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US5540655A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

PBH ablation method and apparatus

Assignee: Medtronic Vidamed Inc
•
Filing: 1995-01-05
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Granted: 1996-07-30
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Expires: 2015-01-05
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Abstract

Abstract A method and an apparatus is disclosed for delivering controlled heat to perform ablation to treat the benign prosthetic hypertrophy or hyperplasia (BPH). According to the method and the apparatus, the energy is transferred directly into the tissue mass which is to be treated in such a manner as to provide tissue ablation without damage to surrounding tissues. Automatic shut-off occurs when any one of a number of surrounding areas to include the urethra or surrounding mass or the adjacent organs exceed predetermined safe temperature limits. The constant application of the radio frequency energy over a maintained determined time provides a safe procedure which avoids electrosurgical and other invasive operations while providing fast relief to BPH with a short recovery time. The procedure may be accomplished in a doctor's office without the need for hospitalization or surgery.

Inventors

  • 👤 Stuart D. Edwards
  • 👤 Hugh R. Sharkey
  • 👤 Ingemar H. Lundquist
  • 👤 Ronald G. Lax
  • 👤 Bruno Strul

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-23 15:56
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61N; A61N5/00; A61N5/02; A61N5/04; A61N5/045; A61B; A61B18/00; A61B18/04; A61B18/12; A61B18/1206; A61B18/14; A61B18/1477; A61B18/1485; A61B18/18; A61B18/1815; A61M; A61M3/00; A61M3/02; A61M3/0279; A61N1/00; A61N1/02; A61N1/04; A61N1/06; A61N1/08; A61N1/40; A61N1/403; A61B10/00; A61B10/02; A61B10/0233; A61B10/0241; A61B18/08; A61B18/082; A61B18/148; A61B18/20; A61B18/22; A61B18/24; A61B17/00; A61B2017/00017; A61B2017/00022; A61B2017/00084; A61B2017/00092; A61B2017/00101; A61B2017/00106; A61B2017/00115; A61B2017/00119; A61B2017/00123; A61B2017/00137; A61B2017/00154; A61B2017/00181; A61B2017/00194; A61B17/00234; A61B2017/00238; A61B2017/00274; A61B2017/00292; A61B2017/003; A61B2017/00831; A61B2017/00867; A61B17/22; A61B2017/22072; A61B2017/22074; A61B2017/22077; A61B2017/22082; A61B17/24; A61B2017/248; A61B17/28; A61B17/29; A61B2017/2926; A61B2017/2932; A61B2017/2939; A61B17/34; A61B2017/348; A61B2017/3482; A61B2017/3484; A61B2017/3488; A61B2018/00005; A61B2018/00011; A61B2018/00053; A61B2018/00059; A61B2018/00071; A61B2018/00083; A61B2018/00089; A61B2018/00095; A61B2018/00101; A61B2018/00184; A61B2018/00196; A61B2018/00214; A61B2018/0022; A61B2018/00315; A61B2018/00547; A61B2018/00571; A61B2018/00577; A61B2018/00636; A61B2018/0066; A61B2018/00666; A61B2018/00678; A61B2018/00696; A61B2018/00702; A61B2018/00726; A61B2018/00732; A61B2018/00744; A61B2018/0075; A61B2018/00761; A61B2018/00773; A61B2018/00779; A61B2018/00791; A61B2018/00797; A61B2018/00821; A61B2018/00869; A61B2018/00875; A61B2018/00886; A61B2018/0091; A61B2018/00916; A61B2018/0094; A61B2018/00946; A61B2018/00982; A61B2018/1246; A61B2018/1253; A61B2018/126; A61B2018/1273; A61B2018/128; A61B2018/1405; A61B2018/1425; A61B2018/2238; A61B90/00; A61B90/08; A61B2090/0814; A61B90/36; A61B90/361; A61B2090/3614; A61B90/37; A61B2090/378; A61B2090/3782; A61B2090/3786; A61B90/39; A61B2090/3925; A61F; A61F7/00; A61F2007/0054; A61M25/00; A61M25/0067; A61M25/0082; A61M25/0084; A61M2025/0085; A61M2025/0086; A61M2025/0087; A61M2025/0096; A61M25/01; A61M2025/018; A61M25/0068

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim 169 words
An apparatus for treatment by radio frequency of a target tissue mass of a prostate of a human male having a bladder with a base and a penis with a urethra therein formed by a urethral wall extending into the base of the bladder along a longitudinal axis with the tissue of the prostate surrounding the urethra without exposing adjacent tissue mass to destructive temperatures comprising a catheter device sized for entrance into the urethra and including handle means and a stylet coupled to the handle means for delivering at least one stylet from the urethra through the urethral wall under the control of the handle means into said target tissue mass, radio frequency power delivery means connected to said at least one stylet for delivering radio frequency energy to said stylet, means for maintaining said radio frequency energy for a predetermined time sufficient to ablate said target tissue mass and means for automatically terminating the delivery of radio frequency energy when the target tissue mass has been ablated.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 169 words
An apparatus for treatment by radio frequency of a target tissue mass of a prostate of a human male having a bladder with a base and a penis with a urethra therein formed by a urethral wall extending into the base of the bladder along a longitudinal axis with the tissue of the prostate surrounding the urethra without exposing adjacent tissue mass to destructive temperatures comprising a catheter device sized for entrance into the urethra and including handle means and a stylet coupled to the handle means for delivering at least one stylet from the urethra through the urethral wall under the control of the handle means into said target tissue mass, radio frequency power delivery means connected to said at least one stylet for delivering radio frequency energy to said stylet, means for maintaining said radio frequency energy for a predetermined time sufficient to ablate said target tissue mass and means for automatically terminating the delivery of radio frequency energy when the target tissue mass has been ablated.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 33 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said radio frequency power delivery means includes a calibrated power supply calibrated based upon an impedance level normally associated with the prostate of a human male.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 75 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said means for automatically terminating the delivery of radio frequency energy includes a first temperature monitoring means connected to said radio frequency power delivery means and responsive to at least one temperature proximal to said target tissue mass during the time radio frequency power is delivered to said target tissue mass for the automatic termination of the delivery of radio frequency energy to said at least one stylet.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 52 words
An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said means for automatically terminating the delivery of radio frequency energy includes second temperature monitoring means inserted into the rectal area of the human male to monitor the temperature of a bowel of the human male during operation of said radio frequency power delivery means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 36 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said radio frequency power delivery means includes a crystal oscillator and transformer means for delivering a range of preset radio frequency power levels to said at least one stylet.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 55 words
An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said radio frequency power delivery means further includes temperature measurement circuitry connected to said first and second temperature monitoring means to cut off delivery of radio frequency energy to said at least one stylet when any one of said temperature monitoring means exceeds a respective predetermined temperature value.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 22 words
An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein each of said temperature measurement circuitry includes an isolation device and a cold junction compensator.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 21 words
The apparatus according to claim 1, further including a repetition rate adjustment device connected to said radio frequency power delivery means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 28 words
The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said power radio frequently delivery means includes means for supplying radio frequency energy at a substantially constant operator selectable energy level.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4311154A Cited
US4565200A Cited
US5249585A Cited
US5122137A Cited
US5366490A Cited
US5370675A Cited
US5385544A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1999-07-30 2000-01-29 2000-07-30 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2003-07-30 2004-01-29 2004-07-30 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2007-07-30 2008-01-29 2008-07-30 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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