Flexible Fluid-Cooled Shaft for Microwave Ablation Heat Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current microwave ablation devices are not suitable for use in open surgical procedures where the ablation site is difficult to access, as the cable assembly connecting the probe to the generator can come into contact with the patient, leading to unwanted heat transfer and difficulty in deploying the probe between closely spaced tissue structures.
Innovation Solution
An energy-delivery device with a flexible, fluid-cooled shaft that contains a length of the cable assembly, allowing for heat removal along the cable during energy delivery, and an inflow/outflow junction system for coolant circulation, enabling precise temperature control and minimizing heat transfer to the patient.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If a cable assembly is used to connect the ablation probe to the generator, then electromagnetic energy can be transmitted to the probe, but the cable assembly can come into contact with the patient and transfer heat, causing unwanted thermal effects
Solution Approach 1:
A fluid-cooled shaft is introduced as an intermediary component between the cable assembly and the patient's body. The shaft circulates coolant through internal channels to actively remove heat from the cable assembly, preventing thermal contact with the patient while allowing electromagnetic energy transmission to proceed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a fluid cooling system where coolant is pumped through the shaft to remove heat. This hydraulic approach uses fluid circulation to actively manage thermal conditions, converting the cable assembly from a potential heat source into a thermally controlled component that safely transmits electromagnetic energy.
2Ease of operation
If the ablation probe is deployed to hard-to-reach locations between closely spaced tissue structures, then the ablation site can be accessed, but the cable assembly becomes difficult to maneuver and may contact surrounding tissues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes a flexible shaft construction that can bend and conform to complex anatomical pathways. This flexibility allows the cable assembly to navigate through tight spaces and reach difficult-to-access ablation sites without rigid structural constraints, while the fluid cooling system remains intact within the flexible configuration.
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 flexible, fluid-cooled shaft system allows for safe and precise energy delivery to hard-to-reach ablation sites, reducing unwanted heat transfer and enhancing the ability to deploy the ablation probe in challenging anatomical locations.
Implementation Method 1
a flexible, fluid-cooled shaft coupled in fluid communication with the chamber and configured to contain a length of the cable assembly therein and remove heat along the length of the cable assembly during delivery of energy to the antenna assembly
Data Source
Figure 1~2A
Figure 2B~2C
Figure 3
AI summary
An energy-delivery device comprises a cable assembly (15) configured to deliver energy from an electrosurgical energy source to an antenna assembly (12). The cable assembly includes an inner conductor (220) and an outer conductor (224) coaxially disposed about the inner conductor and separated by a dielectric material (222), an electrically conductive proximal arm (370) electrically coupled to and coaxially disposed about at least a portion of the outer conductor, the electrically conductive proximal arm defining a first cavity (372, an electrically conductive distal arm (380) including a proximal portion defining a second cavity (382) and a distal portion having an outer diameter less than an outer diameter of the proximal portion; and a junction member (311) including a proximal portion disposed within the first cavity and a distal portion disposed within the second cavity. A flow junction (451) is fluidly coupled to a flexible, fluid-cooled shaft (410) and the cable assembly (15) is disposed through the flow junction, The antenna assembly 12 is disposed within the flexible, fluid-cooled shaft (110). A movement restrictor (215, 415) is operably coupled to the flow junction to selectively restrict movement of the cable assembly through the flow junction.