Thermal ablation system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9226789-B2
Application number	US-201414314912-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 25, 2014
Priority date	Nov 14, 2007
Publication date	Jan 5, 2016
Grant date	Jan 5, 2016

Abstract

A thermal ablation system comprises a fluid handling unit receiving fluid from a fluid source at a first pressure, the fluid handling unit including a heater heating the fluid to a desired temperature and a pump and an introducer including a sheath which, when in an operative position, is received within a hollow organ, the sheath including a delivery lumen introducing fluid heated by the heater to the hollow organ and a return lumen withdrawing fluid from the hollow organ and returning the withdrawn fluid to the console via a return lumen, wherein the pump increases a pressure of the fluid between the fluid source and the delivery lumen of the introducer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A thermal ablation system, comprising:
a fluid handling unit receiving fluid from a fluid source at a first pressure;
an introducer including a sheath which, when in an operative position, is received within a hollow organ, the sheath including a delivery lumen and a return lumen;
a heater configured to heat the fluid from the fluid source, the heated fluid being introduced into the hollow organ via the delivery lumen and being returned from the hollow organ to the fluid handling unit via the return lumen;
a pump configured to increase a pressure of the fluid between the fluid source and the delivery lumen;
a valve arrangement including a first valve configured to engage a first tube connecting the fluid handling unit to the delivery lumen, a second valve configured to engage a second tube connecting the fluid handling unit to the return lumen, and a safety valve configured to engage the first and second tubes; and
a processor controlling an operation of the valve arrangement to deliver the fluid to the hollow organ and return the fluid from the hollow organ, the processor further configured to perform a safety procedure by activating the safety valve as a function of ablation data generated by at least one sensor.

2. The thermal ablation system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a console including a display that shows a pre-operative instruction set.

3. The thermal ablation system of claim 1 , wherein the safety procedure includes shutting down the thermal ablation system.

4. The thermal ablation system of claim 1 , wherein the first, second, and safety valves are pinch valves configured to close the respective tubes engaged by the first, second, and safety valves to prevent fluid flowing therethrough.

5. The thermal ablation system of claim 4 , wherein the ablation data indicates the pressure of the fluid exceeds a predetermined maximum.

6. The thermal ablation system of claim 1 , wherein the ablation data indicates a predetermined fault so that the processor initiates the safety procedure.

7. The thermal ablation system of claim 6 , wherein the safety procedure includes a primary safety system that places the thermal ablation system in a first safe state.

8. The thermal ablation system of claim 7 , wherein the safety procedure includes a secondary safety system that places the processor in a second safe state.

9. The thermal ablation system of claim 1 , wherein the ablation data includes level data and the at least one sensor includes a level sensing board disposed within a reservoir that receives the heated fluid, the level sensing board generating the level data that indicates a loss of heated fluid.

10. The thermal ablation system of claim 1 , wherein the ablation data includes temperature data indicating a temperature of the heated fluid, the temperature data further indicating whether the temperature of the heated fluid is within a predetermined range.

11. The thermal ablation system of claim 1 , wherein the fluid handling unit further comprises:
a reusable console including the pump; and
a disposable cartridge including the first and second tubes and an impeller, the impeller driven by a magnetic coupling with the pump.

12. The thermal ablation system of claim 1 , wherein the processor determines whether the disposable cartridge has already been used and wherein the processor initiates the safety procedure when the disposable cartridge has already been used.

13. A method for a thermal ablation system to perform a thermal ablation procedure, comprising:
heating a fluid via a heater from a fluid source received by a fluid handling unit at a first pressure to a desired temperature;
introducing the heated fluid in a hollow organ via a sheath including a delivery lumen of an introducer when in an operative position through a valve arrangement including a first valve configured to engage a first tube connecting the fluid handling unit to the delivery lumen;
returning the fluid to the fluid handling unit via a return lumen of the sheath through the valve arrangement including a second valve configured to engage a second tube connecting the fluid handling unit to the return lumen;
increasing a pressure of the fluid between the fluid source and the delivery lumen of the introducer via a pump; and
determining ablation data generated by at least one sensor, the ablation data indicating whether a processor is to perform a safety procedure by activating the valve arrangement including a safety valve configured to engage the first and second tubes.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the first, second, and safety valves are pinch valves configured to close the respective tubes engaged by the first, second, and safety valves to prevent fluid flowing therethrough.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the ablation data indicates the pressure of the fluid exceeds a predetermined maximum.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the ablation data indicates a predetermined fault so that the processor initiates the safety procedure.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein the ablation data includes level data and the at least one sensor includes a level sensing board disposed within a reservoir that receives the heated fluid, the level sensing board generating the level data that indicates a loss of heated fluid.

18. The method of claim 13 , wherein the ablation data includes temperature data indicating a temperature of the heated fluid, the temperature data further indicating whether the temperature of the heated fluid is within a predetermined range.

19. The method of claim 13 , wherein the thermal ablation system comprises:
a reusable console including the pump; and
a disposable cartridge including the first and second tubes and an impeller, the impeller driven by a magnetic coupling with the pump.

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising:
determining whether the disposable cartridge has already been used; and
initiating the safety procedure when the disposable cartridge has already been used.

Assignees

• Boston Scient Scimed Inc

Inventors

• Bouthillier Robert J
• Fusaro Michael P
• Gordon Joseph M
• Keaney Stephen S
• Maclean Brian
• Marsella Andrew W
• Robson David
• Shapeton Boris

Classifications

• A61B18/04 Primary

  by heating (by applying electromagnetic radiation A61B18/18) · CPC title

• A61B2017/00199

  with a console, e.g. a control panel with a display · CPC title

• A61B2017/4216

  Operations on uterus, e.g. endometrium · CPC title

• A61B2018/00035

  with return means · CPC title

• A61B2018/046

  in liquid form · CPC title