Method of tongue reduction by thermal ablation using high intensity focused ultrasound

A method of thermal ablation of the tongue comprising the steps of

• introducing an ultrasound emitting member in a patient's oral cavity;
• positioning the ultrasound emitting member adjacent an external surface of the tongue, said step of positioning including positioning the ultrasound emitting member in contact with the external surface at the base of the tongue and at a location aligned with a target area within the tongue, the target area being disposed below the external surface, said step of positioning including acoustically coupling a transducer of the ultrasound emitting member with the tissue via an acoustic coupling medium;
• emitting ultrasound energy from the ultrasound emitting member into the tissue of the tongue, said step of emitting including activating the transducer of the ultrasound emitting member to emit the ultrasound energy;
• focusing the ultrasound energy within the tissue of the tongue below the external surface;
• heating the tissue at the target area within the tongue with the focused ultrasound energy to create an ablative lesion at the target area;
• and
• withdrawing the ultrasound emitting member from the oral cavity.

A method of thermal ablation of the tongue comprising the steps of

• introducing an ultrasound emitting member in a patient's oral cavity;
• positioning the ultrasound emitting member adjacent an external surface of the tongue, said step of positioning including positioning the ultrasound emitting member in contact with the external surface at the base of the tongue and at a location aligned with a target area within the tongue, the target area being disposed below the external surface, said step of positioning including acoustically coupling a piezoelectric element of a transducer of the ultrasound emitting member with the tissue via an acoustic coupling medium disposed between the tissue and the piezoelectric element;
• emitting ultrasound energy from the ultrasound emitting member into the tissue of the tongue, said step of emitting including activating the transducer of the ultrasound emitting member to emit the ultrasound energy, said step of activating including supplying electrical energy to the piezoelectric element of the transducer and vibrating the piezoelectric element in response to the electrical energy;
• focusing the ultrasound energy within the tissue of the tongue below the external surface;
• heating the tissue at the target area within the tongue with the focused ultrasound energy to create an ablative lesion at the target area;
• and
• withdrawing the ultrasound emitting member from the oral cavity.

A method of thermal ablation of the tongue comprising the steps of

• introducing an ultrasound emitting member in a patient's oral cavity;
• positioning the ultrasound emitting member adjacent an external surface of the tongue, said step of positioning including positioning the ultrasound emitting member in contact with the external surface at the base of the tongue and at a location aligned with a target area within the tongue, the target area being disposed below the external surface;
• emitting ultrasound energy from the ultrasound emitting member into the tissue of the tongue, said step of emitting including activating a transducer of the ultrasound emitting member to emit the ultrasound energy, said step of activating including supplying electrical energy to a piezoelectric element of the transducer and vibrating the piezoelectric element in response to the electrical energy;
• focusing the ultrasound energy within the tissue of the tongue below the external surface, said step of focusing including focusing the ultrasound energy due to a curvature of the piezoelectric element;
• heating the tissue at the target area within the tongue with the focused ultrasound energy to create an ablative lesion at the target area;
• and
• withdrawing the ultrasound emitting member from the oral cavity.

A method of tongue reduction comprising the steps of

• introducing an ultrasound emitting member in a patient's oral cavity;
• positioning an active face of the ultrasound emitting member against an external surface of the tongue;
• emitting ultrasound energy from the ultrasound emitting member into the tissue of the tongue;
• focusing the ultrasound energy within the tongue at a focusing zone disposed a predetermined distance beneath the external surface;
• heating the tissue at a target area within the tongue, disposed beneath the external surface, with the focused ultrasound energy to create an internal lesion at the target area;
• and
• withdrawing the ultrasound emitting member from the oral cavity.

A method of thermal ablation of the tongue to treat airway associated disorders, including airway obstructions, snoring disorders and sleep apnea syndrome, comprising the steps of

• introducing an ultrasound emitting member in a patient's oral cavity;
• positioning the ultrasound emitting member at a location on the mucosa of the tongue;
• emitting ultrasound energy from the ultrasound emitting member into the tissue of the tongue;
• focusing the ultrasound energy within the tongue at at least one focusing zone contained in a target area disposed below the mucosa such that the ultrasound energy is of higher intensity in tissue at the at least one focusing zone than in tissue surrounding the target area;
• heating the tissue with the focused ultrasound energy such that the target area is heated to an ablative temperature to form a lesion at the target area while tissue surrounding the target area is not heated to a damaging level;
• and
• withdrawing the ultrasound emitting member from the oral cavity.