Varying the length of a temperature sensing element of a radiofrequency probe based on desired lesion size

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12144539-B2
Application number	US-201917058701-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 28, 2019
Priority date	May 30, 2018
Publication date	Nov 19, 2024
Grant date	Nov 19, 2024

Abstract

A method for preparing a cooled radiofrequency probe for use to treat tissue of a patient's body includes providing a plurality of cooled radiofrequency probes. Each of the plurality of cooled radiofrequency probes includes an elongate member with a distal region and a proximal region. The distal regions each have an electrically and thermally-conductive energy delivery device for delivering one of electrical and radiofrequency energy to the patient's body. The electrically and thermally-conductive energy delivery devices each have one or more internal lumens for circulating a cooling fluid therethrough and an electrically and thermally-conductive protrusion having a temperature sensing element. The temperature sensing elements of each protrusion extends from a distal end of the energy delivery device. Further, each of the temperature sensing elements has a different length that extends from the distal end of the energy delivery device. The method further includes determining at least one of a desired lesion size or a desired rate of power delivery required to treat the tissue. As such, the method includes selecting one of the probes from the plurality of cooled radiofrequency probes based on the length of the temperature sensing element thereof that achieves the desired lesion size or the desired rate of power delivery.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for preparing a cooled radiofrequency probe assembly for use to treat tissue of a patient's body, the method comprising:
providing a plurality of cooled radiofrequency probes, each of the plurality of cooled radiofrequency probes comprising an elongate member with a distal region and a proximal region, the distal regions each having an electrically and thermally-conductive energy delivery device for delivering one of electrical and radiofrequency energy to the patient's body, the electrically and thermally-conductive energy delivery devices each having:
at least two internal lumens for circulating a cooling fluid through an interior space at a distal end of the energy delivery device, including at least one first internal lumen for delivering fluid from the proximal region of the corresponding elongate member to the interior space, and at least one second internal lumen for returning fluid from the interior space to the proximal region of the corresponding elongate member, and
an electrically and thermally-conductive protrusion extending from the distal end of the energy delivery device and along a central axis of the elongate member, the protrusion comprising a temperature sensing element therein such that the temperature sensing element extends from a distal end of the energy delivery device, wherein a length of the protrusion is different for each of the plurality of cooled radiofrequency probes such that the temperature sensing element of each of the plurality of cooled radiofrequency probes extends a different distance from the distal end of the corresponding energy delivery device, and wherein each of the plurality of cooled radiofrequency probes is associated with a preset profile defining a plurality of parameters, including at least a tissue parameter, maximum allowable temperature, and temperature ramp rate;

determining at least one of a desired lesion size or a desired rate of power delivery required to treat the tissue; and
selecting one probe from the plurality of cooled radiofrequency probes to use to treat the tissue based on the length of the protrusion, and thereby the distance of the corresponding temperature sensing element from the distal end of the energy delivery device of the probe, thereof that achieves the desired lesion size or the desired rate of power delivery,
wherein lesion size is inversely correlated to the length of the electrically and thermally-conductive protrusion, and thereby the distance of the corresponding temperature sensing element from the distal end of the energy delivery device of the probe.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the different lengths of the electrically and thermally-conductive protrusions are less than 1 millimeter (mm).

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the different lengths of the electrically and thermally-conductive protrusions range from 0.20 mm to 0.70 mm.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the desired lesion size or the desired rate of power delivery is based on a treatment procedure type of the tissue.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising measuring the temperature of the tissue using the selected temperature sensing element.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the temperature sensing elements has a different shape.

7. A system for treating tissue of a patient's body, the system comprising:
a power source; and
a plurality of cooled radiofrequency probes communicatively coupled to the power source, each of the probes comprising an elongate member with a distal region and a proximal region, the distal regions having an electrically and thermally-conductive energy delivery device for delivering one of electrical and radiofrequency energy to the patient's body, the electrically and thermally-conductive energy delivery devices each having:
at least two internal lumens for circulating a cooling fluid through an interior space at a distal end of the energy delivery device, including at least one first internal lumen for delivering fluid from the proximal region of the corresponding elongate member to the interior space, and at least one second internal lumen for returning fluid from the interior space to the proximal region of the corresponding elongate member, and
an electrically and thermally-conductive protrusion extending from the distal end of the energy delivery device and along a central axis of the elongate member, the protrusion comprising a temperature sensing element therein such that of the temperature sensing element extends from a distal end of the energy delivery device, wherein a length of the electrically and thermally-conductive protrusion is different for each of the plurality of cooled radiofrequency probes such that the temperature sensing element of each of the plurality of cooled radiofrequency probes extends a different distance from the distal end of the corresponding energy delivery device,

wherein each of the plurality of cooled radiofrequency probes is associated with a preset profile defining a plurality of parameters, including at least a tissue parameter, maximum allowable temperature, and temperature ramp rate,
wherein one probe is selected from the plurality of cooled radiofrequency probes for use in treating the tissue during an ablation procedure based on the length of the electrically and thermally-conductive protrusion, and thereby the distance of the corresponding temperature sensing element from the distal end of the energy delivery device of the probe, thereof that achieves a desired lesion size or a desired rate of power delivery, and
wherein lesion size is inversely correlated to the length of the electrically and thermally-conductive protrusion, and thereby the distance of the corresponding temperature sensing element from the distal end of the energy delivery device of the probe.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the different lengths of the electrically and thermally-conductive protrusions are less than 1 millimeter (mm).

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the different lengths of the electrically and thermally-conductive protrusions range from 0.20 mm to 0.70 mm.

10. The system of claim 7 , wherein the desired lesion size or the desired rate of power delivery is based on a treatment procedure type of the tissue.

Assignees

• Avent Inc

Inventors

• Wang Ruoya
• Crone Tyler W
• Dipietro Joseph
• Barrett Jennifer J
• Viswanadha Rasagnya M

Classifications

• A61B2018/00797

  measured by multiple temperature sensors · CPC title

• A61B2018/00702

  Power or energy · CPC title

• A61B2018/00642

  with feedback, i.e. closed loop control · CPC title

• A61B2018/00577

  Ablation · CPC title

• A61B2018/00339

  Spine, e.g. intervertebral disc · CPC title