Ablation probe with ribbed insulated sheath

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9814519-B2
Application number	US-37953706-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 20, 2006
Priority date	Apr 20, 2006
Publication date	Nov 14, 2017
Grant date	Nov 14, 2017

Abstract

A tissue ablation probe comprises an electrically conductive probe shaft, at least one electrode, and an electrically insulative sheath disposed on the probe shaft. The insulative sheath has thickened regions forming alternating ribs and depressions that longitudinally extend along the probe shaft. The ribs allow the ablation probe to be delivered through a tightly toleranced delivery device. While the ribs may shear off during the delivery process, the underlying probe shaft will remain covered by the remaining portion of the insulative sheath. The tissue ablation probe may be used in a tissue ablation assembly that additionally comprises a delivery cannula having a lumen in which the tissue ablation probe may be removably disposed. In this case, the sheath has an outer periphery having a size substantially the same as the diameter of the lumen, so that the inner surface of the delivery cannula cooperates with the depressions to create lumens that longitudinally extend within the cannula.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A tissue ablation probe, comprising:
an elongated cannula having a lumen extending proximally from a distal tip;
an electrically conductive probe shaft slidably disposed within the lumen of the elongated cannula, an array of electrode tines carried by a distal end of the inner probe shaft; and
an electrically insulative outer sheath disposed on an exterior surface of the probe shaft, wherein the sheath has thickened regions forming alternating shearable ribs and depressions that longitudinally extend along the probe shaft, the shearable ribs configured to shear off as the probe shaft is introduced through a delivery device, wherein a sheared off rib leaves no portion of the underlying probe shaft exposed.

2. The tissue ablation probe of claim 1 , wherein the electrically insulative outer sheath comprises fluorinated ethylene propylene.

3. The tissue ablation probe of claim 1 , wherein the electrically insulative outer sheath comprises a heat shrink polymer.

4. The tissue ablation probe of claim 1 , wherein the electrically insulative outer sheath comprises a polymer extruded on the probe shaft.

5. The tissue ablation probe of claim 1 , wherein the ribs and depressions extend substantially the entire length of the probe shaft.

6. The tissue ablation probe of claim 1 , wherein the sheath is fixably disposed on the probe shaft.

7. The tissue ablation probe of claim 1 , wherein the probe shaft is cylindrical.

8. The tissue ablation probe of claim 1 , wherein the depressions are concave.

9. The tissue ablation probe of claim 1 , further comprising an electrical connector carried by a proximal end of the probe shaft, wherein the electrical connector is electrically coupled to the array of electrode tines through the probe shaft.

10. The tissue ablation probe of claim 1 , wherein the probe shaft is a cannula, and further comprising an inner probe shaft slidably disposed within the cannula, wherein the array of electrode tines are disposed on the inner probe shaft and deployable from the cannula.

11. The tissue ablation probe of claim 1 , wherein the probe shaft is rigid.

12. The tissue ablation probe of claim 1 , wherein the probe shaft is removably disposed within the lumen of the cannula, wherein the probe shaft has an outer periphery having a size substantially the same as a diameter of the cannula lumen.

13. The tissue ablation probe of claim 1 , wherein the depressions and an inner surface of the cannula cooperate to form a plurality of lumens that longitudinally extend within the cannula.

Assignees

• Fernald Kathleen
• Rioux Robert F
• Boston Scient Scimed Inc

Inventors

• Fernald Kathleen
• Rioux Robert F

Classifications

• A61B2018/00083

  low, i.e. electrically insulating · CPC title

• A61B2018/00166

  Multiple lumina · CPC title

• A61B2018/1425

  Needle · CPC title

• A61B2018/00577

  Ablation · CPC title

• A61B18/1477

  Needle-like probes · CPC title