US 7,048,756 B2Granted

System, method and apparatus for evaluating tissue temperature

AssigneeApasara Medical Corporation

InventorsPhilip E. Eggers, John L. Ridihalgh, Mark Mayerchak, Gary Altman

Life of this patent

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Abstract

Method, system and apparatus for monitoring target tissue temperatures wherein temperature sensors are configured as passive resonant circuits each, with a unique resonating signature at monitoring temperatures extending below a select temperature setpoint. The resonant circuits are configured with an inductor component formed of windings about a ferrite core having a Curie temperature characteristic corresponding with a desired temperature setpoint. By selecting inductor winding turns and capacitance values, unique resonant center frequencies are detectable. Temperature monitoring can be carried out with implants at lower threshold and upper limit temperature responses. Additionally, the lower threshold sensors may be combined with auto-regulated heater implants having Curie transitions at upper temperature limits.

Claims58

Dependent claims

A method for thermally treating a target tissue within the body of a patient, comprising the steps of:

(a) determining temperature and treatment interval therapy data for carrying out said treatment of said target tissue;
(b) providing one or more passive resonant implants, each having an electromagnetic response of given intensity to an extra body applied interrogational electromagnetic field at a predetermined resonant center frequency only when said implant is at a monitor temperature or temperatures below a target temperature corresponding with said therapy data;
(c) providing a heating assembly controllable to derive an output effecting the generation of heat at said target tissue from an application component located externally of said body;
(d) providing an interrogation assembly having an antenna assembly and controllable to derive and apply said extra body interrogational electromagnetic field and having a detector output in correspondence with antenna assembly detections of said implant electromagnetic response at said predetermined resonant center frequency;
(e) locating said one or more implants at an intra-body location effective for response to temperature at the location of said target tissue;
(f) controlling said heating assembly to elevate the temperature of said target tissue;
(g) controlling said interrogation assembly to derive and apply said extra body interrogational electromagnetic field to said located one or more implants for an interrogation interval deriving said detector output;
and
(h) controlling said heating assembly in correspondence with said detector output.

6 more elements

A method for thermally treating target tissue within the body of a patient, comprising the steps of:

(a) determining temperature and treatment interval therapy data for carrying out said treatment of said target tissue;
(b) providing one or more untethered passive resonant sensor implants, each having an electromagnetic response to an extra body applied interrogational electromagnetic field at a resonant center frequency when said sensor implant is at monitor temperatures;
(c) providing one or more untethered passive auto-regulating heaters having a thermal response to an extra body applied alternating current field to elevate in temperature to a predetermined temperature or temperatures, whereat said heaters are thermally unresponsive to said applied alternating current field;
(d) providing a heating assembly controllable to derive said applied alternating current field from an application component located externally of said body effecting said thermal response;
(e) providing an interrogation assembly having an antenna assembly and controllable to derive and apply said extra body interrogational electromagnetic field and having a detector output in correspondence with antenna assembly detections of said sensor implant electromagnetic response at said monitor temperatures;
(f) locating one or more said sensor implants at an intra-body location effective for response to temperature at the location of said target tissue;
(g) locating one or more said heaters at an intra-body location effective for heating said target tissue;
(h) controlling said heating assembly to elevate the temperature of said one or more passive auto-regulating heaters;
(i) controlling said interrogation assembly to derive and apply said extra body interrogational electromagnetic field to said located one or more sensor implants for an interrogational interval deriving said detector output;
and
(j) controlling said heating assembly in correspondence with said detector output.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 10/733,970Filed 11 Dec 2003 · continuation in part
Priority: 18 Jan 2002
Published: US 2004/0122494 A124 Jun 2004
Granted: 23 May 2006
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification10 codes

G01K 7/38
Using magnetic elements, e.g. magnets, coils: the variations of temperature influencing the magnetic permeability
A61B 18/04
Surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body: by heating
A61F 7/12
Heating or cooling appliances for medical or therapeutic treatment of the human body: devices for heating or cooling internal body cavities
A61B 18/18
Surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body: by applying electromagnetic…

Family

Application60/349,593Us provisional application · filed 18 Jan 2002
Application10/201,363Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 23 Jul 2002
Application10/246,347Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 18 Sep 2002
Application60/466,225Us provisional application · filed 28 Apr 2003
US 2004/0122494 A1Pre-grant publication · published 24 Jun 2004
US 2003/0139787 A1Published application
US 2003/0163177 A1Published application
US 6,993,394 B2Related patent
US 7,048,756 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.