Systems and methods for treatment of prostatic tissue

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12303181-B2
Application number	US-202218087883-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 23, 2022
Priority date	Nov 6, 2008
Publication date	May 20, 2025
Grant date	May 20, 2025

Abstract

A prostate therapy system is provided that may include any of a number of features. One feature of the prostate therapy system is that it can access a prostate lobe transurethrally. Another feature of the prostate therapy system is that it can deliver condensable vapor into the prostate to ablate the prostate tissue. Methods associated with use of the prostate therapy system are also covered.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of treating a disorder of a prostate, the method comprising:
advancing a vapor ablation probe into the prostate so that, within the prostate and outside of a prostatic urethra, the vapor ablation probe extends further in a longitudinal direction along a length of the prostatic urethra than in a transverse direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction; and
delivering energy to the prostate via condensable vapor.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the advancing the vapor ablation probe includes orienting a plurality of vapor ports of the vapor ablation probe toward the prostatic urethra.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the delivering the energy includes delivering the condensable vapor toward the prostatic urethra.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the advancing the vapor ablation probe includes advancing an introducer and advancing the vapor ablation probe through the introducer, and wherein at least part of the introducer and at least part of the vapor ablation probe have complementary shapes preventing rotation of the vapor ablation probe within the introducer.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the vapor ablation probe has a curved shape.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the delivering the energy includes delivering the condensable vapor in an at least partially transverse direction.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the vapor ablation probe has a first portion, a second portion distal to the first portion, and a third portion distal to the second portion, and wherein, after the vapor ablation probe is advanced, each of the first portion and the third portion is closer to the prostatic urethra than the second portion is, and each of the first portion, the second portion, and the third portion is within the prostate and outside of the prostatic urethra.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the vapor ablation probe is a needle.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising inserting an introducer having an imaging system into the prostatic urethra, such that the imaging system is within the prostatic urethra, and wherein the vapor ablation probe is advanced from the introducer.

10. A method of treating a disorder of a prostate, the method comprising:
advancing a vapor ablation probe into the prostate; and
delivering condensable vapor into the prostate via a plurality of vapor ports of the vapor ablation probe, wherein each of the plurality of vapor ports is oriented so as to deliver the condensable vapor toward a urethra.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the advancing the vapor ablation probe includes advancing the vapor ablation probe transurethrally so that, within the prostate, the vapor ablation probe extends further in a longitudinal direction along a length of the urethra than in a transverse direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the advancing the vapor ablation probe further includes advancing the vapor ablation probe into an apex of a lobe of the prostate and toward a base of the lobe of the prostate.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the advancing the vapor ablation probe further includes advancing an introducer and advancing the vapor ablation probe through the introducer, and wherein at least part of the introducer and at least part of the vapor ablation probe have complementary shapes preventing rotation of the vapor ablation probe within the introducer.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the vapor ablation probe has a first portion, a second portion distal to the first portion, and a third portion distal to the second portion, and wherein, after the vapor ablation probe is advanced, each of the first portion and the third portion is closer to the urethra than the second portion is, and each of the first portion, the second portion, and the third portion is within the prostate and outside of the prostatic urethra.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the vapor ablation probe includes an electrode.

16. A method of treating a disorder of a prostate, the method comprising:
advancing a vapor ablation probe into the prostate from an apex of a lobe of the prostate and toward a base of the lobe of the prostate so that, within the prostate, the vapor ablation probe extends further in a longitudinal direction along a length of a urethra than in a transverse direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction; and
delivering condensable vapor into the prostate via a plurality of vapor ports of the vapor ablation probe, wherein each of the plurality of vapor ports is oriented so as to deliver the condensable vapor at least partially in the transverse direction.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the delivering the condensable vapor includes delivering the condensable vapor toward the urethra.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the advancing the vapor ablation probe includes advancing an introducer and advancing the vapor ablation probe through the introducer, and wherein at least part of the introducer and at least part of the vapor ablation probe have complementary shapes preventing rotation of the vapor ablation probe within the introducer.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein the vapor ablation probe has a first portion, a second portion distal to the first portion, and a third portion distal to the second portion, and wherein, after the vapor ablation probe is advanced, each of the first portion and the third portion is closer to the urethra than the second portion is, and each of the first portion, the second portion, and the third portion is within the prostate and outside of the prostatic urethra.

20. The method of claim 16 , wherein the vapor ablation probe includes an electrode.

Assignees

• Boston Scient Scimed Inc

Inventors

• Hoey Michael
• Shadduck John H

Classifications

• A61B2218/007

  Aspiration · CPC title

• A61B2018/00029

  open · CPC title

• A61B2034/2063

  Acoustic tracking systems, e.g. using ultrasound · CPC title

• A61B2218/002

  Irrigation · CPC title

• A61B2018/1472

  for use with liquid electrolyte, e.g. virtual electrodes · CPC title