US 12,721,679 B1 · Apparatus for targeted tissue area ablation

Abstract

A surgical ablation apparatus and method are disclosed for delivering controlled and uniform thermal energy to a target tissue area. The apparatus includes a heating element having a heating body formed from a microwave-absorbing material and a microwave antenna disposed entirely within the heating body. The microwave antenna is configured to distribute microwave energy substantially uniformly throughout the volume of the microwave-absorbing material, thereby converting microwave energy into heat for tissue ablation. The heating body may have planar, rectangular, curved, dome-shaped, or other geometries adapted to conform to planar or non-planar anatomical tissue surfaces. The microwave antenna may include spiral, serpentine, zig-zag, loop, linear, microstrip, or other antenna configurations shaped to follow the geometry of the heating body. The heating element may be incorporated into forceps-based instruments, planar applicator devices, or other surgical tools to provide uniform thermal delivery and predictable tissue ablation zones.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An apparatus for use as a working end of a surgical instrument, comprising:

a first jaw member and a second jaw member movable relative to one another between an open position and a closed position;
a heating element disposed within at least one of the first or second jaw members, the heating element comprising a microwave-absorbing material and defining a heating area dimensioned to cover a targeted tissue area;
a microwave antenna disposed entirely within the microwave-absorbing material of the heating element, wherein the microwave antenna has a non-linear, area-distributed geometry configured to extend across at least two dimensions of the heating area so as to distribute microwave energy substantially uniformly throughout the microwave-absorbing material;
and
a coaxial cable configured to couple the microwave antenna to a source of microwave energy;
wherein the microwave antenna, by virtue of its non-linear, area-distributed geometry extending across at least two dimensions of the heating area, is configured to distribute microwave energy substantially uniformly throughout the heating area of the heating element to provide uniform thermal energy delivery to the targeted tissue area.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Apparatus for targeted tissue area ablation

Life of this patent

Apparatus for targeted tissue area ablation

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20