Focused ultrasound ablation devices having selectively actuatable ultrasound emitting elements and methods of using the same

A method of thermal ablation of anatomical tissue using focused ultrasound comprising the steps of

• selecting one or more of a plurality of individual ultrasound emitting elements, arranged in an array on an active face of an ultrasound emitting member, for actuation to emit ultrasound energy in accordance with a desired size and surface configuration of a lesion to be formed in anatomical tissue;
• positioning the active face adjacent the anatomical tissue at a location aligned with a desired target area for the lesion within the tissue;
• actuating the selected one or more ultrasound emitting elements to emit ultrasound energy;
• focusing the ultrasound energy with the selected one or more of the ultrasound emitting elements so that the ultrasound energy is focused in the target area at one or more focusing zones corresponding to the selected one or more of the ultrasound emitting elements, each of the one or more focusing zones being disposed the same fixed predetermined distance from the active face;
• and
• heating the tissue with the focused ultrasound energy to form a lesion at the target area having the desired size and surface configuration.

A method of thermal ablation of anatomical tissue comprising the steps of

• positioning an active surface of an ultrasound emitting member adjacent anatomical tissue to be ablated;
• actuating a plurality of ultrasound emitting elements disposed along the active surface to emit ultrasound energy;
• emitting ultrasound energy into the anatomical tissue from the plurality of ultrasound emitting elements disposed along the active surface;
• focusing the ultrasound energy at a plurality of focusing zones contained in a target area in the anatomical tissue, each focusing zone being separate and distinct to the ultrasound emitting element and each focusing zone being disposed the same predetermined distance from the ultrasound emitting elements;
• heating the anatomical tissue at the focusing zones with the focused ultrasound energy to form an ablated tissue area at the target area containing a plurality of lesions at the focusing zones, respectively;
• and
• removing the active surface from adjacent the anatomical tissue.

A method of thermal ablation of anatomical tissue comprising the steps of

• positioning an active surface of an ultrasound emitting member adjacent anatomical tissue to be ablated;
• actuating a plurality of ultrasound emitting elements disposed in a plane along the active surface to emit ultrasound energy;
• emitting ultrasound energy from the plurality of ultrasound emitting elements disposed in the plane along the active surface;
• focusing the ultrasound energy in the anatomical tissue at a plurality of closely spaced focusing zones corresponding to the ultrasound emitting elements, each focusing zone is being separate and distinct to the ultrasound emitting elements, and each focusing zone being disposed in a plane located a fixed predetermined distance from the active surface;
• ablating the anatomical tissue with the focused ultrasound energy to form an ablated tissue area containing a plurality of lesions at the focusing zones, respectively;
• and
• removing the ultrasound emitting member from adjacent the anatomical tissue.

A method of thermal ablation of anatomical tissue comprising the steps of

• positioning an active surface of an ultrasound emitting member adjacent anatomical tissue and in alignment with a target area in the anatomical tissue at which an ablated tissue area is to be created;
• actuating selected ones of a plurality of ultrasound emitting elements disposed along the active surface to emit ultrasound energy;
• emitting ultrasound energy from the selected ultrasound emitting elements into the anatomical tissue;
• focusing the ultrasound energy in the anatomical tissue at a plurality of focusing zones corresponding to the selected ultrasound emitting elements, each focusing zone being separate and distinct to the ultrasound of emitting element, and each focusing zone being disposed the same predetermined distance from the ultrasound emitting elements;
• and
• ablating the anatomical tissue with the focused ultrasound energy to form an ablated tissue area at the target area having a planar surface configuration containing a plurality of closely spaced lesions at which the anatomical tissue is ablated.