Urologix, Inc.

Jonathan L Flachman

Eric Norman Rudie

James V Kauphusman

Aaron J Hjelle

Scott P Thome

Satish Ramadhyani

Bruce W Ebner

Jonathan R McGrath

Scott A Stockmoe

James E Burgett

Joel Crabb

Thayne R Larson

Gregg Stuart Sutton

Dale Eric Just

Bruce H Neilson

Mitchell Dann

Stan Kluge

Stanley E Kluge

Teruo T Hirose

Bruce H Nielson

A thermal therapy catheter for preferentially treating tissue adjacent to a body lumen includes a catheter shaft that is insertable into the body lumen. An energy-emitting element is carried by the catheter shaft, and is operable to radiate a generally symmetrical energy pattern. The catheter shaft includes a plurality of cooling lumens around the energy-emitting element, configured for circulation of a fluid therethrough. An attenuating element is located in at least one of the plurality of cooling lumens and is arranged to modify the generally symmetrical energy pattern radiated by the energy-emitting element to deliver an asymmetrical energy pattern to the tissue adjacent to the body lumen.

Thermal treatment catheter having preferential asymmetrical heating pattern

A thermal therapy catheter includes a catheter shaft having an outer surface that is insertable into the body lumen. The catheter shaft carries an energy-emitting element. A multi-lobe balloon is positioned around the outer surface of the catheter shaft adjacent to the energy-emitting element, with opposing ends of the multi-lobe balloon being sealingly connected to the catheter shaft to form a chamber between the multi-lobe balloon and the outer surface of the catheter shaft. Fluid is circulated between the outer surface of the catheter shaft and the multi-lobe balloon in a defined fluid flow path to firmly contact the wall of the body lumen and thereby cool the body lumen tissue while thermally treating targeted tissue at a depth from the body lumen wall.

Thermal therapy catheter

A thermal therapy method includes inserting an applicator including an energy-emitting device into a body cavity such as a urethra adjacent a targeted tissue region such as a prostate, energizing the energy-emitting device, and circulating coolant between the energy-emitting device and a wall of the body cavity. The therapy is controlled by decreasing a temperature of the coolant and continually adjusting coolant temperature based on therapy parameters. The applicator, or selected tissue at a predetermined depth from the wall of the body cavity, is maintained at a temperature corresponding to a predetermined applicator temperature profile by adjusting a power level provided to the energy-emitting device. In one embodiment involving treatment of the prostate, rectal temperature is monitored and, upon sensing a rectal temperature that exceeds a predetermined threshold, the temperature of the coolant is increased to force a reduction in power provided to the energy-emitting device to maintain the applicator at the temperature corresponding to the predetermined applicator temperature profile.

Method of controlling thermal therapy

A rectal thermosensing unit includes, according to one aspect thereof, an elongate member having an inflation lumen extending therethrough. An inflatable balloon is supported by the elongate member. An interior of the inflatable balloon is in fluid communication with the inflation lumen. An insertion lumen extends through the elongate member. An introducer is insertable into the insertion lumen. At least one temperature sensing device is supported by the inflatable balloon. The rectal thermosensing probe is located in a rectum by inserting the introducer into the inflation lumen, inserting the inflatable balloon supported by the elongate member having the introducer inserted in the insertion lumen therein into the rectum, removing the introducer from the insertion lumen, and inflating the inflatable balloon by providing fluid through the inflation lumen. According to another aspect of the rectal thermosensing unit, a body of the unit is passively expandable to support the temperature sensing device against the rectum. The passively expandable body is compressed, inserted into the rectum while compressed, and allowed to passively expand to conform to the shape of the rectal cavity. A ventilation tube is provided through the body of the unit to allow for gas to escape from the rectum.

Rectal temperature sensing probe

A non-invasive method of determining a temperature distribution in a targeted tissue volume treated with thermal therapy involves determining a baseline perfusion characteristic of the targeted tissue volume. A temperature distribution is calculated in the targeted tissue volume based on the baseline perfusion characteristic of the tissue, a microwave power input and a coolant temperature input. A perfusion characteristic of the targeted tissue volume is iteratively adjusted based on the calculated temperature distribution, and the temperature distribution is iteratively recalculated based on the adjusted perfusion characteristic, the microwave power input and the coolant temperature input throughout the thermal therapy.

Thermodynamic modeling of tissue treatment procedure

A method and apparatus for reducing restenosis of a stenotic region of a blood vessel after performing a dilatation angioplasty treatment is disclosed. The method includes radiating microwave energy from a microwave antenna to kill a medial tissue layer of the blood vessel in the stenotic region. The radiation is applied during or after inflation of dilatation balloon to permanently dilate the stenotic region. When radiation is applied during dilatation of the stenotic region, the dilatation balloon forms a seal against the inner wall surface of the blood vessel to exclude blood in the vessel from contacting the stenotic region. The method preferably further includes cooling the blood circulating in the blood vessel about a shaft of the catheter with cooling fluid circulating within cooling lumens of the catheter and cooling an inner wall surface of the blood vessel in the stenotic region during the application of radiation to the medial cell layer. Finally, the method also preferably includes perfusing blood in the vessel through the catheter across the stenotic region during dilatation of the stenotic region to maintain circulation of blood through the blood vessel during the dilatation of the stenotic region.

Device and method for preventing restenosis

A thermal therapy method includes inserting a microwave antenna-containing applicator into a body cavity such as a urethra adjacent a targeted tissue region such as a prostate, energizing the microwave antenna, and circulating coolant between the microwave antenna and a wall of the body cavity. The therapy is controlled by decreasing a temperature of the coolant and continually adjusting coolant temperature based on other parameters. The applicator is maintained at a predetermined temperature set point by adjusting a power level provided to the microwave antenna. In one embodiment involving treatment of the prostate, rectal temperature is monitored and, upon sensing a rectal temperature that exceeds a predetermined threshold, the temperature of the coolant is increased to force a reduction in power provided to the microwave antenna to maintain the applicator at the predetermined temperature set point.

A system and method for treating a prostate of a patient is disclosed. The system includes a rectal probe for insertion into a rectum of the patient. A fluid supply system connected to the rectal probe supplies fluid to the rectal probe. A microwave radiation system, which is positioned anterior to the rectum of the patient, heats tumorous tissue of the prostate. The combination of the microwave radiation system and the fluid supplied to the rectal probe creates an asymmetrical heating pattern about a urethra of the patient and protects tissue adjacent to the rectal probe from thermal damage during radiation of the tumorous tissue.

System and method for transurethral heating with rectal cooling

A rectal thermosensing unit for sensing temperature of a patient's rectal tissue includes a temperature sensing device and an inflatable balloon defining a void interior. The balloon is coupled to and supports the temperature sensing device. Inflation of the balloon positions and maintains the temperature sensing device in contact with the rectal tissue without compressing the rectal tissue.

Rectal thermosensing unit

An intraurethral catheter shaft comprises a plurality of lumens extending between a first end and a second end of the shaft. An antenna lumen has a generally circular cross-sectional surface area and is positioned nearer a first outer surface than a second outer surface of the catheter shaft. A first and second pair of cooling lumens substantially surround the antenna lumen and have a generally arc shaped cross-sectional surface area. The cooling lumens are configured to be circumjacent to the antenna lumen about a substantial majority of the antenna lumen. A urinary drainage lumen is positioned between the second pair of cooling lumens adjacent the antenna lumen and has a generally circular cross-sectional surface area. The lumens of the catheter shaft are defined by a unitary wall having a substantially uniform thickness throughout the catheter.

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Robbinsdale, MN, United States of America

Jonathan L Flachman