Methods, systems, and devices for treating nerve spasticity
AssigneePacira CryoTech, Inc.
InventorsJwala Karnik, John Allison, Clint Carnell
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method in which a nerve associated with a spasticity in a limb of a patient may be identified. The cryogenic cooling needle may be inserted through a skin surface. The cryogenic cooling needle may be positioned to a target tissue such that the distal end of the cryogenic cooling needle is proximate to the nerve by bending the needle, wherein the needle has varying stiffness at a proximal portion and a distal portion. A treatment cycle may be delivered to a target tissue proximate to the nerve, the treatment cycle may comprise a cooling phase wherein cooling fluid flows into the lumen so that liquid from the cooling fluid flow vaporizes within the lumen to provide cooling to the nerve so as to treat spasticity.
Claims19
A system for treating a spasticity in a limb of a patient, the system comprising:
- a cryogenic cooling needle having a proximal end, a distal end, and a lumen therebetween, the needle configured for insertion within a target tissue proximate to a motor nerve associated with the spasticity in the limb of the patient by bending the needle outside a body of the patient to access the nerve along a plane of the target tissue, wherein the needle has varying stiffness at a proximal portion and a distal portion, wherein the motor nerve is in the limb of the patient, wherein the needle comprises a cladding of conductive material conductively coupled to the proximal portion of the needle such that the proximal portion of the needle is configured to be stiffer than the distal portion of the needle, such that the distal portion deflects more easily than the proximal portion;
- a cooling fluid supply lumen extending distally within the needle lumen to a distal portion of the needle lumen;
- a cooling fluid source coupled to the cooling fluid supply lumen to direct cooling fluid flow into the needle lumen so that the cooling fluid vaporizes within the lumen to provide cooling to the motor nerve so as to treat spasticity;
- a heater thermally coupled to a thermally responsive element and the proximal portion of the needle;
- a first temperature sensor thermally coupled to the thermally responsive element;
- a second temperature sensor thermally coupled to a different position on the thermally responsive element, wherein the second temperature sensor is closer to a tissue contacting surface of the needle than the first temperature sensor to provide a temperature differential between the first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor;
- and
- a controller, wherein the controller is configured to receive temperature information of the thermally responsive element to determine an amount of power to provide to the heater to maintain the thermally responsive element at a predetermined temperature, wherein the controller is configured to initiate treatment in response to the temperature information being less than a threshold value, wherein the controller is configured to monitor power draw from the heater to characterize tissue type.
A system for treating a spasticity in a limb of a patient, the system comprising:
- a cryogenic cooling needle having a proximal end, a distal end, and a lumen therebetween, the needle configured for insertion within a target tissue proximate to a motor nerve associated with the spasticity in the limb of the patient by bending the needle outside a body of the patient to access the nerve along a plane of the target tissue, wherein the needle has varying stiffness at a proximal portion and a distal portion, wherein the motor nerve is in the limb of the patient, wherein the needle comprises a cladding of conductive material applied to an exterior surface of the proximal portion of the needle and conductively coupled to the proximal portion of the needle such that the proximal portion of the needle is configured to be stiffer than the distal portion of the needle, such that the distal portion deflects more easily than the proximal portion;
- a cooling fluid supply lumen extending distally within the needle lumen to a distal portion of the needle lumen
- a needle probe coupling the proximal portion of the needle to the cooling fluid supply lumen, the needle probe further comprising a heater element and a conductive block coupled to the cladding, wherein the cladding extends from within the needle probe, the heater element, and the conductive block and along the proximal portion of the needle forming an exposed length of the cladding;
- and
- a cooling fluid source coupled to the cooling fluid supply lumen to direct cooling fluid flow into the needle lumen so that the cooling fluid vaporizes within the lumen to provide cooling to the motor nerve so as to treat spasticity;
- and
- a controller, wherein the controller is configured to monitor power draw from the heater element in order to perform device diagnostics and determine tissue conditions.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.