Cryoablation Probe with Release Instrument for Ice Ball Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cryoablation devices are inefficient, costly, and prone to necrosis of adjacent tissues due to lengthy procedures and difficulty in positioning, requiring extended waiting times for ice ball melting and non-reusable needles, which can lead to incomplete tissue destruction and adverse clinical events.
Innovation Solution
A cryoablation device comprising a probe with a filament for cooling and a release instrument with a heating element, allowing quick formation and removal of an ice ball, enabling efficient and minimally invasive tissue ablation with reusable components and antimicrobial coatings, facilitating precise control over necrosis and reducing procedure time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional cryoablation devices use single needles that form ice balls directly attached to needle tips, then tissue ablation is achieved, but the procedure takes considerable time because medical practitioners must wait for ice balls to melt enough to remove needles
Solution Approach 1:
The device divides the cryoablation system into separate components: a reusable probe with filament and a disposable needle assembly. The needle can be quickly removed from the ice ball because it is not permanently attached, allowing the next procedure to begin immediately without waiting for ice ball melting. This segmentation enables the needle to be separated from the freezing mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The needle assembly is designed as a disposable component that is discarded after use, while the expensive probe with filament is recovered and reused. This allows rapid replacement of needles between procedures without time-consuming ice ball melting, as each new needle can be quickly inserted and positioned.
2Reliability
If traditional cryoablation devices use disposable needles, then sterilization is ensured, but the cost of the procedure increases due to non-reusable components
Solution Approach 1:
The system is segmented into two parts: a reusable sterilizable probe and a disposable needle assembly. This allows the expensive probe to be sterilized and reused multiple times, while only the cheaper needle portion is discarded, reducing overall procedural costs compared to disposing of entire needle-probe assemblies.
Solution Approach 2:
The needle assembly is designed as a disposable component that is discarded after use, while the expensive probe with filament is recovered and reused. This allows rapid replacement of needles between procedures without time-consuming ice ball melting, as each new needle can be quickly inserted and positioned.
3Manufacturing precision
If cryoablation procedures use extended waiting times for ice ball melting, then complete tissue destruction is achieved, but adjacent tissues may undergo unwanted necrosis
Solution Approach 1:
The device allows preliminary positioning and mapping of the needle tip adjacent to the target tissue before initiating freezing. This enables precise control of the ice ball formation and limits its growth to the intended target area, preventing damage to adjacent healthy tissues while ensuring complete destruction of the treated tissue.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables monitoring and visualization of the ice ball formation process through ultrasonography, CT, and MRI. This feedback allows the practitioner to observe ice ball growth in real-time and stop the freezing process at the optimal moment when complete tissue destruction is achieved but before adjacent tissues are damaged.
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
The device enables faster, cost-effective, and precise ablation of nerves and soft tissues, reducing procedure time, minimizing necrosis, and allowing for multiple uses, thus improving clinical outcomes and reducing healthcare costs.
Implementation Method 1
a formation of, what is known in the art as, an ice ball around the tip. During freezing, ice formation within the extracellular space creates an osmotic gradient
Implementation Method 2
Another form of ablation uses cold ablation and is called cryoablation. During cryoablation, tissue is frozen or rapid, freeze/thaw cycles are inflicted upon the tissue
Implementation Method 3
A cryoablation device comprising a probe with a filament for cooling and a release instrument with a heating element
Implementation Method 4
During freezing, ice formation within the extracellular space creates an osmotic gradient, resulting in cellular dehydration, ice crystals then form within the cells causing cell membranes to rupture resulting in cell death
Implementation Method 5
a filament comprising an opening configured to release a pressurised material into the interior surface of the probe so as to cool the exterior surface of the probe
Data Source
AI summary
Ablation devices useful for destroying nerve and soft tissue via a minimally invasive procedure to alleviate pain are provided. The device comprises a probe comprising an interior surface that defines an internal passage and an exterior surface comprising a tip. The internal passage has a filament comprising an opening configured to release a pressurized material into the interior surface of the probe so as to cool the exterior surface of the probe to a selected temperature. A release instrument is provided comprising a sheath that comprises an exterior surface and an interior surface configured for engagement with the probe. The probe tip is configured for ablating nerve and/or soft tissue by forming an ice ball and the release instrument is configured to release the probe tip from the ice ball. Methods for ablating nerve and/or soft tissue utilizing the ablation devices are also provided.