Dual-Prong Cryoablation Probe for Precise Tissue Necrosis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cryoablation devices face challenges in precisely controlling the area of necrosis and minimizing collateral thermal damage during minimally invasive procedures, often resulting in unwanted tissue damage and inconsistent ablation results due to the use of single probes that generate large ice balls and difficulty in positioning the device optimally.
Innovation Solution
A cryoablation system with a probe having two parallel prongs and a monitoring device that regulates temperature, pressure, and position, allowing for precise control and minimal damage, along with imaging for accurate tissue identification and ablation, and a computer system for calculating optimal ablation parameters.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If a single probe is used to generate a large ice ball for ablation, then the ablation area is increased, but the collateral thermal damage to surrounding tissue is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The single probe is divided into multiple separate probes (first probe and second probe) that can be positioned independently. Each probe generates its own ice ball, allowing the ablation area to be covered by multiple smaller ice balls rather than one large ice ball, thus reducing collateral thermal damage to surrounding tissues while maintaining adequate ablation coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The probes are designed with different characteristics suited to specific locations - the first probe has a larger diameter for generating larger ice balls in certain areas, while the second probe has a smaller diameter for more precise ablation in other areas. This allows optimization of ablation effectiveness while minimizing collateral damage in different tissue regions.
2Device complexity
If a single probe is used for cryoablation, then the device complexity is reduced, but the manufacturing precision and control of necrosis area deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The single probe system is segmented into multiple independent probes, each capable of precise positioning and control. This segmentation allows for better control of the necrosis area in different locations while maintaining relatively simple individual probe designs, balancing device complexity with manufacturing precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The probes are designed to be movable and repositionable within the tissue, allowing dynamic adjustment during the ablation process. This enables precise control of the necrosis area by moving the probes to optimal positions and adjusting their insertion depth, while the probes themselves remain structurally simple.
3Speed
If the ice ball grows rapidly in all directions, then the ablation speed is improved, but the difficulty of detecting and measuring the ablation boundary increases
Solution Approach 1:
By using multiple smaller probes instead of one large probe, the ice balls grow more slowly and remain more contained and detectable. Each smaller ice ball has a clearer, more defined boundary that is easier to detect and measure, while the collective ablation effect is achieved through the combined action of multiple probes, maintaining adequate ablation speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates monitoring devices that provide real-time feedback on ice ball growth and ablation progress. This feedback allows the operator to detect and measure ablation boundaries more accurately, adjusting the probes accordingly to maintain precise control while proceeding at an optimal ablation speed.
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
Enables precise destruction of nerve and soft tissue with reduced collateral damage and improved consistency in ablation, effectively alleviating pain by allowing for controlled ablation of larger surface areas with minimized tissue damage.
Implementation Method 1
a filament disposed in the internal passage of the at least two prongs, the filament having an opening configured to release a pressurized material into the interior surface of the at least two prongs so as to cool the exterior surface of the at least two prongs
Implementation Method 2
the exterior surface of the at least two prongs contacts the nerve and/or soft tissue to be frozen
Implementation Method 3
at least one monitoring device coupled to the probe for recording and regulating temperature, pressure and position of the probe
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
Data Source
AI summary
An ablation device and method for monitoring and controlling temperature, pressure and position of an ablation probe for precise destruction of unwanted one of nerve tissue and soft tissue. The ablation device includes a probe configured to generate pressure and temperature for ablating the unwanted soft tissue and nerve tissue The device can also include a monitoring device, an imaging device, and a computer system. The probe includes at least two prongs, the at least two prongs each including distal ends, the distal ends being configured to define, in combination, a probe geometry substantially matching an anatomical tissue geometry of the unwanted one of nerve tissue and soft tissue.