Center-fed dipole for tissue ablation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current microwave energy delivery systems for tissue ablation face limitations such as small lesion size due to power constraints, risk of tissue burning, and invasive component size, which complicates procedures and increases complications.

Innovation Solution

The use of a center-fed dipole device with a coaxial cable and hollow tube, where the hollow tube is designed to resonate at specific frequencies, allowing for efficient energy transmission and minimizing power reflection, enabling deeper tissue penetration with reduced surface heating and smaller invasive component sizes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Power

If larger diameter feedlines are used to deliver more microwave power, then power delivery capability is improved, but device invasiveness increases and procedural complications increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower delivery capabilityVSAvoiddevice invasiveness

Core Design Contradiction:

PowerVSLength of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The feedline system is segmented into a proximal portion with larger diameter for power delivery and a distal portion with smaller diameter for tissue insertion. This segmentation allows the device to deliver high power through the larger proximal section while maintaining minimal invasiveness through the smaller distal section that enters the tissue.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Power

If higher power is delivered to create larger lesions, then treatment effectiveness is improved, but feedline heating and tissue burning increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower deliveryVSAvoidtissue burning

Core Design Contradiction:

PowerVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The harmful heating effect is extracted and isolated to the distal tip region where the microwave energy is intentionally focused. The feedline portion is designed to minimize unwanted heating through proper dielectric material selection and geometric configuration, while the distal tip concentrates the thermal effect specifically at the treatment site for effective lesion creation without damaging surrounding tissues.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

A dielectric material with specific properties serves as an intermediary between the microwave energy source and the tissue. This dielectric medium facilitates controlled energy transfer and thermal distribution, enabling high power delivery to create large lesions while preventing uncontrolled heating and tissue burning through its electromagnetic and thermal properties.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Power

If more microwave energy is delivered to create larger thermal lesions, then ablation effectiveness is improved, but energy loss in feedline increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvethermal lesion sizeVSAvoidmicrowave energy loss

Core Design Contradiction:

PowerVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The feedline parameters including diameter, wall thickness, and dielectric material properties are optimized to minimize microwave energy loss. By carefully selecting and adjusting these parameters, the system achieves efficient energy transmission over the feedline length while maintaining the power necessary to create large thermal lesions at the distal tip.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

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 enables the creation of larger thermal lesions with reduced tissue damage and procedural complications, allowing for more effective and safer delivery of microwave energy to deeper tissue regions without the need for large invasive components.

Implementation Method 1

the hollow tube is designed to resonate at specific frequencies, allowing for efficient energy transmission and minimizing power reflection

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectResonance: Resonance

Implementation Method 2

The use of a center-fed dipole device with a coaxial cable and hollow tube... enabling deeper tissue penetration with reduced surface heating... creation of larger thermal lesions

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMicrowave heating: Dielectric Heating

Data Source

PatentUS8672932B2Center fed dipole for use with tissue ablation systems, devices and methods

Publication Date: 2014.03.18 NEUWAVE MEDICAL INC

AI summary

The present invention relates to systems and devices for delivering energy to tissue for a wide variety of applications, including medical procedures (e.g., tissue ablation, resection, cautery, vascular thrombosis, treatment of cardiac arrhythmias and dysrhythmias, electrosurgery, tissue harvest, etc.). In particular, the present invention relates to systems and devices for the delivery of energy employing a center fed dipole component. In certain embodiments, methods are provided for treating a tissue region (e.g., a tumor) through application of energy with the systems and devices of the present invention.