US2003065322A1PendingUtilityA1

Systems and methods for controlling tissue ablation using multiple temperature sensing elements

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Priority: Aug 8, 1994Filed: Oct 21, 2002Published: Apr 3, 2003
Est. expiryAug 8, 2014(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Dorin PanescuSidney D. FleischmanJames G. WhayneDavid K. Swanson
A61B 2018/1435A61B 2018/00821A61B 2018/128A61B 2018/00797A61B 2018/126A61B 2018/0066A61B 5/287G01K 1/026A61L 31/10A61B 2018/0069A61B 2018/124A61B 2017/00154A61B 18/1206A61B 2017/00088A61B 2017/003A61B 18/00A61B 2018/1467A61B 2017/00092A61B 18/20A61B 2018/00107A61B 2018/00101A61N 1/056A61N 1/403A61B 5/6858G01K 3/14A61B 2018/00791A61B 2018/00803A61B 18/12A61N 1/40A61B 2018/0016A61B 2018/00083A61B 18/1492A61B 2018/00148A61B 2018/00636A61N 1/06A61L 31/145A61L 29/145
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Claims

Abstract

Systems and associated methods place a temperature sensing element in an “edge region” between an energy transmitting electrode and a non-electrically conducting support body, where higher temperatures are likely to exist. Reliable temperature sensing, which is sensitive to variations in temperatures along the electrode, results.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
We claim:  
     
         1 . A device for ablating body tissue comprising 
 a support element made of a material that does not conduct tissue ablation energy,    an electrode carried by the support element for contact with tissue, the electrode being made of a material that transmits ablation energy, the electrode having at least one edge that contacts the material of the support element, and    at least one temperature sensing element carried by the electrode adjacent to the at least one edge.    
     
     
         2 . A device according to  claim 1   and further including at least one additional temperature sensing element carried by the electrode away from the at least one edge.    
     
     
         3 . A device for ablating body tissue comprising 
 a support element made of a material that does not conduct tissue ablation energy,    an electrode carried by the support element for contact with tissue, the electrode being made of a material that transmits ablation energy, the electrode having opposed edges that contact the material of the support element, and    temperature sensing elements carried by the electrode adjacent to the opposed edges.    
     
     
         4 . A device according to  claim 3   and further including at least one additional temperature sensing element carried by the electrode away from the opposed edges.    
     
     
         5 . A device according to  claim 1  or  2  or  3  or  4  
 wherein the electrode comprises a metallic material attached about the support element.  
 
     
     
         6 . A device according to  claim 1  or  2  or  3  or  4  
 wherein the electrode comprises wire wrapped about the support element.  
 
     
     
         7 . A device according to  claim 1  or  2  or  3  or  4  
 wherein the support element is flexible and includes means for flexing the support element.  
 
     
     
         8 . A device according to  claim 7   wherein the electrode is flexible and flexes with the support element.    
     
     
         9 . A device according to  claim 1  or  2  or  3  or  4  
 wherein the temperature sensing element comprises a thermistor.  
 
     
     
         10 . A device according to  claim 1  or  2  or  3  or  4  
 wherein the temperature sensing element comprises a thermocouple.  
 
     
     
         11 . A device according to  claim 1  or  2  or  3  or  4  
 and further including at least one additional temperature sensing element carried by the support body.  
 
     
     
         12 . A device for ablating body tissue comprising 
 a support element made of a material that does not conduct tissue ablation energy, and    an array of spaced apart electrodes carried by the support element for contact with tissue, each electrode being made of a material that transmits ablation energy, each electrode having opposed edges that contact the material of the support element, and    at least one temperature sensing element carried by one of the electrodes adjacent to at least one of its opposed edges.    
     
     
         13 . A device according to  claim 12   wherein each electrode carries at least one temperature sensing element adjacent to at least one of its opposed edges.    
     
     
         14 . A device according to  claim 12   wherein the array of electrodes includes a first electrode that begins the array and a second electrode that ends the array, and    wherein both the first and second electrodes carry at least one temperature sensing element adjacent to at least one of its edges.    
     
     
         15 . A device according to  claim 14   wherein the array of electrodes includes at least one intermediate electrode between the first and second electrodes.    
     
     
         16 . A device according to  claim 15   wherein the at least one intermediate electrode carries at least one temperature sensing element adjacent to at least one of its edges.    
     
     
         17 . A device according to  claim 15   wherein the at least one intermediate electrode carries at least one temperature sensing element.    
     
     
         18 . A device according to  claim 12   wherein the support body carries at least one temperature sensing element.    
     
     
         19 . A device according to  claim 12   wherein the at least one electrode comprises a metallic material attached about the support element.    
     
     
         20 . A device according to  claim 12   wherein the at least one electrode comprises wire wrapped about the support element.    
     
     
         21 . A device according to  claim 12   wherein the support element is flexible and includes means for flexing the support element.    
     
     
         22 . A device according to  claim 21   wherein the array of electrodes is flexible and flexes with the support element.    
     
     
         23 . A device according to  claim 12   wherein the temperature sensing element comprises a thermistor.    
     
     
         24 . A device according to  claim 12   wherein the temperature sensing element comprises a thermocouple.    
     
     
         25 . A system for ablating body tissue comprising 
 a generator for supplying ablation energy,    a support element made of a material that does not conduct ablation energy,    an electrode carried by the support element for contact with tissue, the electrode being made of a material that transmits ablation energy, the electrode having at least one edge that contacts the material of the support element,    at least one temperature sensing element carried by the electrode adjacent to the at least one edge, and    a controller coupled to the temperature sensing element and the generator to control the supply of ablation energy based, at least in part, upon temperature sensed by the at least one temperature sensing element.    
     
     
         26 . A system for ablating body tissue comprising 
 a generator for supplying ablation energy,    a support element made of a material that does not conduct ablation energy,    an electrode carried by the support element for contact with tissue, the electrode being made of a material that transmits ablation energy, the electrode having opposed edges that contact the material of the support element,    temperature sensing elements carried by the electrode adjacent to the opposed edges, and    a controller coupled to the temperature sensing elements and the generator to control the supply of ablation energy based, at least in part, upon temperatures sensed by the temperature sensing elements.    
     
     
         27 . A system according to  claim 26   wherein the controller includes means for selecting a temperature sensed by one of the temperature sensing elements that is higher than a temperature sensed by the other temperature sensing element and for controlling the supply of ablation energy based, at least in part, upon the selected temperature.    
     
     
         28 . A system for ablating body tissue comprising 
 a generator for supplying ablation energy,    a support element made of a material that does not conduct ablation energy, and    an array of spaced apart electrodes carried by the support element for contact with tissue, each electrode being made of a material that transmits ablation energy, each electrode having opposed edges that contact the material of the support element, the array including a first electrode that begins the array and a second electrode that ends the array,    first and second temperature sensing elements carried by, respectively, the first and second electrodes adjacent to one of their respective opposed edges, and    a controller coupled to the first and second temperature sensing elements and the generator to control the supply of ablation energy to the array of electrodes based, at least in part, upon temperatures sensed by the first and second temperature sensing elements.    
     
     
         29 . A method for ablating body tissue comprising the steps of 
 supplying ablation energy to an electrode carried by a support element made of a material that does not conduct ablation energy, the electrode having at least one edge that contacts the material of the support element,    sensing temperature with at least one temperature sensing element carried by the electrode adjacent to the at least one edge, and    controlling the supply of ablation energy based, at least in part, upon temperature sensed by the at least one temperature sensing element.    
     
     
         30 . A method for ablating body tissue comprising the steps of 
 supplying ablation energy to an electrode carried by a support element made of a material that does not conduct ablation energy, the electrode having opposed edges that contact the material of the support element,    sensing temperatures with temperature sensing elements carried by the electrode adjacent to the opposed edges, and    controlling the supply of ablation energy based, at least in part, upon temperatures sensed by the temperature sensing elements.    
     
     
         31 . A method according to  claim 30   wherein, in controlling the supply of ablation energy, a temperature sensed by one of the temperature sensing elements is selected that is higher than a temperature sensed by the other temperature sensing element and the supply of ablation energy is controlled based, at least in part, upon the selected temperature.    
     
     
         32 . A method for ablating body tissue comprising the steps of 
 supplying ablation energy to an array of spaced apart electrodes carried by a support element made of a material that does not conduct ablation energy, each electrode in the array having opposed edges that contact the material of the support element, the array including a first electrode that begins the array and a second electrode that ends the array,    sensing temperatures with first and second temperature sensing elements carried by, respectively, the first and second electrodes adjacent to one of their respective opposed edges, and    controlling the supply of ablation energy to the array of electrodes based, at least in part, upon temperatures sensed by the first and second temperature sensing elements.    
     
     
         33 . A device according to  claim 1  or  2  or  3  or  4  
 wherein the temperature sensing element is carried inside the electrode.  
 
     
     
         34 . A device according to  claim 1  or  2  or  3  or  4  
 wherein the temperature sensing element is carried outside the electrode.

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