Cryo-surgical apparatus and methods
AssigneeMedically Advanced Designs, LLC
InventorGeorge Maurice
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Cryosurgical apparatus includes an elongate cryoprobe having an electrically conductive first portion and multiple cooling elements. A removable sheath having an electrically conductive second portion is received on the cryoprobe with its electrically conductive second portion spaced from the electrically conductive first portion of the cryoprobe. Electrical insulation is interposed between the first portion and the second portion. In operation, cooling elements in the cryoprobe cool the tissue around a portion of the cryoprobe while electromagnetic energy traveling between the first portion and the second portion heats tissue adjacent to the cooled tissue. The cooling alters the path of the electromagnetic energy by changing the electrical conductivity of the tissue in the region of the cryoprobe.
Claims30
A cryosurgical apparatus, comprising:
- a cryoprobe having an elongated length, a proximal end, a distal end, an electrically conductive first portion and first and second independently controllable cooling elements;
- an energy conducting element coupled to the cryoprobe and having an electrically conductive second portion in a region spaced apart from the first portion;
- and
- electrical insulation interposed between the first portion and the second portion,
- wherein the cryosurgical apparatus is configured to be at least partially inserted into tissue and, upon activation, to cool the tissue in a cooling region adjacent to the cryoprobe by selectively controlling the first and second cooling elements and to produce heating of the tissue around the cooling region by controlling the flow of energy through the energy conducting element.
A method for performing tissue ablation, comprising:
- inserting a cryosurgical apparatus with an elongated length into tissue in a treatment area, wherein the cryosurgical apparatus comprises a first electrode, a second electrode, and electrical insulation between the first electrode and the second electrode, such that the first electrode contacts the tissue at a first contact area, the second electrode contacts the tissue at a second contact area, and the first contact area is spaced apart from the second contact area along the length of the cryoprobe;
- directing electromagnetic energy through the tissue in the treatment area between the first electrode and the second electrode;
- and
- maintaining a tissue electrical conductivity differential by cooling a portion of tissue within the treatment area adjacent the cryosurgical apparatus such that the cooled tissue has a lower electrical conductivity than tissue further from the cryosurgical apparatus along a line perpendicular to the length of the cryosurgical apparatus, so as to modify a path taken by the electromagnetic energy between the first electrode and the second electrode.
A method for performing tissue ablation, comprising:
- inserting a cryosurgical apparatus with an elongated length into tissue in a treatment area;
- killing tissue in a first zone adjacent to the cryosurgical apparatus by freezing the tissue in the first zone;
- and
- killing tissue in a second zone surrounding the first zone by heating the tissue in the second zone with electromagnetic energy.
A method for performing tissue ablation, comprising:
- inserting a cryosurgical apparatus into tissue in a treatment area;
- killing tissue in a first zone adjacent to the cryosurgical apparatus by heating the tissue in the first zone with electromagnetic energy;
- cooling the tissue in the first zone to create a tissue electrical conductivity differential between the tissue in the first zone and tissue in a second zone adjacent and outward from the first zone, wherein the tissue in the second zone has a higher electrical conductivity than the tissue in the first zone;
- and
- killing tissue in the second zone by heating the tissue in the second zone with electromagnetic energy.
A method for performing tissue ablation, comprising:
- inserting an ablation apparatus with an elongated length into tissue to be treated, the ablation apparatus having a first electrode and a second electrode;
- cooling the tissue in a cooling region adjacent to a first area and a second area on the ablation apparatus by cooling the ablation apparatus at the first area and the second area, wherein the first area and the second area are spaced apart along the length of the ablation apparatus;
- and
- conveying electromagnetic energy through the tissue outside of the cooling region between the first electrode and the second electrode, wherein the act of cooling allows a greater amount of tissue to be ablated with a given quantity of electromagnetic energy.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.