Devices and systems for ablation therapy

A method of treating a prostate tumor, the method comprising:

• infusing nanoparticles into a patient systemically wherein the nanoparticles are adapted to transduce infrared light into heat energy;
• allowing the nanoparticles to preferentially accumulate in the prostate tumor;
• inserting a trocar assembly comprising a trocar and a catheter sheathed around the trocar into the patient at a first insertion point;
• positioning the trocar assembly in the patient by passing the trocar assembly through the prostate tumor such that the trocar assembly terminates at a distal side of the prostate tumor creating a first path within the prostate tumor;
• removing the trocar from the patient and leaving the catheter in the patient within the first path;
• inserting an introducer probe of a laser illuminator assembly into the catheter wherein the laser illuminator assembly comprises:
• the introducer probe, the introducer probe being elongate and comprising a first lumen and terminating in a sealed domed end configured to allow laser light transmission;
• an internal tube located within the first lumen of the introducer probe, the internal tube comprising a second lumen;
• and
• an optical fiber configured to receive photons from a laser source, wherein the optical fiber is positioned within the second lumen of the introducer probe and is configured to transmit laser radiation through the domed end of the introducer probe;
• wherein the first lumen is in fluidic communication with the second lumen;
• and
• wherein the domed end is configured to allow laser light transmission and to dissipate heat caused by electromagnetic radiation from the laser source to reduce incidences of melting of the introducer probe;
• guiding the introducer probe to a first position within the first path in the prostate tumor, wherein the first position is located at or near the distal side of the prostate tumor;
• activating the laser source when the introducer probe is at the first position within the first path to generate non-ablative infrared radiation at the first position for a first period of time wherein the infrared radiation causes heating of the nanoparticles to an ablative temperature;
• withdrawing the catheter and the introducer probe to a second position within the first path in the prostate tumor, the second position being proximally located relative to the first position;
• and
• activating the laser source when the introducer probe is at the second position to generate non-ablative infrared radiation for a second period of time wherein the infrared radiation causes heating of the nanoparticles to an ablative temperature.

A method of treating a tumor, the method comprising:

• obtaining a laser illuminator assembly, the laser illuminator assembly comprising:
• an introducer probe, the introducer probe being elongate and comprising a first lumen and terminating in a sealed domed end configured to allow laser light transmission;
• an internal tube located within the first lumen of the introducer probe, the internal tube comprising a second lumen;
• and
• an optical fiber configured to receive photons from a laser source, wherein the optical fiber is positioned within the second lumen of the introducer probe and is configured to transmit laser radiation through the domed end of the introducer probe;
• wherein the first lumen is in fluidic communication with the second lumen;
• and
• wherein the domed end is configured to allow laser light transmission and to dissipate heat caused by electromagnetic radiation from the laser source to reduce incidences of melting of the introducer probe;
• positioning the introducer probe in a tissue comprising the tumor by passing the introducer probe through a proximal face of the tissue to a distal side of the tissue to a first position;
• and
• activating the laser source while the introducer probe is at the first position to transmit sub-ablative infrared radiation to the tissue for a first period of time.