiments, the measured temperature of the ablation fiber can be obtained by, for example, a magnetic resonance system, and / or a temperature sensing component on the ablation fiber, etc. In some other embodiments, the monitoring unit 230 adjusting the preset flow rate can include increasing the preset flow rate or decreasing the preset flow rate.

[0077] In some other embodiments, when the bubble detection sensor is included in the monitoring system, the monitoring unit 230 can be further configured to: in response to the bubble detection sensor detecting the presence of bubbles, adjust the rotation speed of the main power device 60; and / or in response to the bubble detection sensor detecting the presence of bubbles, issue a prompt message. By arranging the bubble detection sensor in front of the cold liquid inlet of the to-be-cooled conduit 10, and by the monitoring unit 230 controlling the rotation speed of the main power device 60, for example, increasing the rotation speed, the bubbles can be made to pass through the to-be-cooled conduit 10 as soon as possible to avoid the influence of the bubbles on the ablation, and the manual judgment and operation can also be reduced by such a closed-loop control manner, and the probability of surgical interruption can also be reduced.

[0078] In yet some other embodiments, the monitoring unit 230 can be further configured to, in response to determining that there is a slight blockage in the cooling system, control the main power device 60 to increase the rotation speed so as to flush out the blockage material (such as large particles of dust, etc.) causing the slight blockage out of the cooling system by increasing the flow of the cooling liquid, so that a certain degree of automatic troubleshooting can be achieved, which is beneficial to reduce the manual judgment and operation, and reduce the probability of surgical interruption.

[0079] The above description of the monitoring system according to the embodiments of the present application is further described in combination with Figure 3 The monitoring system according to the embodiments of the present application is further described, and it can be understood that the above description is exemplary rather than limiting, for example, the first flow detection device 210 can not be limited to the form of the gravity sensor shown in the figure, and can also be in the form of a liquid level sensor or other flow meter, etc. according to the needs. Also, for example, the cooling liquid flowing out from the second cooling pipeline 50 can not be limited to flowing into the cold liquid recovery device 70 shown in the figure, but can also be arranged to flow into the main liquid supply device 30 in a closed loop according to the needs, at this time, the gravity sensor or the liquid level sensor can not be used to detect the first flow, but a flow meter can be arranged at the bottom of the main liquid supply device 30 to detect the first flow. Further, the monitoring system of the embodiments of the present application can not be limited to monitoring the flow state of the cooling liquid only by the first flow detection device 210 and the second flow detection device 220, but a pressure detection device can also be arranged to further detect the state of the cooling liquid in the cooling system. The following will be described in combination with Figure 4 .

[0080] Figure 4 The application state schematic diagram of the monitoring system according to the embodiments of the present application including the pressure detection device is shown. As Figure 4As shown in the figure, the monitoring system can be used in a cooling system including a main liquid supply device 30, a first cooling pipeline 40, a second cooling pipeline 50, a main power device 60 and a cold liquid recovery device 70, for example, in which cooling liquid in the main liquid supply device 30 can flow into the conduit 10 to be cooled via the first cooling pipeline 40 to cool the ablation optical fiber 20 therein. The monitoring system according to the embodiment of the present application can include a first flow detection device 210, a second flow detection device 220, a monitoring unit 230 and a pressure detection device 410, wherein the pressure detection device 410 can be arranged on the first cooling pipeline 40 and located between the main power device 60 and the cold liquid inlet 11 for detecting the pipeline pressure between the main power device 60 and the cold liquid inlet 11; the monitoring unit 230 can also be in communication connection with the pressure detection device 410 (shown by a dashed line in the figure) and used to determine the flow state of the cooling liquid in the cooling system according to the first flow, the second flow and the pipeline pressure.

[0081] In some embodiments, the pressure detection device 410 can include a pressure sensor. The pressure sensor is a device or apparatus capable of sensing a pressure signal and converting the pressure signal into an electrical signal according to certain rules. In some application scenarios, the pressure sensor can generally be composed of a pressure sensitive element and a signal processing unit. According to different types of test pressure, the pressure sensor can include a gauge pressure sensor, a differential pressure sensor and an absolute pressure sensor, etc.

[0082] By setting the pressure detection device 410 to detect the pipeline pressure, the monitoring unit 230 can comprehensively judge the cooling liquid flow in the cooling system in combination with the first flow, the second flow and the pipeline pressure, and not only can quickly determine whether there is a blockage and / or leakage in the cooling system, but also can more accurately determine the position and / or degree of possible blockage and / or leakage. For example, the monitoring unit 230 can be configured to: in response to the first flow and the second flow being substantially equal to the preset flow, and the pipeline pressure being substantially stable, it can be determined that the flow state of the cooling liquid in the cooling system is normal; in response to the first flow and the second flow being less than the preset flow, and the pipeline pressure increasing, it can be determined that there is a possible blockage in the pipeline other than the main liquid supply device 30 and the main power device 60 in the cooling system.

[0083] In other embodiments, the monitoring unit 230 may be further configured to: determine that there is a slight blockage at the cooling conduit 10 in response to the rate of decrease of the first flow rate being within a first speed range and the rate of increase of the pipeline pressure being within a third speed range; determine that there is a severe blockage at the cooling conduit 10 in response to the rate of zeroing of the first flow rate being within a second speed range and the rate of increase of the pipeline pressure being within a fourth speed range; determine that there is a blockage between the main liquid supply device 30 and the main power device 60 and / or at the main power device 60 in response to the pipeline pressure being at one atmosphere in a steady state; determine that there is a blockage at the cooling conduit 10 and a leak between the main power device 60 and the coolant inlet 11 in response to the trend of the first flow rate decreasing first and then increasing, and the trend of the pipeline pressure increasing first and then decreasing; and determine that there may be a leak at the cooling conduit 10 in response to the first flow rate remaining essentially unchanged, the second flow rate decreasing, and the rate of decrease of the pipeline pressure being within a fifth speed range.

[0084] The third, fourth, and fifth speed ranges can be set according to needs or experience, and they can be set to the same or different. Each of the three speed ranges refers to a certain range of speed variation, which can include a lower speed limit and a higher speed limit.

[0085] As illustrated by the examples above, combining pipeline pressure allows for more accurate monitoring and assessment of the coolant flow in the cooling system, and further clarifies the location of blockages and / or leaks. In particular, combining pipeline pressure can quickly identify leaks at 10 points on the cooling conduit, effectively preventing the safety risk of coolant leaks inside the patient's body (e.g., into the brain) that are not visually observable, thus further improving the safety of the surgical procedure.

[0086] The above combination Figure 4 An exemplary description has been provided of a monitoring system including a pressure detection device according to embodiments of the present invention. It is understood that the above description is exemplary and not restrictive. For example, in some other embodiments, a third flow detection device may be used instead of a pressure detection device. That is, the third flow detection device may be arranged on the first cooling pipe and located between the main power device and the coolant inlet to detect the third flow rate of the coolant between the main power device and the coolant inlet. Furthermore, the monitoring unit may also be used to determine the flow state of the coolant in the cooling system based on the first flow rate, the second flow rate, and the third flow rate.

[0087] By setting the third flow detection device, the flow state of the cooling liquid between the main power device and the cooling liquid inlet can be detected, so that the monitoring unit can assist in determining the position where the blockage and / or leakage may occur according to the change of the third flow, and thus more accurate monitoring of the flow state of the cooling liquid in the cooling system can be achieved based on the first flow, the second flow and the third flow.

[0088] In some embodiments, the monitoring unit 230 can be further configured to: in response to the second flow and the third flow changing, determine the position and / or degree of the leakage in the cooling system according to the change trend of the second flow and the third flow. For example, in response to the second flow dropping to a first flow threshold and the third flow having a dropping trend, the monitoring unit 230 can determine that there is a slight leakage at the main power device; in response to the second flow dropping to a second flow threshold and the third flow also dropping to the second flow threshold, the monitoring unit 230 can determine that there is a severe leakage at the main power device, wherein the first flow threshold is greater than or equal to the second flow threshold. Based on this, the monitoring unit 230 can quickly determine whether the leakage position is at the main power device or other positions, thereby facilitating the provision of effective information support to the operator to predict the risk degree and take timely targeted measures. In yet some embodiments, the third flow detection device and the pressure detection device can be set as needed to simultaneously detect the third flow and the pipeline pressure between the main power device and the cooling liquid inlet.

[0089] Figure 5 An application state diagram of the monitoring unit including the temperature control device according to an embodiment of the present application is shown. As shown in Figure 5 the monitoring system can be used in the cooling system including the main liquid supply device 30, the first cooling pipeline 40, the second cooling pipeline 50, the main power device 60 and the cooling liquid recovery device 70 in the diagram, for example. The monitoring system according to an embodiment of the present application can include the first flow detection device 210, the second flow detection device 220, the monitoring unit 230, the pressure detection device 410 and the temperature control device 510, wherein the temperature control device 510 can be arranged at a position close to the cooling liquid inlet 11 on the first cooling pipeline 40 and / or at the main liquid supply device 30, for detecting and / or controlling the first temperature of the cooling liquid entering the to-be-cooled conduit 10; the monitoring unit 230 can also be in communication connection with the temperature control device 510 (shown by a dashed line in the diagram), and be configured to acquire the first temperature and / or control the temperature control device 510 to perform corresponding temperature control operation.

[0090] In some embodiments, the temperature control device 510 can have both temperature detection and temperature control functions. In other embodiments, the temperature control device 510 can be a device capable of refrigeration for lowering the temperature of the cooling liquid. In yet other embodiments, the temperature control device 510 can include a temperature measurement optical fiber for temperature detection, and can also include a resistance wire for the purpose of heating the cooling liquid when direct current is applied to the resistance wire. In some embodiments, the temperature control device 510 can include an ice water bath or other cooling device for the purpose of lowering the first temperature by cooling the first cooling pipeline.

[0091] In some application scenarios, the temperature control device 510 can be arranged at the main liquid supply device 30, for example, arranged outside the main liquid supply device 30, or built into the main liquid supply device 30, so as to detect and / or control the temperature of the cooling liquid in the main liquid supply device 30, thereby achieving the purpose of controlling the first temperature. In other application scenarios, the temperature control device 510 can be arranged on the first cooling pipeline 40 at a position close to the cold liquid inlet 11. Here, close can be understood as the temperature control device 510 being closer to the cold liquid inlet 11 than to the main liquid supply device 30, or can be understood as the temperature control device 510 being located between the center point of the first cooling pipeline 40 and the cold liquid inlet 11. In some embodiments, the temperature control device 510 can be arranged outside the first cooling pipeline 40. In yet other embodiments, the temperature control device 510 can be arranged immediately adjacent to the connection between the first cooling pipeline 40 and the cold liquid inlet 11.

[0092] Further, in some embodiments, the monitoring system according to the embodiments of the present application can further include a temperature detection device, which can be arranged on the second cooling pipeline 50 for detecting the second temperature of the cooling liquid flowing out of the to-be-cooled conduit 10; and the monitoring unit 230 can be further configured to determine whether to perform the temperature control operation according to at least one of the first temperature, the second temperature, and the measured temperature in the to-be-cooled conduit.

[0093] In some embodiments, the temperature detection device can be in communication connection with the monitoring unit 230 for sending data of the second temperature to the monitoring unit 230. In other embodiments, the temperature detection device can include a temperature sensor, which can be located on the second cooling pipeline 50 for detecting the second temperature of the cooling liquid in the second cooling pipeline 50. The temperature sensor refers to a sensor that can sense temperature and convert it into a usable output signal. In other embodiments, the temperature sensor can include, for example, a resistance sensor, a thermocouple sensor, etc. The type of temperature detection device can be selected as needed, which is not limited here.

[0094] In some application scenarios, for example, in monitoring of the cooling system in the ablation surgery, too low temperature of the cooling liquid can also cause harm to the normal tissue of the patient, therefore, in order to ensure that the cooling liquid does not cause harm to the normal tissue of the patient, preferably, the first temperature of the cooling liquid before entering the catheter 10 to be cooled can be controlled to be 33-37℃. According to such a need, when the temperature control device 510 detects that the temperature of the cooling liquid is higher than 37℃, the monitoring unit 230 can control the temperature control device 510 to perform a cooling operation on the cooling liquid; or when the temperature control device 510 detects that the temperature of the cooling liquid is lower than 33℃, the monitoring unit 230 can control the temperature control device 510 to perform a heating operation on the cooling liquid, so that the first temperature of the cooling liquid can be maintained between 33-37℃.

[0095] Further, by simultaneously providing the temperature detection device and the temperature control device 510, effective regulation of the temperature of the cooling liquid can be facilitated. For example, in some application scenarios, in order to ensure the cooling effect, when the monitoring unit 230 detects that the second temperature exceeds the first temperature threshold, the temperature control device 510 can be controlled to cool the cooling liquid about to flow into the catheter 10 to be cooled, or the rotation speed of the main power device 60 can be controlled to increase the flow of the cooling liquid in the cooling system. In some embodiments, the first temperature threshold can be set to, for example, 42℃, etc.

[0096] In other application scenarios, when the monitoring unit 230 detects that the measured temperature of the ablation optical fiber exceeds the second temperature threshold, the temperature control device 510 can be controlled to cool the cooling liquid about to flow into the catheter 10 to be cooled, or the rotation speed of the main power device 60 can be controlled to increase the flow of the cooling liquid in the cooling system, so as to achieve rapid cooling of the ablation optical fiber. The monitoring unit 230 controls the temperature control device to perform the temperature control operation and / or controls the main power device to perform the flow adjustment according to at least one of the first temperature, the second temperature and the measured temperature of the ablation optical fiber, which can realize automatic closed-loop control and adjustment, can not require human judgment and control, and can be adapted to various application scenarios to perform timely and accurate cooling regulation.

[0097] The above description is combined with Figure 5 The monitoring system according to the embodiments of the present application is exemplarily described as including the temperature control device, it can be understood that the examples shown in the figures are exemplary but not limited, for example, the temperature control device 510 can not be limited to only one as shown in the figures, and multiple temperature control devices can be provided as needed. In some embodiments, two temperature control devices can be provided, one of which is arranged at a position close to the cooling liquid inlet 11 on the first cooling pipeline 40, and the other can be arranged at the main liquid supply device 30. Further, the monitoring system according to the embodiments of the present application can also include a backup device to cope with more possible situations. The following will be described in combination with Figure 6An exemplary description is made.

[0098] Figure 6 An application state diagram of a monitoring unit including a backup cooling device according to an embodiment of the present application is shown. As shown in the diagram, Figure 6 As shown in the diagram, the monitoring system can be used in a cooling system including a main liquid supply device 30, a first cooling pipeline 40, a second cooling pipeline 50, a main power device 60 and a cold liquid recovery device 70, for example. The monitoring system according to an embodiment of the present application can include a first flow detection device 210, a second flow detection device 220, a monitoring unit 230, a pressure detection device 410, a temperature control device 510, a cooling branch 610 and a backup liquid supply device 620, wherein the cooling branch 610 can be connected to the first cooling pipeline 40 between the main power device 60 and the cold liquid inlet 11 of the conduit 10 to be cooled; the backup liquid supply device 620 can be connected to the cooling branch 610 and used to provide cooling liquid via the cooling branch 610.

[0099] One end of the cooling branch 610 can be in communication with the first cooling pipeline 40, and the other end can be connected to the backup liquid supply device 620, so that the cooling liquid in the backup liquid supply device 620 can flow into the first cooling pipeline 40 via the cooling branch 610, and then into the conduit 10 to be cooled. In some embodiments, a valve can be provided on the cooling branch 610 for controlling the opening and closing of the cooling branch 610. In other embodiments, the backup liquid supply device 620 can include one or more of a backup liquid supply bag, a backup liquid supply bottle and a backup liquid supply tank, etc. In yet other embodiments, a fourth flow detection device can be provided at the backup liquid supply device 620 to detect a fourth flow of the cooling liquid flowing out of the backup liquid supply device 620. The fourth flow detection device can be implemented in the same or similar manner as the first flow detection device described above, and thus will not be described again here.

[0100] In some application scenarios, when the monitoring unit 230 detects a fault such as a leak or a blockage at the main power device 60 or between the main power device 60 and the main liquid supply device 30, the cooling branch 610 and the backup liquid supply device 620 can be opened, so that the cooling liquid in the backup liquid supply device 620 can be timely supplemented into the first cooling pipeline 40 to avoid affecting the cooling effect during the ablation process, thereby reducing the risk of interruption during the operation and the harm to the patient due to the unsatisfactory cooling effect.

[0101] In other application scenarios, when the measured temperature of the ablation fiber is high, rapid cooling may be necessary to remove more heat from the fiber. In such cases, since the main fluid supply device 30 is relatively far away, the backup fluid supply device 620, which is closer, can be activated to quickly increase the coolant flow rate and achieve rapid cooling. In ablation surgery cooling systems, the main fluid supply device is typically located outside the MRI room for ease of operation and to avoid safety risks caused by malfunctions inside the MRI room. Therefore, the backup fluid supply device 620 ensures safety within the MRI room without altering the operation of the original cooling system.

[0102] like Figure 6 As further illustrated, in some embodiments, the monitoring system may also include a backup power unit 630, which may be arranged on the cooling branch pipe 610 to drive the flow of coolant in the cooling branch pipe 610. The backup power unit 630 may be communicatively connected to the monitoring unit 230 (shown as dashed lines in the figure). In some embodiments, the backup power unit 630 may include, for example, a peristaltic pump, a centrifugal pump, or other water pumps. In other embodiments, the backup power unit 630 may be a magnetically compatible device. In still other embodiments, the backup power unit 630 may be placed inside a shield. In still other embodiments, the monitoring unit 230 may control the opening and closing of the cooling branch pipe 610 by controlling the opening or closing of the backup power unit 630, i.e., controlling whether coolant from the backup liquid supply device 620 flows into the first cooling pipe 40. In still other application scenarios, the monitoring unit 230 may determine the flow rate of coolant in the cooling branch pipe 40 based on the rotational speed of the backup power unit 630; or control the rotational speed of the backup power unit 630 based on the required backup flow rate.

[0103] The above combination Figure 6 An exemplary description of a monitoring system including a backup fluid supply device according to an embodiment of the present invention has been provided. It is understood that by setting up a backup fluid supply device and a cooling branch pipe, it is beneficial to further improve the cooling capacity and cooling speed of the cooling system, and also to reduce the impact of cooling system failure on the cooling effect and surgical procedure.

[0104] Based on the above description of the technical solution and multiple embodiments of the monitoring system of the present invention, those skilled in the art will understand that the monitoring system of the embodiments of the present invention, by setting up a first flow detection device, a second flow detection device, and a monitoring unit, can help to quickly determine whether there is a leak in the cooling system, thereby improving the safety of the ablation procedure. Furthermore, in some embodiments, by setting up a pressure detection device, it is more conducive to accurately monitoring the potential risks of leaks and / or blockages in the cooling system, and to determining the location of leaks and / or blockages.

[0105] Further, according to the technical solution of the present application, in a second aspect, a cooling system is provided, which comprises the monitoring system according to any one of the preceding Figures 2-6 Further, according to the technical solution of the present application, in a third aspect, an ablation system is provided, which can comprise the cooling system provided in the second aspect of the present application. In some embodiments, the ablation system can comprise an ablation fiber catheter connected with the cooling system; and an ablation fiber located in the ablation fiber catheter. During the ablation procedure, the ablation fiber and the ablation fiber catheter need to be inserted into the patient's body (including but not limited to the brain) to perform ablation treatment on the lesion in the patient's body. The cooling water flowing in the cooling system can be used to cool the ablation fiber, so as to assist in controlling the temperature of the ablation fiber and avoiding damage to normal tissues caused by high temperature. In some embodiments, the ablation fiber catheter can be a tubular structure, and can form a closed circulation path between the first cooling pipeline and the second cooling pipeline, so as to avoid the cooling liquid from entering the patient's body.

[0106] Although a plurality of embodiments of the present application have been shown and described herein, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that such embodiments are provided only in an exemplary manner. Those skilled in the art can think of many changes, alterations and alternatives without departing from the idea and spirit of the present application. It should be understood that various alternatives to the embodiments of the present application described herein can be employed in practicing the present application. The appended claims are intended to define the scope of protection of the present application, and thus cover equivalent or alternative solutions within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A monitoring system for monitoring a cooling system, wherein the cooling system is configured to cool a to-be-cooled conduit and comprises a main liquid supply device, a first cooling pipeline and a second cooling pipeline, wherein the first cooling pipeline is connected between the main liquid supply device and a cold liquid inlet of the to-be-cooled conduit, and the second cooling pipeline is configured to be connected to a cold liquid outlet of the to-be-cooled conduit; the monitoring system comprises: a first flow detection device arranged at the main liquid supply device and configured to detect a first flow of cooling liquid flowing out of the main liquid supply device; a second flow detection device arranged on the second cooling pipeline and configured to detect a second flow of cooling liquid in the second cooling pipeline; and a monitoring unit configured to determine a flow state of the cooling liquid in the cooling system according to the first flow and the second flow; wherein the monitoring unit is configured to determine the flow state of the cooling liquid in the cooling system by: determining a degree and / or a location of a leak and / or a blockage in the cooling system according to a change trend of the first flow and / or the second flow in response to a change in the first flow and / or the second flow; wherein the degree of the leak and / or the blockage is determined according to the change trend by: determining that there is a slight blockage in the cooling system in response to the change trend of the second flow being a decrease followed by an increase; determining that there is a severe blockage in the cooling system in response to the first flow and the second flow both decreasing to zero; determining that there is a slight leak in the cooling system in response to the second flow decreasing to a first flow threshold; and determining that there is a severe leak in the cooling system in response to the second flow decreasing to a second flow threshold, wherein the first flow threshold is greater than or equal to the second flow threshold. 2.The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the monitoring unit is further configured to determine the flow state of the cooling liquid in the cooling system by: determining whether there is a leak in the cooling system according to a comparison result between the first flow and the second flow. 3.The monitoring system of claim 1 or 2, wherein the cooling system further comprises a main power device arranged on the first cooling pipeline and configured to push the cooling liquid in the first cooling pipeline to flow according to a preset flow; and the monitoring unit is further configured to determine the flow state of the cooling liquid in the cooling system according to a relationship among the first flow, the second flow and the preset flow. 4.The monitoring system of claim 3, wherein the monitoring unit is configured to determine the flow state of the cooling liquid in the cooling system by: determining that the flow state in the cooling system is normal in response to the first flow, the second flow and the preset flow being equal; determining that there is a blockage in the cooling system in response to the first flow and the second flow both being less than the preset flow; and determining that there is a leak in the cooling system in response to the first flow being greater than the second flow in a stable state. 5.The monitoring system of claim 3 or 4, wherein the monitoring unit is further configured to at least one of: ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ determining, in response to the first flow rate and / or the second flow rate changing, a location of a leak and / or a blockage in the cooling system according to a change trend of the first flow rate and / or the second flow rate; determining, in response to the first flow rate and / or the second flow rate changing, a degree of a leak and / or a blockage in the cooling system according to a change trend of the first flow rate and / or the second flow rate.

6. The monitoring system of claim 5, wherein determining the location of the leak and / or the blockage according to the change trend comprises: determining, in response to a falling speed of the first flow rate being within a first speed range, that there is a mild blockage at the conduit to be cooled; determining, in response to a zeroing speed of the first flow rate being within a second speed range, that there is a severe blockage at the conduit to be cooled; determining, in response to the first flow rate having a rising trend, that there is a leak between the main liquid supply device and the main power device; determining, in response to the second flow rate falling to a second flow rate threshold and the first flow rate having a falling trend, that there is a severe leak at the main power device.

7. The monitoring system of claim 3, further comprising: a pressure detecting device arranged on the first cooling pipeline between the main power device and the cold liquid inlet for detecting a pipeline pressure between the main power device and the cold liquid inlet; the monitoring unit is further configured to determine a flow state of the cooling liquid in the cooling system according to the first flow rate, the second flow rate and the pipeline pressure.

8. The monitoring system of claim 7, wherein the monitoring unit is further configured to: determine a degree and / or a location of a leak and / or a blockage in the cooling system according to a change trend of at least one of the first flow rate, the second flow rate and the pipeline pressure.

9. The monitoring system of claim 8, wherein the monitoring unit determining the degree and / or the location of the leak and / or the blockage in the cooling system comprises: determining, in response to the first flow rate and the second flow rate both being less than a preset flow rate and the pipeline pressure increasing, that there is a blockage in a pipeline other than the main liquid supply device and the main power device in the cooling system; determining, in response to a falling speed of the first flow rate being within a first speed range and a rising speed of the pipeline pressure being within a third speed range, that there is a mild blockage at the conduit to be cooled; determining, in response to a zeroing speed of the first flow rate being within a second speed range and a rising speed of the pipeline pressure being within a fourth speed range, that there is a severe blockage at the conduit to be cooled; determining, in response to the pipeline pressure in a steady state being one atmosphere, that there is a blockage between the main liquid supply device and the main power device and / or at the main power device; determining, in response to a change trend of the first flow rate being falling first and then rising and a change trend of the pipeline pressure being rising first and then falling, that there is a blockage at the conduit to be cooled and a leak between the main power device and the cold liquid inlet; determining, in response to the first flow rate being constant, the second flow rate falling and a falling speed of the pipeline pressure being within a fifth speed range, that there is a leak at the conduit to be cooled.

10. The monitoring system of claim 3, further comprising: a third flow detecting device arranged on the first cooling pipeline between the main power device and the cold liquid inlet, for detecting a third flow of the cooling liquid between the main power device and the cold liquid inlet; and the monitoring unit is further configured to determine a flow state of the cooling liquid in the cooling system according to the first flow, the second flow and the third flow.

11. The monitoring system of any one of claims 3-10, wherein the monitoring unit is further configured to at least one of: adjust the preset flow according to an ablation parameter of the ablation fiber and / or a measured temperature of the ablation fiber when the cooling system is used to cool the ablation fiber in the catheter to be cooled; and regulate power of the main power device to make the first flow and the second flow reach the preset flow.

12. The monitoring system of claim 3, further comprising: a bubble detecting sensor arranged at the cold liquid inlet or arranged in the first cooling pipeline at a position close to the cold liquid inlet, for detecting whether there is a bubble in the cooling liquid entering the catheter to be cooled; and the monitoring unit is further configured to: adjust the rotation speed of the main power device in response to the bubble detecting sensor detecting the presence of the bubble; and / or issue a prompt message in response to the bubble detecting sensor detecting the presence of the bubble.

13. The monitoring system of claim 1, further comprising: a temperature control device arranged on the first cooling pipeline at a position close to the cold liquid inlet and / or at the main liquid supply device, for detecting and / or controlling a first temperature of the cooling liquid entering the catheter to be cooled.

14. The monitoring system of claim 13, further comprising: a temperature detecting device arranged on the second cooling pipeline, for detecting a second temperature of the cooling liquid flowing out of the catheter to be cooled; and the monitoring unit is further configured to: determine whether to perform a temperature control operation according to at least one of the first temperature, the second temperature and a measured temperature in the catheter to be cooled.

15. The monitoring system of claim 3, further comprising: a cooling branch connected to the first cooling pipeline between the main power device and the cold liquid inlet; and a standby liquid supply device connected to the cooling branch and configured to provide the cooling liquid via the cooling branch.

16. The monitoring system of claim 15, further comprising: a standby power device arranged on the cooling branch, for pushing the cooling liquid in the cooling branch to flow.

17. The monitoring system of any one of claims 1-16, wherein the first flow detecting device comprises: a liquid level sensor arranged in the main liquid supply device, for detecting a liquid level in the main liquid supply device; and the monitoring unit is further configured to: determine the first flow according to a change of the liquid level over time.

18. The monitoring system of any one of claims 1-16, wherein the first flow detecting device comprises: ​ a gravity sensor, which is located outside the main liquid supply device and is used to detect the weight of the cooling liquid in the main liquid supply device; the monitoring unit is further configured to: determine the first flow rate according to the change of the weight over time.

19. A cooling system comprising the monitoring system according to any one of claims 1-18.

20. An ablation system comprising the cooling system according to claim 19.

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