Cooled radiofrequency ablation probe

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11690668-B2
Application number	US-201816229098-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 21, 2018
Priority date	Dec 21, 2018
Publication date	Jul 4, 2023
Grant date	Jul 4, 2023

Abstract

A cooling radiofrequency ablation probe for delivering electrical and thermal energy to tissue of a patient's body is provided. The probe comprises a handle having an upper portion, a lower portion, and a Luer connector. The probe further comprises an extended electrocap assembly interfacing with one end of the handle, and a cable-tubing assembly interfacing with another end of the handle. The cable-tubing assembly includes an electrical cable that terminates at an electrical connector and a dual-lumen fluid tubing that terminates at inlet and outlet fluid connectors. An active tip of the extended electrocap assembly is configured to deliver the electrical and thermal energy to the tissue of the patient's body.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A probe for delivering electrical and thermal energy to tissue of a patient's body, the probe comprising:
a handle having an upper portion formed by an upper shell and a lower portion formed by a lower shell, the upper portion and the lower portion generally extending in a longitudinal direction, the upper portion and the lower portion removably coupled along a coupling surface such that the upper portion and the lower portion can be separated;
an extended electrocap assembly interfacing, at a proximal end of the extended electrocap assembly, with one end of the handle, the extended electrocap assembly extending transverse to at least a portion of the coupling surface of the upper and lower portions, the extended electrocap assembly comprising:
an elongated tube extending from the handle to a distal end that is opposite from the proximal end; and
a thermocouple hypotube extending from the handle to the distal end and internally to the elongate tube;

a cable-tubing assembly interfacing with another end of the handle, the cable-tubing assembly comprising an electrical cable having two or more wires and a dual-lumen fluid tubing that terminates within the handle, wherein the cable-tubing assembly extends from the handle at a first angle of greater than 0 degrees and less than 180 degrees relative to the extended electrocap assembly;
two fluid-carrying tubes mechanically bonded to and extending from respective lumens of the dual-lumen fluid tubing, the two fluid-carrying tubes extending through the handle, internal to and along a length of the elongated tube, and to a cooled volume at the distal end of the extended electrocap assembly, wherein:
the cooled volume is defined as a space between respective distal openings of the two fluid-carrying tubes within the electrocap assembly and the distal end of the extended electrocap assembly; and
the two fluid-carrying tubes are bent within the handle in a continuous manner and extend from respective ends of the dual-lumen fluid tubing and into the elongated tube, such that a portion of each of the two fluid-carrying tubes extends internal to and along the length of the elongated tube is at a second angle relative to the cable-tubing assembly; and

a mechanical clip positioned within the handle and at the second angle relative to the cable-tubing assembly, wherein:
the mechanical clip mechanically interfaces with one end of the thermocouple hypotube by clipping about at least a portion of a circumference of the thermocouple hypotube to hold the thermocouple hypotube at the second angle relative to the cable-tubing assembly; and
at least one wire of the electrical cable is electrically and mechanically coupled to the mechanical clip via a solder connection, thereby electrically coupling the thermocouple hypotube to the at least one wire when the thermocouple hypotube is retained by the mechanical clip.

2. The probe of claim 1 , wherein the handle forms a housing for electrical connection between the extended electrocap assembly and the electrical cable.

3. The probe of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the mechanical clip is secured about a circumference of the hypotube.

4. The probe of claim 1 , wherein the handle forms a housing for fluid connection between the extended electrocap assembly and the dual-lumen fluid tubing.

5. The probe of claim 1 , wherein the lower portion comprises a protrusion extending at an angle with respect to the longitudinal direction, wherein the extended electrocap assembly extends from the protrusion.

6. The probe of claim 5 , wherein the first angle and the second angle range from 45 degrees to 135 degrees.

7. The probe of claim 5 , wherein the protrusion is generally perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.

8. The probe of claim 1 , wherein the upper portion of the handle comprises an upper shell, the lower portion of the handle comprises a lower shell, and the upper shell and lower shell are removably mated.

9. The probe of claim 8 , wherein the removable mating between the upper shell and the lower shell is configured to lock the upper shell and the lower shell together, wherein at least one of the upper and lower shells form an electrical cable opening and a fluid tubing opening for receiving the electrical cable and the fluid cable, respectively, the electrical cable opening and the fluid tubing opening each defining a curved surface extending from the another end of the handle towards the one end of the handle such that a longitudinal axis of each of the curved surface extends parallel with a corresponding longitudinal axis of the electrical cable and the fluid cable.

10. The probe of claim 8 , wherein the removable mating between the upper shell and the lower shell comprises at least one cantilevered snap on the lower shell configured to lock into a slot on the upper shell.

11. The probe of claim 8 , wherein an inner perimeter of the upper shell forms the coupling surface with an outer perimeter of the lower shell, and at least a portion of the coupling surface extends generally parallel to the longitudinal direction of the handle.

12. The probe of claim 1 , wherein the electrocap assembly comprises a handle end, and a distal end away from the handle, wherein the distal end forms an active tip for delivering electrical and thermal energy to tissue of the patient's body.

13. The probe of claim 12 , wherein the handle end of the electrocap assembly is configured to be positioned within the handle and to protrude from a hub of the handle.

14. The probe of claim 12 , wherein the distal end of the electrocap assembly extends in a direction generally perpendicular to the cable-tubing assembly.

15. The probe of claim 12 , wherein a connection between a flared end of the handle end of the electrocap assembly and the handle sets the length of an elongate member of the electrocap assembly extending from the handle.

16. The probe of claim 12 , wherein the handle end of the electrocap assembly is flared.

17. The probe of claim 12 , wherein an interference fit secures the handle end of the electrocap assembly.

18. The probe of claim 12 , wherein the active tip is electrically and thermally conductive.

19. The probe of claim 1 , wherein the thermocouple hypotube is operable to transmit energy from the electrical cable to an active tip of the probe, wherein the active tip comprises a thermocouple to deliver electrical or radiofrequency energy to the patient tissue.

20. The probe of claim 19 , wherein the thermocouple protrudes from a tip end of the extended electrocap.

21. The probe of claim 1 , wherein the electrical cable and the dual-lumen fluid tubing are bonded together along at least a portion of the length of the cable-tubing assembly.

22. The probe of claim 21 , wherein the electrical cable and the dual-lumen fluid tubing are not bonded at an end of the cable-tubing assembly adjacent to the electrical connector and fluid inlet and outlet connectors.

Assignees

• Avent Inc

Inventors

• Wang Ruoya
• Smith Ryan
• Teixeira Scott M
• Steinman Craig F
• Driver Ken
• Merchant Samir

Classifications

• A61B2018/00964

  Features of probes · CPC title

• A61B2018/1253

  monopolar · CPC title

• A61B2018/00083

  low, i.e. electrically insulating · CPC title

• A61B18/1206

  Generators therefor · CPC title

• A61B2018/00791

  Temperature · CPC title