Systems And Methods For Unobstructed Visualization And Ablation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016157702-A1
Application number	US-201615044667-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 16, 2016
Priority date	Dec 18, 2006
Publication date	Jun 9, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Systems and methods for unobstructed visualization and ablation, particularly of the pulmonary veins, are described herein. Such a system may include a deployment catheter and an attached imaging hood deployable into an expanded configuration as well as one or more expandable anchors which are temporarily securable within a respective pulmonary vein while allowing blood flow to pass through the anchor unimpeded. With the one or more non-impeding anchors secured within a respective pulmonary vein, ablation of the tissue surrounding the ostium or several ostia may be effected with the catheter while the tissue is under direct visualization.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of treating tissue surrounding a vessel opening, comprising:
intravascularly securing an anchor extending from an anchor member at least partially within a vessel lumen such that blood flows unobstructed through or past the anchor; adjusting a distance of the anchor member between the anchor and a barrier or membrane projecting distally from a deployment catheter such that an open area defined by the barrier or membrane is placed against or adjacent to a portion of the tissue surrounding the vessel opening; displacing blood with a transparent fluid from the open area; and treating the tissue while visualizing through the transparent fluid.

2 . The method of claim 15 wherein intravascularly securing comprises advancing the anchor within a lumen of a pulmonary vein.

3 . The method of claim 15 wherein intravascularly securing comprises expanding the anchor from a low-profile shape to an expanded shape.

4 . The method of claim 15 wherein intravascularly securing comprises expanding the anchor having a helical shape.

5 . The method of claim 15 wherein intravascularly securing comprises expanding the anchor having a basket shape.

6 . The method of claim 15 wherein intravascularly securing comprises expanding the anchor having a mesh shape.

7 . The method of claim 15 wherein adjusting comprises tensioning the anchor member extending through the open area of the barrier or membrane.

8 . The method of claim 15 wherein adjusting comprises tensioning the anchor member extending through an opening defined along the catheter proximal to the barrier or membrane.

9 . The method of claim 15 wherein treating comprises ablating the tissue with an ablation probe advanced into the open area.

10 . The method of claim 15 wherein treating comprises circumferentially ablating the tissue surrounding the vessel opening.

11 . The method of claim 24 wherein circumferentially ablating comprises ablating the tissue in a continuous line while visualizing through the transparent fluid.

12 . The method of claim 24 wherein circumferentially ablating comprises ablating the tissue along discrete lesions which overlap one another surrounding the vessel opening.

13 . A method of ablating tissue surrounding a vessel opening, comprising:
positioning an anchor at least partially within a vessel lumen, wherein the anchor comprises an open structure which allows unobstructed blood flow through or past the anchor; positioning a barrier or membrane projecting distally from a deployment catheter such that an open area defined by the barrier or membrane is placed against or adjacent to a portion of the tissue surrounding the vessel opening; purging blood with a transparent fluid from the open area such that the portion of tissue is visualized through the transparent fluid; and adjusting a position of the barrier or membrane relative to the vessel opening such that the catheter remains tethered to the anchor.

14 . The method of claim 27 wherein positioning an anchor comprises advancing the anchor within a lumen of a pulmonary vein.

15 . The method of claim 27 wherein positioning a barrier or membrane comprises tensioning an anchor member connected to the anchor and extending through the open area of the barrier or membrane.

16 . The method of claim 27 wherein adjusting a position comprises circumscribing tissue surrounding the vessel opening while tethered to the anchor.

17 . The method of claim 30 wherein circumscribing tissue further comprises visualizing the tissue through the transparent fluid while adjusting the position of the barrier or membrane.

18 . The method of claim 27 further comprising treating the tissue visualized within the open area.

19 . The method of claim 32 wherein treating comprises ablating the tissue visualized within the open area.

20 . The method of claim 33 wherein treating comprises circumferentially ablating the tissue surrounding the vessel opening.

21 . The method of claim 33 wherein treating comprises circumferentially ablating the tissue in a continuous line while visualizing through the transparent fluid.

22 . The method of claim 33 wherein circumferentially ablating comprises ablating the tissue along discrete lesions which overlap one another surrounding the vessel opening.

Assignees

• Intuitive Surgical Operations

Inventors

• Saadat Vahid
• Peh Ruey-Feng
• Rothe Chris A
• Tam Edmund

Classifications

• A61B17/12022

  Occluding by internal devices, e.g. balloons or releasable wires (plugging an opening in the wall of an organ A61B17/0057; occluders for the cervical canal A61F6/146; vas deferens occluders A61F6/20) · CPC title

• A61B17/1204

  temporary occlusion · CPC title

• A61B2018/00982

  combined with or comprising means for visual or photographic inspections inside the body, e.g. endoscopes · CPC title

• A61B17/12036

  partial occlusion · CPC title

• A61B1/018

  for receiving instruments · CPC title