Ablation Overtube with Suction Electrodes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current endoscopic treatment devices for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) require additional steps and cause patient discomfort due to the need for balloon sizing and inflated balloons obstructing visualization, leading to potential ablation of healthy tissue or incomplete ablation of diseased tissue.
Innovation Solution
An energy delivery system with an overtube having a lumen and electrodes, where suction is applied through openings to draw tissue to the electrodes for direct ablation under endoscopic visualization, eliminating the need for balloon sizing and allowing precise energy delivery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an inflated balloon treatment device is used, then adequate contact with diseased tissue is achieved for effective ablation, but the balloon obstructs endoscopic visualization of the target tissue
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of inflating a balloon to contact tissue (which blocks visualization), the patent inverts the approach by using suction to draw tissue onto the electrodes. This allows the electrodes to contact tissue for ablation while maintaining endoscopic visualization, as the overtube with electrodes does not require balloon inflation to achieve tissue contact
2Measurement precision
If a sizing balloon is introduced before treatment, then the correct balloon size and pressure are determined for adequate ablation, but additional time and patient discomfort are added to the procedure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the separate sizing balloon step from the treatment procedure. The overtube with electrodes is designed to function effectively without requiring prior balloon sizing, thereby removing the additional time and patient discomfort associated with introducing and sizing a balloon before treatment
3Power
If circumferentially oriented electrodes on an inflated balloon are used, then appropriate energy is delivered to ablate diseased tissue, but the procedure becomes more complex with additional steps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the electrode structure and tissue contact mechanism into a single integrated overtube design. The electrodes are positioned on the overtube body itself, eliminating the need for a separate inflated balloon structure, thereby reducing device complexity and procedure steps while maintaining energy delivery capability for ablation
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach simplifies the treatment procedure, reduces patient discomfort, and enables direct visualization of the target tissue for more effective and precise ablation, minimizing the risk of ablating healthy tissue or missing diseased tissue.
Implementation Method 1
The lumen is operably connectable to a vacuum source and the electrode is operably connectable to a power source
Data Source
AI summary
An energy delivery system and a method of delivering energy to a tissue are provided. The energy delivery system includes an overtube. The overtube includes a body having a proximal portion, a distal portion and a lumen extending at least partially therethrough. The proximal portion is adapted to be positioned over a distal portion of an endoscope. The body also includes a first plurality of openings formed in the body and connected to the lumen and an electrode operably connected to the body and extending over at least a portion of a surface of the body. The lumen is operably connectable to a vacuum source and the electrode is operably connectable to a power source.