System and method for independent or simultaneous control of multiple radiofrequency probes during an ablation procedure

Abstract

A system for delivering energy to a patient's body includes a plurality of probes for delivering at least one of electrical or radiofrequency energy to the patient's body and a controller communicatively coupled to the plurality of probes and configured to present a display including a collapsible control panel that overlays a plurality of independent control panels each indicating one or more real-time operating parameters associated with the plurality of probes. The collapsible control panel includes a first graphical element for starting a treatment procedure for all of the plurality of probes simultaneously and a second graphical element that, when selected by the user, causes the display to dynamically update by closing the collapsible control panel to present third graphical elements in each of the plurality of independent control panels, the third graphical elements configured to start an individual treatment procedure for an associated one of the plurality of probes.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for delivering energy to a patient's body, the system comprising:
 a plurality of probes each comprising a proximal handle portion, a distal tip portion that includes one or more energy delivery devices for delivering at least one of electrical or radiofrequency energy to the patient's body, and a hollow elongate shaft extending from the proximal handle portion to the distal tip portion; and   a controller communicatively coupled to the plurality of probes and configured to present, via a user interface, a display comprising a collapsible control panel that overlays a plurality of independent control panels each indicating one or more real-time operating parameters associated with the plurality of probes, the collapsible control panel including:
 a first graphical element that, when selected by a user, starts a treatment procedure for all of the plurality of probes simultaneously; and 
 a second graphical element that, when selected by the user, causes the display to dynamically update by closing the collapsible control panel to present third graphical elements in each of the plurality of independent control panels, the third graphical elements configured to start an individual treatment procedure for an associated one of the plurality of probes. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first graphical element is a sliding bar including an icon that can be slid in at least one direction by the user to start the treatment procedure. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the third graphical elements are sliding bars each including an icon that can be slid in at least one direction by the user to start the individual treatment procedure. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , the one or more real-time operating parameters comprising at least one of a measured probe temperature, a probe temperature setpoint, a probe impedance, a run time setpoint, a power output, and a threshold temperature. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of independent control panels include one or more buttons for modifying one or more operating setpoints. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of independent control panels is configured to present a graph indicating a temperature of a corresponding probe of the plurality of probes over time responsive to the user selecting the first graphical element or one of the third graphical elements. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , each of the plurality of independent control panels further including a fourth graphical element that, when selected by the user, stops the individual treatment procedure, wherein the fourth graphical element is presented responsive to the user starting the individual treatment procedure. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , the collapsible control panel further including a fourth graphical element that, when selected by the user, causes the collapsible control panel to collapse without starting the treatment procedure for all of the plurality of probes simultaneously. 
     
     
         9 . A method for delivering energy to a patient's body, the method comprising:
 coupling a plurality of probes for delivering the energy to the patient's body to a controller;   presenting, by the controller, a user interface comprising a collapsible control panel that overlays a plurality of independent control panels, each of the plurality of independent control panels indicating one or more real-time operating parameters associated with the plurality of probes;   presenting, by the controller and within the collapsible control panel, a first graphical element for starting a first treatment procedure for all of the plurality of probes simultaneously and a second graphical element for starting a second treatment procedure using one or more of the plurality of probes;   receiving, by the controller, a user selection of the second graphical element; and   dynamically updating, by the controller, the user interface to present only the plurality of independent control panels by collapsing the collapsible control panel.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the first graphical element is a sliding bar including an icon that can be slid in at least one direction by the user to start the treatment procedure. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the second graphical element is a button that causes collapsible control panel to be collapsed. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , the one or more real-time operating parameters comprising at least one of a measured probe temperature, a probe temperature setpoint, a probe impedance, a run time setpoint, a power output, and a threshold temperature. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein each of the plurality of independent control panels include one or more buttons for modifying one or more operating setpoints. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising presenting, by the controller, a graph within each of the plurality of independent control panels responsive to the start of first treatment procedure or the second treatment procedure, the graph indicating a temperature of a corresponding probe of the plurality of probes over time responsive. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein each of the plurality of independent control panels further include a fourth graphical element for pausing the second treatment procedure. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 9 , the collapsible control panel further including a fourth graphical element that, when selected by the user, causes the collapsible control panel to collapse without starting the treatment procedure for all of the plurality of probes simultaneously. 
     
     
         17 . A controller for controlling a plurality of radiofrequency (RF) probes during a treatment procedure, the controller comprising:
 a user interface; and   a memory device having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
 presenting, via the user interface, a display comprising a collapsible control panel that overlays a plurality of independent control panels, each of the plurality of independent control panels indicating one or more operating parameters associated with the plurality of RF probes; 
 presenting, within the collapsible control panel, a first graphical element for starting a first treatment procedure for all of the plurality of probes simultaneously and a second graphical element for starting a second treatment procedure using one or more of the plurality of probes; 
 receiving a user selection of the second graphical element; and 
 dynamically updating the display to present only the plurality of independent control panels by collapsing the collapsible control panel. 
   
     
     
         18 . The controller of  claim 17 , wherein each of the plurality of independent control panels include a third graphical element for starting an individual treatment procedure with a corresponding one of the plurality of RF probes, the operations further comprising:
 receiving a second user selection of the third graphical element associated with at least one of the plurality of independent control panels; and   initiating the individual treatment procedure using the corresponding one of the plurality of RF probes.   
     
     
         19 . The controller of  claim 17 , wherein the first graphical element is a sliding bar including an icon that can be slid in at least one direction by the user to start the treatment procedure. 
     
     
         20 . The controller of  claim 17 , the one or more operating parameters comprising at least one of a measured probe temperature, a probe temperature setpoint, a probe impedance, a run time setpoint, a power output, and a threshold temperature.