Method and Apparatus for Tissue Ablation

Abstract

The present invention is directed toward a device that performs ablation of tissue. The device has a catheter with a shaft through which an ablative agent can travel, a first positioning element attached to the catheter shaft at a first position and a second positioning element attached to the catheter shaft at a second position. The shaft also has ports through which the ablative agent can be released.

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         21 . A method of ablating esophageal tissue comprising the steps of:
 providing an ablation device comprising:
 a catheter having a hollow shaft through which an ablative agent can travel; 
 at least one first positioning element attached to said catheter; 
 at least one infusion port on said catheter for the delivery of said ablative agent to said esophageal tissue; and 
 a controller comprising a microprocessor for controlling the delivery of said ablative agent; 
   inserting said catheter into an upper gastrointestinal tract of a patient;   deploying said at least one first positioning element in an esophagus or a gastric cardia of said patient such that said positioning element abuts a gastroesophageal structure of said patient and said catheter and said at least one infusion port are positioned within an esophagus of said patient; and   delivering said ablative agent through said at least one infusion port to ablate said esophageal tissue.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein said ablation device further comprises at least one sensor for measuring at least one dimension of said esophagus and said method further comprises the steps of:
 operating said at least one sensor to measure at least one dimension of said esophagus; and   using said at least one dimension measurement to determine the amount of ablative agent to deliver to said esophageal tissue.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said at least one sensor comprises an infrared, electromagnetic, acoustic, or radiofrequency energy emitter and sensor. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein said ablation device further comprises at least one second positioning element, attached to said catheter at a position different from said at least one first positioning element, further wherein a distance between said at least one first positioning element and said at least one second positioning element is substantially equal to a length of said esophageal tissue to be ablated, and said method further comprises the step of deploying said at least one second positioning element in said esophagus or gastric cardia to assist in positioning said catheter within said esophagus. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein said at least one first positioning element is any one of an inflatable balloon, a wire mesh disc, a cone shaped attachment, a ring shaped attachment, or a freeform attachment configured to fit within said esophagus or gastric cardia, further wherein said at least one first positioning element is covered by an insulated membrane to prevent the escape of ablative agent beyond said esophageal tissue to be ablated. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein said at least one first positioning element has a size in a range of 10 to 100 mm. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein said at least one first positioning element is separated from esophageal tissue to be ablated by a distance of greater than 1 mm. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein said delivery of said ablative agent is guided by predetermined programmatic instructions. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein a temperature of said ablative agent is in a range of −95 to 110 degrees Celsius. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein said temperature is achieved in less than 1 minute and maintained for up to 10 minutes. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein esophageal pressure during ablation is no more than 5 atm. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein said ablation device further comprises at least one sensor for measuring a parameter of said esophagus and said method further comprises the steps of:
 operating said at least one sensor to measure a parameter of said esophagus; and   using said parameter measurement to increase or decrease a flow of said ablative agent to said esophageal tissue.   
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein said sensor is any one of a temperature, pressure, photo, or chemical sensor. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising the step of affixing said catheter to an anatomical structure not being subjected to ablation prior to said delivery of said ablative agent. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein said ablation device further comprises a coaxial member configured to restrain said at least one first positioning element and said step of deploying said at least one first positioning element further comprises removing said coaxial member from said ablation device. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein said catheter further comprises at least one suction port and said method further comprises operating said at least one suction port to remove said ablative agent from said esophagus. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein said ablation device further comprises at least one input port on said catheter for receiving said ablative agent. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein said ablation device further comprises an input device and said method further comprises the step of an operator using said input device to control the delivery of said ablative agent. 
     
     
         39 . A method of ablating esophageal tissue comprising the steps of:
 providing an ablation device comprising:
 a catheter having a hollow shaft through which an ablative agent can travel; 
 at least one first positioning element attached to said catheter; 
 at least one infusion port on said catheter for the delivery of said ablative agent to said esophageal tissue; 
 at least one mechanism for measuring at least one dimension of said esophagus; and 
 a controller comprising a microprocessor for controlling the delivery of said ablative agent; 
   inserting said catheter into an upper gastrointestinal tract of a patient;   deploying said at least one first positioning element in an esophagus or a gastric cardia of said patient such that said positioning element abuts a gastroesophageal structure of said patient and said catheter and said at least one infusion port are positioned within an esophagus of said patient;   operating said at least one mechanism to measure at least one dimension of said esophagus;   using said at least one dimension measurement to determine the amount of ablative agent to deliver to said esophageal tissue; and   delivering said ablative agent through said at least one infusion port to ablate said esophageal tissue.   
     
     
         40 . A method of ablating esophageal tissue comprising the steps of:
 providing an ablation device comprising:
 a catheter having a hollow shaft through which an ablative agent can travel; 
 at least one first positioning element attached to said catheter; 
 at least one second positioning element, attached to said catheter at a position separate from said at least one first positioning element, wherein a distance between said at least one first positioning element and said at least one second positioning element is substantially equal to a length of said esophageal tissue to be ablated; 
 at least one infusion port on said catheter for the delivery of said ablative agent to said esophageal tissue; and 
 a controller comprising a microprocessor for controlling the delivery of said ablative agent; 
   inserting said catheter into an upper gastrointestinal tract of a patient;   deploying said at least one first positioning element in a gastric cardia of said patient such that said positioning element abuts a gastroesophageal junction of said patient and said catheter and said at least one infusion port are positioned within an esophagus of said patient;   deploying said at least one second positioning element in said esophagus to assist in positioning said catheter within said esophagus; and   delivering said ablative agent through said at least one infusion port to ablate said esophageal tissue.