Energy delivery systems and uses thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11638607-B2
Application number	US-202016878146-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 19, 2020
Priority date	Dec 21, 2011
Publication date	May 2, 2023
Grant date	May 2, 2023

Abstract

The present invention relates to comprehensive systems, devices and methods 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 certain embodiments, systems, devices, and methods are provided for treating a tissue region (e.g., a tumor) through application of energy.

First claim

We claim:

1. An ablation antenna device comprising:
a) an antenna comprising an inner conductor; and
b) a conductive tip at a distal end of said antenna;
wherein said inner conductor is not coupled to said conductive tip,
wherein said antenna comprises a first region distal to a second region, said second region distal to a third region, and said third region,
wherein said third region comprises said inner conductor, a dielectric material, and an outer conductor, said dielectric material positioned between said inner and outer conductors,
wherein said second region lacks said outer conductor of said third region and wherein the dielectric material of said third region extends into the second region such that it surrounds the inner conductor,
wherein said first region lacks the outer conductor and the dielectric material of said third region,
wherein said antenna further comprises a metal fitting, wherein the inner conductor in the first region is surrounded by and fitted with the metal fitting,
wherein said conductive tip is a trocar,
wherein said metal fitting extends distally beyond the most distal end of said inner conductor, and
wherein the trocar extends around the first region from the distal end of the first region extending proximally beyond the distal end of the inner conductor.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein said inner conductor is capacitively-coupled to said conductive tip.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein said antenna comprises a conductive outer conductor surrounding at least a portion of said inner conductor, and
wherein said antenna comprises the dielectric material between said inner conductor and said outer conductor.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein said third region is a triaxial antenna.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein said metal fitting is further defined by at least one of a plurality of following characteristics:
(a) said metal fitting is a brass metal fitting;
(b) said metal filling abuts the dielectric material surrounding the inner conductor in the second region; and
(c) said metal fitting is adhered to said inner conductor via an electrically conductive adhesive.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein said second region comprises a proximal portion containing dielectric material of said third region and a distal portion lacking said dielectric material of said third region,
wherein said distal portion of said second region comprises a non-conductive sleeve surrounding said inner conductor, and
wherein said non-conductive sleeve further comprises polyfluorotetraethylene (PTFE).

7. The device of claim 5 , wherein said antenna further comprises an insulator,
wherein said conductive tip is attached to the insulator,
wherein said insulator is attached to a distal end of said metal fitting, and
wherein said insulator comprises a ceramic insulator.

8. A system comprising the device of claim 1 and a power supply electrically connected to said device,
wherein said power supply generates microwave energy.

9. The system of claim 8 , further comprising a coolant supply in fluid communication with said device,
wherein said coolant supply comprises carbon dioxide.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein said antenna has a plug that prevents coolant from flowing to said distal end of said antenna.

11. The system of claim 9 , further comprising a control processor that regulates energy delivery from said power supply to said antenna and coolant delivery to said antenna.

12. The system of claim 8 , further comprising one or more additional antennas.

Assignees

• Neuwave Medical Inc

Inventors

• Thiel Matthew
• Thom Mark
• Brace Christopher Lee
• Schefelker Richard W

Classifications

• A61B2018/1869

  with an instrument interstitially inserted into the body, e.g. needles · CPC title

• A61B90/57

  Accessory clamps · CPC title

• A61B2018/1838

  Dipole antennas · CPC title

• A61B2018/00011

  with fluids · CPC title

• A61B2018/00595

  Cauterization · CPC title