The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 08, 2005
Filed:
May. 15, 2003
Stephen M. Zappala, Andover, MA (US);
Jim Sellers, Newburyport, MA (US);
Keith Rubin, Fort Lauderdale, FL (US);
Stephen M. Zappala, Andover, MA (US);
Jim Sellers, Newburyport, MA (US);
Keith Rubin, Fort Lauderdale, FL (US);
Seedlings Life Science Ventures, LLC., New York, NY (US);
Abstract
A method of identifying a patient's urethral anatomic course for the precise placement of a treatment element into the patient's prostate, wherein a catheter containing an imaging bladder is introduced into a urethra until it is generally aligned with a treatment site of the prostate. An imaging probe is positioned relative to the treatment site and the urethra and is activated to obtain a real time image of the treatment site. The bladder is filled to define an acoustic interface between its interior and the urethral wall. A boundary of the urethra is identified at the acoustic interface during placement of the treatment element to position it relative to the urethra. A urethral identification system includes a catheter having the bladder spaced from the tip thereof and inflated allowing the bladder to contact the urethral wall and define the acoustic interface that is visible utilizing an ultrasound imaging device.