Thermedical, Inc.

Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research

Alcyone Lifesciences, Inc.

Gregory R Eberl

Michael G Curley

Michael T Howard

Erik Delly

Jason M Clevenger

Deep Arjun Singh

Pj Anand

Andrew William East

Morgan Brophy

Douglas L Packer

Fredrick J Kim

Ayesha Arzumand

Malini Madhavan

Jeffrey J Lesica

Devices and methods for delivering fluid to tissue during ablation therapy are described herein. An exemplary device can include an elongate body having an inner lumen, outlet ports, and an ablation element configured to heat tissue. A flow resistance of the elongate body can increase along a length of the elongate body containing the outlet ports in a proximal to distal direction. This can be accomplished by, for example, varying outlet port size or relative spacing, decreasing a cross-sectional area of the inner lumen through which fluid can flow using a flow diverter or tapered inner lumen sidewalls, or limiting a ratio between a total area of the outlet ports and a cross-sectional area of the inner lumen. Adjusting flow resistance of the elongate body can provide more uniform fluid distribution or a desired non-uniform distribution.

Devices and methods for delivering fluid to tissue during ablation therapy

Catheters with deployable instruments (e.g., needles) can damage tissue if the instrument unintentionally deploys during use. Described herein are devices and methods for controlling the position of a deployable catheter instrument. In one embodiment, a catheter can include an instrument slidably disposed within an inner lumen of the catheter and coupled to at least one protrusion, as well as a retraction stop coupled to the catheter. The catheter can further include a biasing element coupled to the instrument that can urge the instrument proximally such that the at least one protrusion abuts against the retraction stop, as well as an advancing mechanism to selectively engage the instrument and urge it distally. In some embodiments, the biasing element can be omitted and a deployment stop can be included distal to the retraction stop. These configurations can prevent unintentional instrument deployment and provide greater positioning precision during instrument deployment.

Selectively deployable catheter ablation devices

Automated drug delivery systems and related methods are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, these systems can reduce or eliminate infusion inconsistencies. An exemplary system can include a syringe actuator which can be controlled via electrical, mechanical, pneumatic, and/or hydraulic means to precisely infuse and/or withdraw material from a patient.

Automated drug delivery systems and methods

Systems and methods for visualizing fluid enhanced ablation therapy are described herein. In one embodiment, a method for ablating tissue is provided that includes inserting an elongate body into a tissue volume, heating an imageable fluid within the elongate body to transform the imageable fluid into an imageable therapeutic fluid, delivering the imageable therapeutic fluid into the tissue volume to deliver a therapeutic dose of thermal energy to the tissue volume, and imaging the tissue volume to determine the extent of the tissue volume containing the imageable therapeutic fluid. The imageable therapeutic fluid can indicate the extent of the tissue volume that has received the therapeutic dose of thermal energy.

Systems and methods for visualizing fluid enhanced ablation therapy

Growing community of inventors

Acton, MA, United States of America

Gregory R Eberl