Methods of using high intensity focused ultrasound to form an ablated tissue area containing a plurality of lesions

Abstract

A device and method for ablating tissue is disclosed comprising the steps of acquiring an anatomical image of a patient, correlating the image to the patient, guiding an ablating member within the patient while tracking the position of the ablating member in the patient, positioning the ablating member in a desired position to ablate tissue, emitting ablating energy from the ablating member to form an ablated tissue area and removing the ablating member from the patient.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60 / 808,306, filed May 25, 2006, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. [0002] This application is also a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11 / 298,282 filed Dec. 9, 2005, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11 / 128,686 filed May 13, 2005, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60 / 571,182 filed on May 14, 2004, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. [0003] This application is also a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 11 / 184,398, filed Jul. 19, 2005, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 10 / 464,213, filed Jun. 18, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,936,046, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 09 / 629,194, filed Jul. 31, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,595,934, which is a continuation-i...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention is a method of tissue ablation using guidance or navigation. The invention allows for the use of ablation to treat various conditions such as atrial fibrillation (AF) and other arrhythmias. The invention uses ablation to create lesions in the heart to modify the substrate and prevent the maintenance of AF. The invention also allows for the use of a variety of ablation devices and techniques, including the use of a phased array for ablation. The invention provides a system for easily positioning and manipulating the ablation device, as well as a method for controlling the ablating energy to create precise and consistent lesions. Overall, the invention provides a more effective and safe way to treat AF and other arrhythmias.

Problems solved by technology

Thermal effects include heating of the tissue; and, when the tissue is heated to a sufficiently high temperature, tissue damage such as coagulative necrosis can be produced.

Occasionally, these electrical signals do not function properly, thereby causing heart arrhythmias.

Although successful in treating AF, the surgical Maze procedure is quite complex and is currently performed by a limited number of highly skilled cardiac surgeons in conjunction with other open-heart procedures.

Irrigated RF epicardial ablation approaches allow the heat to penetrate deeper into the tissue, but tend to be limited in depth.

Without sufficient space and field of view, it is difficult for the surgeon to recognize the anatomical location and identity of structures viewed on the video display.

The requirement for space surrounding the working field has the effect of limiting the regions which can be safely and confidently accessed by minimally invasive endoscopic techniques.

For example, it is very difficult for the surgeon to endoscopically visualize the passage of instruments through the spaces posterior to and around portions of the heart such as the transverse and oblique sinuses.

Due to these limitations, some procedures have not been attempted using minimally invasive endoscopic techniques.

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