Method for treating tissue with a wet electrode and apparatus for using same
A method for treating tissue of a mammalian body in which the conductivity of the tissue is characterized. The amount of a conductive liquid to supply to the tissue is determined as a function of the conductivity of the tissue and injected into the tissue over an interval of time. Electromagnetic energy is supplied to the tissue to form a lesion in the tissue. A computer-readable memory and a radio frequency generator and controller utilizing such method are further provided.
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This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/201,502, Thomas H. McGaffigan, Method For Treating Tissue With a Wet Electrode & Apparatus For Using Same, filed Jul. 22, 2002, the contents of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThis invention pertains generally to methods and apparatus for treating tissue and, more particularly, to methods and apparatus for treating tissue utilizing a wet electrode.
BACKGROUNDMedical devices have been provided for treating benign prostatic hyperplasia by the use of radio frequency energy. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,370,675, 5,421,819 and 5,549,644. Radio frequency energy passing from an electrode of such a device through the adjoining tissue causes heating of the tissue. In order to cause tissue ablation and subsequent necrosis, the treated tissue is heated to a temperature in excess of 47° C.
Radio frequency generators can be provided with power levels up to several hundred watts for accomplishing such ablation and necrosis. Unfortunately, the amount of power that can practically be delivered to a patient is limited by physiological factors. For example, when a patient is unconscious under a general anesthetic, a few hundred watts of radio frequency power can be delivered for short periods of time. The amount of power that can be delivered to a conscious patient is under a hundred watts.
Some of the previously provided medical devices permit a liquid to be introduced into an area adjacent a conductive electrode. See in this regard U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,370,675 and 5,421,819. Other devices have been provided for introducing a conductive liquid through an electrode into tissue to be ablated. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,016,809. Prior art lesion producing devices utilizing an infused conductive liquid have failed to recognize the importance of maintaining a specific range of current density distributed over the effective electrode area.
It would be desirable to produce a predictable necrotic lesion with a minimum amount of power.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONA method for treating tissue of a mammalian body has been provided in which the conductivity of the tissue is characterized. The amount of a conductive liquid to supply to the tissue is determined as a function of the conductivity of the tissue and injected into the tissue over an interval of time. Electromagnetic energy is supplied to the tissue to form a lesion in the tissue. A computer-readable memory and a radio frequency generator and controller utilizing such method are further provided.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The method and apparatus of the present invention are for treating a mammalian body, such as a human patient. Such apparatus is part of a system 11 and can be in the form of a transurethral needle ablation apparatus or device 12 similar to the apparatus shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,964,756 and in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/684,376 filed Oct. 5, 2000, the entire content of each of which is incorporated herein by this reference. Device 12 includes a reusable handle 13 on which there is mounted a detachable cartridge 14. The needle electrodes of the device are supplied with radio frequency energy from a radio frequency generator and controller 16, which can be similar to the type commercially available from Medtronic, Inc. of Minneapolis, Minn. The device 12 is further supplied with a conductive liquid such as a saline solution provided from one or more reservoirs and preferably from a saline supply 17 (see
Apparatus 12 is similar in construction to the apparatus disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,964,756. Using that same construction, handle 13 is comprised of a housing 21 which is ergonomically shaped so as to be adapted to fit in a human hand. Specifically, the handle 13 is in the form of a pistol grip which has a main body portion 22 that is provided with a forward indentation 23 adapted to receive the index finger of the human hand grasping the handle 13 and a larger rearwardly facing indentation 24 adapted to receive the thumb of the same human hand. Housing 21 is made from metal or any other suitable material.
Cartridge 14 consists of a cover 31 that is generally U-shaped in cross section and is formed of a suitable material such as plastic. The cover 31 is provided with proximal and distal extremities 31a and 31b and is formed by a curved top wall 32 and depending adjoining spaced-apart parallel side walls 33. A release button 34 is provided on each of the opposite sides of the housing 21 for releasing the removable cartridge 14 from the handle 13.
An elongate tubular member or probe 41 preferably in the form of a rigid torque tube made from any suitable material such as stainless steel is provided and includes proximal and distal extremities 41a and 41b. Probe 41 has its proximal extremity mounted to the distal extremity 31b of cover 31. The tubular torque member 41 has a suitable diameter as for example 18 French and is provided with a passage 42 circular in cross section extending therethrough (see
A bullet-shaped tip or distal guide housing 46 formed of a suitable plastic transparent to light is secured to the distal extremity of the torque tube or probe 41 in the manner described in Pat. No. 5,964,756 (see
The first and second angled guide tubes 51 and 52 adjoin straight guide tubes 56 and 57, respectively, which extend through the passage 42 provided in the torque tube or elongate probe 41 (see
A pair of first and second elongate members or stylets 66 and 67 are slidably mounted in the first and second straight guide tubes 56 and 57 within probe 41 (see
Second stylet 67 is similar in construction to the first stylet 66 and includes a needle electrode 73 and a sleeve 74 slidably mounted on the needle electrode 73. The needle electrodes 71 and 73 are preferably formed of a hollow superelastic nickel-titanium material having an outside diameter of 0.018 inch and an inside diameter of 0.012 inch and a wall thickness of 0.003 inch. The sleeves 72 and 74 are preferably made from plastic or any other suitable insulating material and extend through the guide tubes 51, 52, 56 and 57 so that the entire lengths of the needle electrodes 71 and 73 extending through the passage 42 are insulated from each other and from the torque tube 41. The sheaths or sleeves 72 and 74 additionally provide stiffness to the needle electrodes during penetration of the urethral or other passage wall into which tip 46 is introduced. The insulating sheaths are sized in length so that when the needle electrodes are retracted within the bullet-shaped tip 46, they are substantially covered with the insulation. When the needle electrodes are deployed, the sheaths 72 and 74 continue to cover the needle electrodes, but permit the distal portion of the needle electrodes to be exposed in the targeted tissue. The stylets 66 and 67 have an included angle of approximately 40°.
A suitable temperature sensor is carried by each of the first and second stylets 66 and 67. The distal extremity of each of the needle electrodes is provided with a sharpened tip and has a thermocouple 76 or other suitable temperature sensor mounted within the sharpened tip (see
Handle 13 and cartridge 14 are provided with internal mechanisms much the same as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,954,756, wherein the operation of such mechanisms are described in detail. In general, such mechanisms are adapted to be operated by a needle and sheath deployment and retraction trigger 91 that is adapted to be engaged by the forefinger of the hand holding the body portion of the housing 21 (see
Generator and controller 16 is electrically coupled to the first and second stylets 66 and 67, and specifically to the first and second needle electrodes 71 and 73. In this regard, an electrical connector 101 is provided on cover 31 for permitting electrical communication between the generator 16 and the proximal extremity of the needle electrodes. Controller is electrically coupled to connector 101 by means of a cable 102 or other suitable lead. The generator 16 is provided with two channels of radio frequency energy, making it possible to deliver different amounts of power to two or more different needle electrodes which are typically operated in a monopolar fashion utilizing a return or dispersive electrode 103 adhered to the small of the back of the patient. The proximal ends of first and second thermocouple wires 77 and 78 are also electrically coupled to connector 101 for permitting controller 16 to monitor temperatures sensed thereby.
A temperature sensor such as a thermocouple 106 is encapsulated in the bullet-shaped tip 46 and, as shown in
The cover 31 and the torque tube 41 are sized to receive a conventional telescope or scope 116 which includes a tubular member 117 having a rod lens 118 and fiber optics (not shown) surrounding the rod lens (see
In order to permit movement of the scope 116 into position so that the physician can also observe independently deployment of the first and second needle electrodes 71 and 73, means is provided for causing longitudinal movement of the scope 116 relative to the torque tube 41 (see
Each of the first and second stylets 66 and 67 has a lumen extending from the proximal extremity to the distal extremity of the stylet for permitting a conductive or other fluid to be introduced by apparatus 12 into the tissue being treated. The lumen can be provided in any portion of the stylet and can be in the form of a lumen extending through the needle electrode or through the insulating sleeve. In one preferred embodiment, and as shown in the drawings, each of the insulating sleeves 72 and 74 is provided with a lumen 136 extending longitudinally therethrough. As shown in
Alternatively, or in addition, the lumen can be in the form of one or more lumens 136′, one of which is shown in dashed lines in
The lumen 136 is accessible from the proximal extremity of the respective stylet and reservoir 17 of a suitable conductive liquid such as saline is coupled to the proximal extremity of each stylet for supplying such liquid to the tissue targeted by apparatus 12 (see
As discussed above, control apparatus 16 includes means coupled to the radio frequency generator thereof and thermocouple 76 for characterizing the conductivity of the tissue being treated. More specifically, both the electrical and thermal conductivity of the tissue are characterized. In addition, the control apparatus 16 includes means as a function of the conductivity of the tissue for determining the amount of the conductive liquid to supply to the tissue, and specifically the rate of infusion of the conductive fluid, for forming a wet electrode. In this regard, controller 16 includes a computer having a central processing unit or processor 138 and memory 139 electrically coupled to the processor. The computer is programmed, for example by software, for controlling the operation of processor 138.
Included in the computer memory 139, such as in a look-up table, is information which permits characterization of the conductivity of the tissue being treated and the size of the wet electrode to be created in the tissue.
With respect to the foregoing, the computer memory 139 can be programmed with information for a variety of targeted tissues having varying electrical and thermal conductivities. In this regard,
As can be seen from
A graph similar to that shown in
Where the patient to be treated is a human male, a graph similar to that of
In
As shown therein, desirable tissue temperatures between 100° C. and 120° C. and preferably between 100° C. and 110° C. are achieved when the electrode volume is approximately 0.3 cubic millimeters or less. When the electrode volume is greater than approximately 0.3 cubic millimeters, the reducing current densities on the increasing electrode surface area provide tissue temperatures that are too cold to optimize lesion creation. Although
Similar to the discussion above with respect to
A plurality of load lines within the range of tissue conductively expected to be encountered by system 11 are further stored in the memory of controller 16. A load line for each of exemplary sites A and B is shown in
The tissue types examined for the purpose of
In one method for treating tissue of the present invention, system 11 can be used to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia in a human male prostate. A portion of a urethra 141 of a human male, formed by a urethral wall 142 and surrounded by prostatic tissue 143, is shown in
Once the first and second stylet 76 and 67 have been so deployed in the prostatic, tissue, system 11 automatically characterizes the conductivity of the prostatic tissue 143 in contact with the needle electrodes 71 and 73. In this regard, electromagnetic energy, and preferably radio frequency energy, is delivered to one of the first and second needle electrodes 71 and 73 at varying power levels and the temperature sensed by the thermocouple 76 corresponding to stylet 66 or 67 is measured by controller 16 after each such delivery of energy. More specifically, radio frequency energy is supplied to the needle electrode in a pulse to the prostatic tissue at a first power level and for a first length of time and thereafter the temperature of the prostatic tissue 143 is measured by the respective thermocouple 76. Radio frequency energy is then supplied to the needle electrode at a second power level and for a second period of time and the temperature of the prostatic tissue again measured by the thermocouple 76.
Although any suitable power level and time duration can be utilized, it is preferable that the method of characterizing the conductivity of the prostatic tissue be similar to the manner in which the dynamic empirical data of
The computer of control apparatus 16 is programmed to evaluate the sensed temperatures as a function of time and delivered power, that is energy, and determine which set of data similar to that shown in
Although in the foregoing example, power is delivered to the first and second needle electrodes 71 and 73 in pulses of equal time duration, it should be appreciated that the power can be delivered in other than pulses. In addition, if pulses of power are utilized, such power pulses can be of equal time duration, as shown in
After the appropriate load line for the targeted tissue has been determined, the energy required to heat the targeted tissue adjacent each needle electrode to the desired temperature can be determined by such load line. For example, if the targeted tissue corresponds to Site A referred to in
In the next step of the invention, the processor 138 of controller 16 retrieves from its memory 139 the optimal electrode volume corresponding to the tissue being treated. As discussed above, for example,
Controller 16 next determines the duration of the procedure by dividing the power expected to be delivered throughout the procedure to a needle electrode into the aggregate energy required by the appropriate load line, as determined above, to be delivered to the targeted tissue. For example, if it has been determined from the load line that it is necessary to deliver 30,000 Joules of energy to each electrode to maintain the adjacent tissue at the desired temperature during the procedure and a constant 50 watts of power will be delivered to the needle electrode, then the duration of the procedure equals 30,000 watt-secs divided by 50 watts or 600 seconds. The controller can optionally retrieve from its computer memory 20 139 the temperature data similar to that of
Controller 16 next determines the amount of conductive liquid to be supplied to the prostatic tissue, as a function of the conductivity of the tissue, to maintain such optimal wet electrode volume for each needle electrode 71 or 73 throughout the procedure. In one preferred embodiment, the controller 16 determines the rate at which the conductive liquid must be delivered to a needle electrode. Since in this example it has been determined that the optimal electrode volume is 0.2 cubic millimeters, the initial amount of conductive liquid to be supplied to each needle electrode is approximately 0.2 cubic millimeters. The amount of conductive liquid to be delivered for the duration of the procedure is dependent, at least in part, on the rate at which the liquid disperses or leaks away from the initial bolus of conductive liquid supplied to the targeted tissue. Although such leakage rate can range from 5% to 20% of the supplied conductive liquid, in one preferred method of the invention such leakage rate is assumed to be 15%. Accordingly, after the initial supply of liquid, additional conductive liquid is supplied at an infusion rate of 15% or 0.2 cubic millimeters per second or approximately 0.03 cubic millimeters per second for the remainder of the procedure. The initial amount of conductive liquid and the additional conductive liquid equal the aggregate conductive liquid supplied to the patient over an interval of time approximating the duration 10 of the procedure. Where both needle electrodes 71 and 73 are utilized in the procedure, such amounts are delivered to each of the electrodes 71 and 73.
Controller 16 communicates with saline supply 17 to set the amount of conductive liquid and the infusion rate of such liquid to be supplied to the sleeve lumen 136 of each of the stylets 66 and 67 for forming the wet electrodes. One such wet electrode 144 is shown in
System 11 desirably provides an electrode device capable of delivering a conductive liquid adjacent to an electrode so as to effectively increase the surface area of the electrode. The relatively large surface area of the wet electrode of the present invention facilitates the creation of large lesions. In this regard, such large surface area is capable of supporting high levels of radio frequency current within an acceptably high current density range. Relatively high current densities at the outer surface of the wet electrode can advantageously cause heating and thus necrosis not only in the tissue adjacent the wet electrode; but also in tissue I further from the periphery of the wet electrode. Undesirably high current densities, however, can cause tissue adjacent the needle to be heated to undesirably high temperatures, resulting in desiccation and in some instances charring of the tissue which increase the impedance of the tissue and can eventually create an undesirable electrical open electrical circuit.
The large surface area of the wet electrode of the invention permits the creation of large lesions in a shorter interval of time than an electrode having a smaller surface area. The relatively high power and current levels permitted by the large surface area contribute to such shorter procedure times. Additionally, the virtual or wet electrode of the present invention provides less trauma to the patient than a solid electrode of equal size.
System 11 efficiently delivers power to the ablation site and inhibits the delivery of undesirably high power levels which can cause undesirable pain to the patient. The system quickly ramps up to a maximum power level. Minimum current densities and temperatures to achieve lesion formation are reached. However, the system 11 inhibits the tissue temperature from reaching undesirably high temperatures and impedance levels where the effect of further inputted power is decreased.
The method of the invention quickly characterizes the conductivity of the targeted tissue by dynamically examining the targeted tissue over a relatively short period of time, for example approximately 20 seconds as shown in
The foregoing procedure of the invention has been described with the use of first and second stylets 66 and 67, however it should be appreciated that one or any plurality of stylets can be utilized. Although the method and apparatus of the invention have been described in connection with the treatment of the prostate, such method and apparatus can be used in any tissue of the body.
From the foregoing, it can be seen that a medical apparatus having a stylet capable of delivering a conductive liquid to tissue adjacent the stylet has been provided. The conductive liquid creates a wet electrode to effectively increase the ablative surface in the tissue. Such a wet electrode supports high radio frequency current levels and maintains sufficient current density to cause heating in the adjacent tissue.
Claims
1. A method for treating tissue of a mammalian body comprising the steps of determining a volume of an electrode that will enhance lesion foflllation when an electrode having such volume is placed in the tissue and energy is supplied thereto, injecting an amount of a conductive liquid approximating the volume into the tissue to create a wet electrode and 5 supplying radio frequency energy to the wet electrode to ablate the tissue.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the amount of the conductive liquid equals the volume.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the energy is radio frequency energy.
4. The method of claim 3 wherein the injecting step includes injecting the conductive liquid through a stylet having a radio frequency electrode.
5. A method for treating tissue of a mammalian body comprising the steps of characterizing the conductivity of the tissue, deteflllining the amount of radio frequency energy to supply to the tissue for fofllling a lesion in the tissue as a function of the conductivity of the tissue and supplying the radio frequency energy to the tissue.
6. The method of claim 5 further comprising the steps of deteflllining an “V” amount of a conductive liquid to supply to the tissue as a function of the conductivity of the tissue and injecting the amount of conductive liquid into the tissue.
7. A method for treating tissue of a prostate of a human male with a stylet having a needle electrode and a layer of insulating material extending around the needle electrode but exposing a distal portion of the needle electrode and a temperature sensor carried by the stylet comprising the steps of introducing the stylet into the tissue of the prostate, characterizing the conductivity of the tissue, determining an amount of a conductive liquid to supply to the tissue as a function of the conductivity of the tissue, injecting the amount of conductive liquid through the stylet into the tissue and supplying radio frequency energy to the conductive electrode by means of the needle electrode to form a lesion in the tissue.
8. The method of claim 7 wherein the characterizing step includes the steps of supplying radio frequency power to the tissue by means of the needle electrode at a first power level and for a first length of time and thereafter measuring the temperature of the tissue with the temperature sensor and supplying radio frequency power to the tissue by means of the needle electrode at a second power level and for a second length of time and thereafter measuring the temperature of the tissue with the temperature sensor.
9. A computer-readable memory for use with a radio frequency generator and controller and a reservoir of a conductive liquid coupled to the controller, the memory containing a computer program for causing the controller to treat tissue of a mammalian body by determining a volume of an electrode that will enhance lesion formation when an electrode having such volume is placed in the tissue and radio frequency energy is supplied thereto, signaling the reservoir to inject an amount of a conductive liquid approximating the volume into the tissue to create a wet electrode and supplying radio frequency energy to the wet electrode to ablate the tissue.
10. A computer-readable memory for use with a radio frequency generator and controller, the memory containing a computer program for causing the controller to treat tissue of a mammalian body by characterizing the conductivity of the tissue, determining the amount of radio frequency energy to supply to the tissue for forming a lesion in the tissue as a function of the conductivity of the tissue and supplying the radio frequency energy to the tissue.
11. A radio frequency generator and controller for use with a stylet having proximal and distal extremities and a lumen extending longitudinally from the proximal extremity to the distal extremity and a temperature sensor carried by the distal extremity comprising a computer-readable memory containing a computer program for causing the controller to treat tissue of a mammalian body by characterizing the conductivity of the tissue, determining the amount of a conductive liquid to supply through the lumen of the stylet for forming a wet electrode in the tissue as a function of the conductivity of the tissue and supplying radio frequency energy to the wet electrode, and a central processing unit coupled to the memory for executing the program in the memory.
12. The controller of claim 11 wherein the computer program further causes the controller to determine the amount of radio frequency energy to supply to the tissue for forming a lesion in the tissue as a function of the conductivity of the tissue.
13. The controller of claim 11 for use with a reservoir of a conductive liquid coupled to the proximal extremity of the stylet in communication with the lumen wherein the computer program further causes the controller to signal the reservoir to inject the amount of the conductive liquid into the tissue.
Type: Application
Filed: Oct 12, 2004
Publication Date: Apr 21, 2005
Applicant:
Inventor: Thomas McGaffigan (Saratoga, CA)
Application Number: 10/963,171