Heated balloon catheter
AssigneeDomain Surgical, Inc.
InventorsKim Manwaring, David McNally
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Thermally adjustable surgical tools include a conductor and a ferromagnetic material. The ferromagnetic material may be quickly heated when subjected to high frequency alternating current through the conductor. The ferromagnetic material may also cool rapidly because of its relatively low mass and the small thermal mass of the conductor. The thermally adjustable surgical tools may be used to sculpt, melt, break and/or remove biological material. The thermally adjustable surgical tools may also include balloon catheters which can heat fluid to thereby treat biological material.
Claims42
A balloon catheter comprising:
- a catheter body having a first end and a second end and comprising a channel and an opening;
- a balloon forming a chamber, the chamber in fluid communication with the opening in the catheter body;
- and
- a thermal element disposed in communication with the balloon for heating fluid.
A method for treating biological material, the method comprising:
- selecting a catheter having a balloon attached thereto and a thermal element disposed therealong;
- passing fluid through the catheter and into the balloon;
- wherein the fluid is brought into contact with the thermal element to heat the fluid;
- and
- contacting biological material with the balloon.
A surgical tool comprising:
- a catheter;
- a plurality of support structures disposed in communication with the catheter;
- and
- a thermally adjustable tool disposed between the support structures.
A method of treating biological material, the method comprising the steps of:
- selecting a thermally adjustable surgical tool having a ferromagnetic heating element;
- placing the ferromagnetic heating element adjacent biological material;
- and
- delivering power to the ferromagnetic heating element to heat the ferromagnetic heating element and thereby treat the biological material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.