Dielectric Balloon Capacitive Coupling for Uniform Endometrial Ablation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing endometrial ablation technologies face challenges such as slow treatment times, incomplete ablation, non-uniform ablation depths, and risk of injury to adjacent organs during radiofrequency current application for menorrhagia treatment.
Innovation Solution
An electrosurgical system using a thin-wall dielectric member to capacitively couple radiofrequency current through an ionized gas, which is expanded within the uterine cavity to ensure uniform tissue ablation and minimize organ damage, along with a method to verify uterine cavity integrity before treatment using fluid flow monitoring.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If radiofrequency ablation is performed using conventional electrodes, then endometrial tissue can be ablated, but treatment time is extended and ablation uniformity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The balloon electrode is designed to be expandable and collapsible, allowing it to dynamically adapt to the uterine cavity shape. When expanded, it creates uniform contact with the endometrial surface across the entire treatment area, enabling simultaneous ablation of multiple regions and significantly reducing treatment time while maintaining uniform ablation depth
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the physical state of the radiofrequency energy delivery by using a capacitive coupling mechanism through the dielectric balloon wall rather than direct contact electrodes. This parameter change in energy delivery mode allows for more uniform energy distribution across the endometrial surface, improving ablation uniformity while reducing overall treatment time
2Reliability
If radiofrequency current is applied to achieve complete ablation, then treatment effectiveness improves, but risk of injury to adjacent organs increases
Solution Approach 1:
The balloon electrode delivers radiofrequency energy locally and uniformly across the endometrial surface through capacitive coupling. The dielectric balloon wall confines the electric field to the intended treatment zone, ensuring complete ablation of the endometrium while preventing energy spread to adjacent organs such as the bladder or bowel
Solution Approach 2:
The dielectric balloon material acts as an intermediary between the radiofrequency energy source and the endometrial tissue. It allows capacitive coupling of the radiofrequency current to the tissue while physically isolating the high-voltage electrodes from direct contact with sensitive organs, thereby achieving complete ablation without increasing injury risk
3Ease of operation
If conventional ablation devices are used, then treatment can be performed, but ablation depth control becomes non-uniform
Solution Approach 1:
The expandable balloon electrode dynamically conforms to the three-dimensional shape of the uterine cavity, ensuring uniform distribution of the radiofrequency electric field across the entire endometrial surface. This dynamic adaptation allows for controlled and uniform ablation depth throughout the treatment area, eliminating the non-uniformity associated with rigid conventional electrodes
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 system enables rapid, controlled, and uniform endometrial ablation while reducing the risk of organ injury by ensuring the uterine cavity is intact before treatment, thereby improving treatment efficiency and safety.
Implementation Method 1
applying radiofrequency current to endometrial tissue by means of capacitively coupling the current through an expandable, thin-wall dielectric member enclosing an ionized gas
Implementation Method 2
enclosing an ionized gas
Implementation Method 3
applying radiofrequency current to endometrial tissue by means of capacitively coupling the current through an expandable, thin-wall dielectric member
Implementation Method 4
providing a flow of a fluid (e.g., CO2) through the probe into the uterine cavity and monitoring the rate of the flow to characterize the uterine cavity as perforated or non-perforated based on a change in the flow rate
Data Source
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AI summary
Methods, systems and devices for evaluating the integrity of a uterine cavity. A method comprises introducing transcervically a probe into a patient's uterine cavity, providing a flow of a fluid (e.g., CO2) through the probe into the uterine cavity and monitoring the rate of the flow to characterize the uterine cavity as perforated or non-perforated based on a change in the flow rate. If the flow rate drops to zero or close to zero, this indicates that the uterine cavity is intact and not perforated. If the flow rate does not drop to zero or close to zero, this indicates that a fluid flow is leaking through a perforation in the uterine cavity into the uterine cavity or escaping around an occlusion balloon that occludes the cervical canal.