Multi-zone bipolar ablation probe assembly
AssigneeBoston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
InventorsKimbolt Young, Steve Anderson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A medical probe assembly, tissue treatment system, and method are provided for ablating tissue. The probe assembly comprises an elongated member and electrode elements mechanically coupled to the distal end of the elongated member. The electrode elements are configurable as two bipolar electrode pairs with a common electrode element. At least one of the electrode elements comprises a plurality of electrodes (such as, e.g., needle electrodes) radially extendable from the elongated member. An ablation source, such as a radio frequency source, can be connected to the probe assembly in order to convey ablation energy to the electrode pairs, either simultaneously or sequentially.
Claims44
A medical probe assembly for ablating tissue, comprising:
- an elongated member having a distal end;
- two electrode elements mechanically coupled to the distal end of the elongated member;
- and
- another electrode element mechanically coupled to the distal end of the elongated member between the respective two electrode elements, the two electrode elements and other electrode element being configurable as two bipolar electrode pairs, wherein the other electrode element is common to the bipolar electrode pairs;
- wherein the other electrode element is an array comprising a plurality of electrodes radially extendable from the elongated member to assume an outwardly straight shape when radially extended from the elongated member.
A medical probe assembly for ablating tissue, comprising:
- an elongated member having a distal end;
- two electrode arrays mechanically coupled to the distal end of the elongated member, each of the two electrode arrays comprising a plurality of needle electrodes;
- and
- another electrode array mechanically coupled to the distal end of the elongated member between the respective two electrode arrays, the other electrode array comprising a plurality of needle electrodes, the two electrode arrays and other electrode array being configurable as two bipolar electrode pairs, wherein the other electrode array is common to the bipolar electrode pairs, the two electrode arrays and other electrode array are deployable from the elongated member, and the needle electrodes of the other electrode array assume an outwardly straight shape when deployed.
A tissue ablation system, comprising:
- a medical probe assembly comprising an elongated member, two electrode elements mechanically coupled to a distal end of the elongated member, and another electrode element mechanically coupled to the distal end of the elongated member between the respective two electrode elements, and wherein at least one of the two electrode elements and other electrode element is an array comprising a plurality of electrodes radially extendable from the elongated member;
- a controller for configuring the two electrode elements and other electrode element as two bipolar electrode pairs, wherein the other electrode element is common to the bipolar electrode pairs;
- and
- an ablation source electrically coupled to the two electrode elements and the other electrode element.
A method of treating tissue having a diseased region, comprising:
- placing two electrode elements in contact with the diseased region;
- placing another electrode element in contact with the diseased region in an axial arrangement with the two electrode elements, the other electrode element being between the two electrode elements;
- and
- conveying ablation energy between the two electrode elements and the other element to create two ablation regions within the diseased region, wherein the two ablation regions, in composite, form a three-dimensional lesion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.