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

A focused ultrasound ablation device for creating a lesion within tissue of a patient comprising:

• a handle;
• and
• an ultrasound emitting member coupled to the handle, the ultrasound emitting member comprising an active face adapted for positioning adjacent an area of tissue, the active face carrying one or more rows of spaced apart ultrasound transducer elements, the ultrasound transducer elements selectively, independently actuatable to emit focused ultrasound energy focused a predetermined distance from the active face and focused at separate and distinct locations for each individual ultrasound transducer element such that the area of tissue adjacent the active face is heated by the focused ultrasound energy to create the lesion within tissue of the patient.

A focused ultrasound ablation device for creating a lesion in tissue of a patient comprising:

• an ultrasound emitting member having a plurality of ultrasound emitting elements, the ultrasound emitting elements being independently actuatable to emit ultrasound energy outwardly from an active surface and being independently non-actuatable to not emit ultrasound energy, whereby the ultrasound energy is focused at separate and distinct locations for each individual ultrasound emitting element;
• a controller that selectively, independently actuates the ultrasound emitting elements to emit ultrasound energy, whereby a lesion of selected size and configuration is formed in accordance with the ultrasound emitting elements selected to be actuated.

A focused ultrasound ablation device for creating a lesion within tissue of a patient comprising:

• an ultrasound emitting member, the ultrasound emitting member comprising an active face adapted for positioning adjacent an area of tissue, the active face carrying one or more rows of spaced apart ultrasound transducer elements, the ultrasound transducer elements selectively, independently actuatable to emit ultrasound energy focused at separate and distinct locations for each individual ultrasound transducer element such that the area of tissue adjacent the active face is heated by the ultrasound energy to create the lesion within tissue of the patient;
• and
• a controller operatively coupled to the ultrasound transducer elements, the controller selectively actuating the ultrasound transducer elements.

A focused ultrasound ablation device for creating a lesion in tissue of a patient comprising:

• a transducer having a plurality of ultrasound emitting elements, the ultrasound emitting elements being independently actuatable to emit ultrasound energy outwardly from an active surface and being independently non-actuatable to not emit ultrasound energy, whereby the ultrasound energy is focused at separate and distinct locations for each individual ultrasound emitting element;
• and
• a controller that selectively, independently actuates the ultrasound emitting elements to emit ultrasound energy, whereby a lesion of selected size and configuration is formed in accordance with the ultrasound emitting elements selected to be actuated.