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Multi-modality ablation deviceRelated Patent Categories: Surgery, Instruments, Heat ApplicationMulti-modality ablation device description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060217696, Multi-modality ablation device. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates generally to medical instrumentation, and more particularly, to a multi-modality ablation device. [0003] 2. Prior Art [0004] Ultrasonic and radio frequency instruments are well known in the medical arts. Such instrumentation may be used to make lesions in tissue, but are also used to cut and coagulate tissue and blood, respectively. Typically, ultrasonic instrumentation has an ultrasonic transducer at a working end of the instrument, while radio frequency instruments have one or more electrodes at a working end of the instrument. Each of the working ends is typically separated from a handle or other manipulation means by an elongated shaft. [0005] Instruments utilizing radio frequency energy perform well for single-sided ablation of thin tissue. However, this modality can only ablate thicker tissue at the expense of lesion width. Creating wider lesions with radio frequency energy may result in damage to critical peripheral tissue structures. Beyond 6 mm in tissue depth, radio frequency energy may not achieve lesion transmurality. On the other hand, instruments utilizing ultrasound energy perform well for thick tissue ablation because the energy can be focused into the depth of the tissue. However, for thin tissue, ultrasound may be ineffective as the ultrasound energy is focused in blood, not in the tissue. [0006] Thus, the surgeon must determine the efficacy of the lesion created with one of the ultrasound or radio frequency instruments and may need to exchange instrumentation to create a proper lesion, all of which significantly increase the time of the procedure (ablation cycle time). SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0007] Therefore it is an object of the present invention to provide ablation devices and methods for their use that overcome the disadvantages of conventional instrumentation known in the art. [0008] Accordingly, the devices and methods of the present invention utilize one or both ultrasound and radio frequency energy modalities to achieve an efficacious lesion with minimum activation time. Thus, ablation cycle time and adverse effects such as excessive peripheral thermal damage to tissue are minimized when the modalities are used together, when necessary. [0009] Therefore, an instrument for ablation of tissue is provided. The instrument comprising: a body having at least one surface for contacting a tissue surface, the at least one surface being substantially planar; an ultrasonic transducer disposed in the body for generating ultrasonic energy and directing at least a portion of the ultrasonic energy to the tissue surface, the ultrasonic transducer being operatively connected to an ultrasonic generator; at least one radio-frequency electrode disposed on the at least one surface for directing radio frequency energy to the tissue surface, the at least one radio-frequency electrode being operatively connected to a power source; and one or more switches for selectively coupling at least one of the ultrasonic transducer to the ultrasonic generator and the at least one radio-frequency electrode to the power source. [0010] The body can comprise a non-conductive head, the non-conductive head having a cavity for housing the ultrasonic transducer. The head can further have a heat exchanger for cooling at least one of the ultrasonic transducer, the at least one radio-frequency electrode, and the tissue surface. The at least one radio-frequency electrode can comprise first and second radio-frequency electrodes, the first radio-frequency electrode being maintained at a first polarity and the second radio-frequency electrode being maintained at a second polarity different from the first polarity. The first and second radio frequency electrodes can comprise first and second conductive surfaces, respectively, disposed on the non-conductive head. The first and second conductive surfaces can be separated by the cavity and the cavity can be enclosed with an acoustic window on the at least one surface. [0011] Also provided is an instrument for ablation of tissue where the instrument comprises: an ultrasonic transducer for generating ultrasonic energy and directing at least a portion of the ultrasonic energy to a tissue surface; and at least one radio-frequency electrode for directing radio frequency energy to the tissue surface, the at least one radio frequency electrode being disposed substantially in a plane with the ultrasonic transducer. [0012] The instrument can further comprise one or more switches for selectively powering at least one of the ultrasonic transducer and the at least one radio-frequency electrode. [0013] Still provided is a system for ablation of tissue, where the system comprises: a tissue thickness measurement means for measuring a thickness of tissue corresponding to a tissue surface to be ablated; and an instrument having an ultrasonic transducer for generating ultrasonic energy and directing at least a portion of the ultrasonic energy to the tissue surface; at least one radio-frequency electrode for directing radio frequency energy to the tissue surface; and one or more switches for selectively powering at least one of the ultrasonic transducer and the at least one radio-frequency electrode based on the measured tissue thickness. [0014] The system can further comprise an ultrasonic generator selectively coupled to the ultrasonic transducer by the one or more switches. The system can also further comprise a power source selectively coupled to the at least one electrode by the one or more switches. [0015] Still provided is a method for creating lesions in tissue. The method comprising: providing an instrument capable of selectively directing at least one of ultrasonic and radio-frequency energy to the tissue; measuring a tissue thickness corresponding to the tissue; and applying at least one of ultrasonic and radio-frequency energy from the instrument to the tissue based on the measuring. [0016] The applying can comprise applying the ultrasonic and radio-frequency energy from the instrument to the tissue surface where the measured tissue thickness is greater than a first predetermined thickness. The first predetermined thickness can be about 6 mm. [0017] The applying can comprise applying only the radio-frequency energy from the instrument to the tissue surface where the measured tissue thickness is less than a second predetermined thickness. The second predetermined thickness can be about 3-5 mm. [0018] The applying can comprise applying only the ultrasonic energy from the instrument to the tissue surface where the measured tissue thickness is between the first predetermined thickness and the second predetermined thickness. [0019] Where the ultrasonic energy is supplied by an ultrasonic transducer and the radio-frequency energy is supplied by at least one electrode, the method can further comprise cooling at least one of the ultrasonic transducer, the at least one electrode, and the tissue. [0020] Still provided is a method for creating lesions in tissue where the method comprises: measuring a tissue thickness corresponding to the tissue; and applying ultrasonic and radio-frequency energy to the tissue surface where the tissue thickness is greater than a predetermined thickness. [0021] The applying can comprise applying the ultrasonic energy followed by applying the radio-frequency energy. [0022] Still yet provided is a method for creating lesions in tissue where the method comprises: measuring a tissue thickness corresponding to the tissue; applying ultrasonic energy to the tissue surface to create a lesion where the tissue thickness is greater than a predetermined thickness; determining an extent of the lesion created by the applying of the ultrasonic energy; and applying radio-frequency energy to the tissue surface where the extent of the lesion is determined to be unsatisfactory. Continue reading about Multi-modality ablation device... Full patent description for Multi-modality ablation device Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Multi-modality ablation device patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. 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