|Número de publicación||US7559905 B2|
|Tipo de publicación||Concesión|
|Número de solicitud||US 11/524,864|
|Fecha de publicación||14 Jul 2009|
|Fecha de presentación||21 Sep 2006|
|Fecha de prioridad||21 Sep 2006|
|También publicado como||CA2662997A1, EP2069018A2, EP2069018A4, US20080077056, WO2008036826A2, WO2008036826A3|
|Número de publicación||11524864, 524864, US 7559905 B2, US 7559905B2, US-B2-7559905, US7559905 B2, US7559905B2|
|Inventores||Shuhei Kagosaki, Yutaka Shimazaki, Kenji Yamashita, Bernard J. Esarey, Artur P. Katny, Ralf Seip, Narendra T. Sanghvi|
|Cesionario original||Focus Surgery, Inc.|
|Exportar cita||BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan|
|Citas de patentes (107), Otras citas (46), Citada por (38), Clasificaciones (9), Eventos legales (5)|
|Enlaces externos: USPTO, Cesión de USPTO, Espacenet|
The present invention relates to an apparatus and related method for the treatment of tissue, and in particular, for the non-invasive treatment of diseased tissue.
Several techniques have been used in the past for the treatment of tissue including diseased tissue, such as cancer, to remove, destroy, or otherwise minimize the growth of the diseased tissue. For example, traditional methods of treating diseased prostate tissue include high intensity focused ultrasound (“HIFU”), radiation, surgery, Brachytherapy, cryoablation, hormonal therapy, and chemotherapy. Described herein are improved apparatus and method for treating tissue with high intensity focused ultrasound.
The treatment of tissue with HIFU is known. There are, for example, the techniques and apparatus described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,084,582; 4,207,901; 4,223,560; 4,227,417; 4,248,090; 4,257,271; 4,317,370; 4,325,381; 4,586,512; 4,620,546; 4,658,828; 4,664,121; 4,858,613; 4,951,653; 4,955,365; 5,036,855; 5,054,470; 5,080,102; 5,117,832; 5,149,319; 5,215,680; 5,219,401; 5,247,935; 5,295,484; 5,316,000; 5,391,197; 5,409,006; 5,443,069; 5,470,350; 5,492,126; 5,573,497; 5,601,526; 5,620,479; 5,630,837; 5,643,179; 5,676,692; 5,762,066; and 5,840,031. The disclosures of these references are hereby incorporated herein by reference.
Although the techniques, methods, and apparatus discussed herein have applicability to the treatment of tissue in general, this discussion will focus primarily on the treatment of prostate tissue including Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) and prostatic cancer. However, the disclosed apparatus and methods may find applications in localization and treatment of a wide range of diseases which manifest themselves in a localized or “focal” manner, including cancers of the breast, brain, liver, and kidney. As explained herein, the disclosed apparatus uses a transrectal probe, but may be used with other types of probes including a transesophageal, laparoscopic or transvaginal probe.
As used herein the term “HIFU Therapy” is defined as the provision of high intensity focused ultrasound to a portion of tissue at or proximate to a focus of a transducer. It should be understood that the transducer may have multiple foci and that HIFU Therapy is not limited to a single focus transducer, a single transducer type, or a single ultrasound frequency. As used herein the term “HIFU Treatment” is defined as the collection of one or more HIFU Therapies. A HIFU Treatment may be all of the HIFU Therapies administered or to be administered, or it may be a subset of the HIFU Therapies administered or to be administered. As used herein the term “HIFU System” is defined as a system that is at least capable of providing a HIFU Therapy.
A probe housing a transducer is used to position a transducer proximate to the prostate of the patient. HIFU therapy requires a coupling medium (typically water) to couple the HIFU energy generated by the transducer into the body. At high intensities, ultrasound energy can create cavitation bubbles in the coupling medium, which interfere with the propagation of the sound waves, reducing their intensity and defocusing the beam. Furthermore, the cavitation bubbles can coalesce into larger air bubbles and accumulate on surfaces (such as an acoustic membrane) located between the transducer and the target tissue, effectively blocking the propagation of ultrasound into the body, or creating an interface mismatch at which undesired energy will accumulate at undesired locations, such as at the rectal wall. To reduce the likelihood of these effects degassed water is used as the coupling medium. As stated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,762,066, an acceptable level of degassed water for HIFU Therapy is water having a dissolved oxygen level of less than 3 parts per million (ppm).
Traditionally, degassed water is used in HIFU Therapy that is degassed prior to the treatment by known methods, such as boiling and vacuum degassing using a Nold DeAerator (Geokon, Inc., Lebanon, N.H. 03766). This requires the procurement of degassed water in advance. The fluid pathway of the HIFU System is traditionally filled/primed with this degassed water prior to commencing a HIFU Treatment. Over time, however, this degassed water will slowly ingas, as air permeates back into the degassed water through the connecting tubes, the acoustic membrane, and other pathways. Furthermore, during the filling/priming of the fluid pathway, air bubbles may be introduced into the degassed water contributing to ingasing the water. Both result in an increase in the level of dissolved gases in the degassed water which increases the chances of creating cavitation in the water during HIFU Therapy, especially as the HIFU Treatment progresses.
In addition, small bubbles introduced into the fluid pathway of a HIFU System have traditionally been difficult to remove as the bubbles tend to adhere to inside surfaces that are not easily accessible during probe preparation steps, such as the inside of the probe tip and the inside of the chilling system. Typically, during probe preparation, these bubbles are coaxed/manipulated in such a way by probe shaking and probe tip tapping so that a pump which circulates the water eventually removes the bubbles from their current location (i.e. the probe tip) and the bubbles end up at the top of a water reservoir, at which point they are unable to flow back into the probe tip to interfere with the treatment, as the water reservoir acts as a bubble trap. However, if all the bubbles are not removed, some bubbles may end up again in the probe tip in front of the HIFU beam negatively interfering with the delivery of HIFU Therapy to the patient.
In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a HIFU System is provided having a fluid circulation system including a degasser.
In another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus for treating tissue is provided. The apparatus comprising a probe and a fluid circulation system. The probe including a transducer which is positionable proximate to the tissue, the transducer being configured to emit ultrasound energy and to sense ultrasound energy, a positioning member coupled to the transducer and configured to position the transducer relative to the tissue, and a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet. Both the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet being in fluid communication with a fluid pathway including an area adjacent a face of the transducer. The fluid circulation system being in fluid communication with the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet of the probe. The fluid circulation system including a pump configured to circulate a fluid throughout the fluid circulation system and the fluid pathway of the probe; a chiller configured to reduce a temperature of the fluid; a degasser which is configured to remove dissolved gases from the fluid; and a fluid adjustment member including a fluid reservoir. The fluid adjustment member being configured to both add additional fluid to the fluid circulation system and remove fluid from the fluid circulation system.
In a further exemplary embodiment of the present invention a method of preparing a HIFU system having a transrectal probe to provide treatment to the prostrate area of a patient is provided. The transrectal probe including a fluid pathway which includes an area a face of a therapy transducer. The method comprising the steps of: providing a fluid circulation system in fluid communication with the fluid pathway of the transrectal probe, the fluid circulation system including a pump configured to circulate a fluid through the fluid circulation system and the fluid pathway of the transrectal probe and a degasser which is configured to remove dissolved gases from the fluid passing through the degasser, the degasser including a vacuum pump; and electrically coupling the vacuum pump and the pump together such that each receives electrical power at generally the same time.
In yet another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus for treating the prostrate from a position in a rectum of a patient is provided. The apparatus comprising a transrectal probe including an expandable acoustic membrane covering at least a portion of the probe and a transducer positioned behind the expandable acoustic membrane. The transducer being configured to emit ultrasound energy and to sense ultrasound energy. The apparatus further comprising a controller operably coupled to the transducer. The controller being configured to operate the transducer in an imaging mode wherein at least one image of the tissue is obtained from ultrasound energy sensed by the transducer and in a therapy mode wherein a plurality of treatment sites are treated with a HIFU Therapy with the transducer. The apparatus further comprising a fluid circulation system in fluid communication with a fluid pathway including an area adjacent a face of the transducer between the transducer and the acoustic membrane. The fluid circulation system including a pump configured to circulate a fluid throughout the fluid circulation system and the fluid pathway of the probe; a chiller configured to reduce a temperature of the fluid; a degasser configured to remove dissolved gases from the fluid, the degasser including a vacuum pump; and a fluid adjustment member including a fluid reservoir. The fluid adjustment member being configured to both remove fluid from the fluid circulation system and to add additional fluid to the fluid circulation system, wherein a first portion of the additional fluid is to be introduced to the fluid to expand the expandable acoustic membrane to contact the rectum of the patient when the probe is positioned in the rectum of the patient and a second portion of the additional fluid is to be introduced into the fluid to further expand the expandable acoustic membrane to position the transducer relative to the prostrate of the patient in a direction generally transverse to a longitudinal axis of the transrectal probe.
Additional features of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of the illustrative embodiments exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the invention as presently perceived.
The detailed description of the drawings particularly refers to the accompanying figures in which:
An exemplary HIFU System 100 is shown in
Transducer member 104 is positioned generally proximate to a region of tissue 10. In the case of the prostate, transducer 104 is positioned generally proximate to the prostate by the transrectal insertion of probe 102. Transducer member 104 is moved by positioning member 106 and controlled by controller 108 to provide imaging of at least a portion of tissue 10 including at least one treatment region 12 and to provide HIFU Therapy to portions of the tissue within at least one treatment region 12. As such, HIFU System 100 may operate in an imaging mode wherein at least a portion of tissue 10 may be imaged and in a therapy mode wherein HIFU Therapy is provided to portions of tissue 10 within at least one treatment region. As stated herein, treatment region 12 is defined as one or more portions of tissue which are to be treated during a HIFU Treatment. Treatment region 12 is illustratively shown as a continuous region. However, a treatment region might involve two or more distinct regions. Exemplary operation of an exemplary HIFU System in both an imaging mode and a therapy mode are discussed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/177,827, filed Jul. 8, 2005, titled “METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TREATMENT OF TISSUE”, the disclosures of which are expressly incorporated by reference herein.
In one embodiment, controller 108 is configured to execute one or more programs provided as a portion of software 109 in the imaging mode and the therapy mode.
In one embodiment, transducer member 104 is a single crystal two element transducer. An exemplary transducer is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,117,832, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated herein by reference. In a preferred embodiment, transducer 104 is capable of providing imaging of at least a portion of tissue 10 and of providing HIFU Therapy to at least a portion of tissue 10 within treatment region 12.
However, the present invention is not limited to the type of transducer implemented. On the contrary, various transducer geometries having a single focus or multiple foci and associated controls may be used including transducers which are phased arrays, such as the transducers disclosed in pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/070,371, filed Mar. 2, 2005, titled “Ultrasound Phased Arrays,” the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated herein by reference. Additional exemplary transducers and associated controls are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,762,066 and the additional patents and pending applications listed herein, the disclosures each of which are expressly incorporated herein by reference.
In one embodiment, a portion of probe 102 is covered by an acoustic membrane 103. Acoustic membrane 103 is an expandable membrane whose overall size is increased by placing a fluid on an interior of acoustic membrane 103. In one embodiment, the fluid is water or a generally acoustic transparent material and is provided by a reservoir or a chiller. The fluid may be used to remove heat from proximate to transducer 104 as well as expanding acoustic membrane 103.
As shown in
As explained in more detail herein additional fluid may be added to fluid circulation system 140 or the pressure of the fluid in fluid circulation system otherwise increased to cause acoustic membrane 103 to expand relative to its shape in
As stated herein, HIFU System 100 further includes fluid circulation system 140. Fluid circulation system 140 is configured provide a coupling fluid, such as degassed water, to fluid pathway 134 of probe 102. In one embodiment, fluid circulation system 140 continuously degasses the water passing there through using an inline degasser, in order to minimize or eliminate cavitation during HIFU Therapy.
Fluid circulation system 150 further includes a fluid conduit 156 also in fluid communication with chiller 154 and in fluid communication with a peristaltic pump 158. Peristaltic pump 158 pumps the coupling fluid around fluid circuit 170 comprised of fluid circulation system 140 and the fluid pathway 134 of probe 102. An exemplary peristaltic pump is Model No. 313FDC/D available from Watson-Marlow Bredel—located at 37 Upton Technology Park, Wilmington, Mass. 01887.
Fluid circulation system 150 further includes a fluid conduit 160 also in fluid communication with peristaltic pump 158 and in fluid communication with a degasser 162. Degasser 162, as explained herein, removes dissolved gases from the fluid circulating in fluid circuit 170. Fluid circulation system 150 further includes a fluid conduit 164 also in fluid communication with degasser 162 and in fluid communication with a fluid reservoir 166. Fluid reservoir 166 contains a body of fluid that is circulated in fluid circuit 170. Fluid reservoir acts as a bubble trap, provides an easy means of filling/priming the fluid path, and increases the thermal capacity of the overall fluid path. Fluid circulation system 150 further includes a fluid conduit 168 also in fluid communication with reservoir 166 and in fluid communication with fluid inlet 130 of probe 102.
As shown in
As stated herein, the expansion of acoustic membrane 103 may serve two purposes. First, to compress rectal wall 120 and provide an improved coupling of HIFU energy into the treatment region. If air is present between acoustic membrane 103 and rectal wall 120, a significant portion of the HIFU energy is reflected as explained in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/177,827, filed Jul. 8, 2005, titled “METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TREATMENT OF TISSUE”, the disclosures of which are expressly incorporated by reference herein. Second, to position transducer 104 relative to the tissue, such that the HIFU Therapy is provided at the desired location. The expansion of the acoustic membrane 103 results in the position of transducer 104 to be altered in directions 180 and 182 which are transverse to the longitudinal axis of probe 102 along directions 113, 114, illustratively generally perpendicular.
Although the components of fluid circulation system 150 are shown in a first configuration in
Degasser 162 includes a filter 186 and a vacuum pump 188. Filter 186 includes a plurality of fluid passageways (not shown) which are in fluid communication with fluid conduit 160 and fluid conduit 164. Further, the fluid passageways are air permeable and surrounded by a closed chamber. In one embodiment, filter 186 is a cartridge. Vacuum pump 188 is in fluid communication with the closed chamber of filter 186 which surrounds the fluid passageways. Vacuum pump 188 reduces the pressure on the closed chamber resulting in dissolved gases in the fluid passing through the fluid passageways to be drawn through the air-permeable walls of the passageways and out of the fluid. This results in the fluid to be degassed over time. An exemplary filter is Model No. SV-C-030-P, available from Marcor Purification USA located at 4450 Township Line Road, Skippack, Pa. 19474-1429. An exemplary vacuum pump is Model No. UNMP850KNDC-B available from KNF Neuberger having United States headquarters located at Two Black Forest Road, Trenton, N.J. 08691-1810. In one embodiment, filter 186 permits a flow rate of at least approximately 250 ml/min through fluid circulating system 150.
In one embodiment, vacuum pump 188 and peristaltic pump 158 are coupled to the same power circuit 190. Power circuit 190 provides power to both of vacuum pump 188 and peristaltic pump 158 at the same time. As such, at any time that peristaltic pump 158 is circulating the coupling fluid in fluid circuit 170 vacuum pump 188 is degassing the coupling fluid. By continuously degassing the coupling fluid with degasser 162, a user may use a non-degassed coupling fluid, such as tap water or distilled water, for the coupling fluid without the risk of adversely affecting the HIFU Treatment assuming the user waits for a period of time sufficient to degas the coupling fluid to an acceptable level. In one example, wherein tap water or distilled water is the coupling fluid an acceptable level is up to about 3 ppm and the corresponding period of time is about fifteen minutes. In one embodiment, power circuit 190 includes a switch actuable by a user to activate power circuit 190.
Fluid circulation system 200 further includes a fluid conduit 206 in fluid communication with chiller 154 and reservoir 166 and a fluid conduit 208 in fluid communication with reservoir 166 and fluid inlet 130 of probe 102. Fluid conduits 202, 204, 206, and 208, chiller 154, peristaltic pump 158, reservoir 166 and the fluid pathway 134 of probe 102 form a first fluid circuit 210. Peristaltic pump 158 circulates the coupling fluid around first circuit 210.
Fluid circulation system 200 further includes a fluid conduit 212 in fluid communication with reservoir 166 and a second peristaltic pump 159. In one embodiment, pump 159 is generally identical to pump 158. Fluid circulation system 200 further includes a fluid conduit 214 in fluid communication with second peristaltic pump 159 and in fluid communication with degasser 162 and a fluid conduit 216 in fluid communication with degasser 162 and reservoir 166. Fluid conduits 212, 214, and 216, degasser 162, second peristaltic pump 159, and reservoir 166 form a second fluid circuit 218.
As shown in
Although the components of fluid circulation system 200 are shown in a first configuration in
In one embodiment, vacuum pump 188 and peristaltic pumps 158 and 159 are coupled to the same power circuit 190. Power circuit 190 provides power to both of vacuum pump 188 and peristaltic pumps 158 and 159 at the same time. As such, at any time that peristaltic pumps 158 and 159 are circulating the coupling fluid in fluid circuits 210 and 218, vacuum pump 188 is degassing the coupling fluid. By continuously degassing the coupling fluid with degasser 162, a user may use a non-degassed coupling fluid, such as tap water or distilled water, for the coupling fluid without the risk of adversely affecting the HIFU Treatment assuming the user waits for a period of time sufficient to degas the coupling fluid to an acceptable level.
Fluid circulation system 150 has a high enough flow rate to provide adequate cooling to transducer 104 and/or rectal wall 120. In one embodiment, fluid circulation system 150 has a flow rate of about 250 ml/min which provides adequate cooling to transducer 104 and/or rectal wall 120. Fluid circulation system 200, in one embodiment, has a flow rate of about 250 ml/min in first fluid circuit 210 and a flow rate of about 250 ml/min or less in second fluid circuit 218.
In fluid circulation system 150 the coupling fluid passes degasser 162 each cycle prior to introducing the coupling fluid to probe 102. Although fluid circulation system 200 does not pass the coupling fluid through degasser 162 prior to introducing the coupling fluid to probe 102, the coupling fluid is effectively degassed because eventually the coupling fluid does pass into the second circuit 218 and pass through degasser 162 as it mixes in the reservoir 166.
HIFU System 300, in one embodiment, uses distilled and non-degassed water in the fluid circulation system 314 and the fluid pathway of probe 310. Fluid circulation system 314 operates to degas the water. Referring to
Chiller 326 is further in fluid communication with a fluid conduit 328 which is in fluid communication with a peristaltic pump 330. Peristaltic pump 330 is in fluid communication with a fluid conduit 332 which is in fluid communication with a reservoir 334. Reservoir 334 is further in fluid communication with a fluid conduit 336 which is in fluid communication with a filter cartridge 338 of a degasser. Fluid cartridge 338 is in fluid communication with a fluid conduit 340 which is in fluid communication with a fitting 342 which is to be coupled to a fluid inlet of probe 310.
Once probe 310 is connected to fluid circulation system 314 a coupling fluid, such as water, is pumped by pump 330 from reservoir 334 through fluid conduit 336, filter 338, and fluid conduit 340, on to probe 310, back to fluid conduit 322, through chiller 326, through fluid conduit 328 and pump 330, and finally through fluid conduit 332 back to reservoir 334. As such, the components of fluid circulation system 314 are connected together in series.
Filter cartridge 338 includes a plurality of fluid passageways each in fluid communication with fluid conduit 336 and fluid conduit 340. In addition, filter cartridge 338 includes a closed space bounded by housing 344 which surrounds the plurality of fluid passageways. The closed space is in fluid communication (air) with a vacuum pump 346 (see
In one embodiment, vacuum pump 346 and peristaltic pump 330 are coupled to the same power circuit so that each one is powered up at generally the same time. Further, this ensures that whenever pump 330 is operating, the degasser is degassing the coupling fluid.
In one embodiment, a user connects probe 310 to fluid circulation system 314 and fills/primes the fluid pathway with a coupling fluid. The coupling fluid is degassed by the degasser which includes filter cartridge 338 and vacuum pump 346. The inclusion of the degasser in fluid circulation system 314 enables the operator to degas the coupling fluid, such as water, during the system preparation steps and continuously during the treatment. This alleviates the need for the operator to procure degassed water for the operation of the system 314.
In one embodiment, fluid circulation system 314 is able to degas the entire water volume present in the probe/tubing/chiller/reservoir system from 7 ppm dissolved oxygen content (typical dissolved oxygen content of tap water) to less than 2 ppm dissolved oxygen content in approximately 15 minutes. In one example, the water that is present in the probe/tubing/chiller/reservoir system is degassed from 7-8 ppm down to approximately 3 ppm in less than 15 minutes (for 250 ml/min flow rate, vacuum of 22 in. of mercury, 450 ml starting water volume), and down to 1 ppm for the remainder of the HIFU treatment. Referring to
It should be noted that fittings 324 and 342 to and from probe 102 include valves such that fluid circulation system 314 may cutoff from probe 310. Further, reservoir 334 includes two fitting 370 and 372 to which a fluid supplying conduit may be attached or a fluid adjustment member, such as fluid adjustment member 172. Fittings 370 and 372 also include valves such that fittings 370 and 372 may be opened or closed.
In one embodiment, fluid circulation system 314 and probe 310 are setup as follows. A coupling fluid is provided to reservoir 334 of fluid circulation system 314 through one of fittings 370 and 372. A degassed coupling fluid is not required since the degasser will degas the coupling fluid. In addition, it should be verified that fittings 324 and 342 are open to permit fluid flow to and from probe 310. A fluid adjustment member 172, a syringe 175, is filled with a coupling fluid and attached to one of fittings 370 and 372. The coupling fluid in syringe 175 is completely emptied into reservoir 334 causing an acoustic membrane of probe 310 to expand. The fitting connection to syringe 175 is closed. Pump 330 and pump 346 are activated. In one example, pump 330 and pump 346 are activated by clicking a “Pump ON” button on HIFU System 300. The pump 330 and pump 346 should be run for a sufficient time period to degas the coupling fluid to an acceptable level for HIFU Therapy. In one example, the coupling fluid is degassed down to about 3 ppm in a time period of about fifteen minutes. The chiller 326 may also activate based on the temperature of the coupling fluid. Chiller 326 monitors the temperature of the coupling fluid and activates if the temperature is above a setpoint temperature. Pumps 330 and 346 are deactivated. In one example, pumps 330 and 346 are deactivated by clicking on the “Pump OFF” button on HIFU System 300. The fitting 370 and 372 that syringe 175 is connected to is opened and a first amount of fluid is removed from the reservoir 334 into fluid reservoir 174 of syringe 175. The fitting is again closed and the coupling fluid in fluid reservoir 174 is tested to see if the level of dissolved gases is below about 3 ppm. In one example, a CHEMets brand water test kit is used to test the level of dissolved gas in the coupling fluid. Assuming the level of dissolved gas is acceptable, syringe 175 is reattached to one of fittings 370 and 372 and an additional amount of coupling fluid is removed from reservoir 334 causing the acoustic membrane of probe 310 to get smaller readying probe 310 for insertion into the rectum of the patient. This procedure also ensures that the water needed for acoustic membrane or bolus expansion and probe positioning will also be degassed. In one example, about 50 ml of coupling fluid is moved into fluid reservoir 174 of syringe 175. Pumps 330 and 346 are again activated to continue to degas the water in the system prior to probe usage for HIFU Therapy.
If when tested the level of dissolved gas is not below 3 ppm it is likely that the degassing ability of the system has been compromised. The following should be verified: (1) that all connections are air-tight, and all tubing is correctly attached (tighten as needed); (2) that all tubing and the reservoir are clean (clean or replace, as needed); (3) that the filter cartridge is new and not defective (replace as needed); and (4) that the vacuum pump 346 produces a vacuum when pump 330 is activated (verify this by temporarily disconnecting the vacuum tube 348 from the filter cartridge 338 and noting suction at the tube connector), or using a vacuum gauge as described previously. If the problem persists, the degasser may be bypassed by attaching fluid conduit 340 to reservoir 334. If this option is chosen a degassed coupling fluid (<—3 ppm dissolved oxygen content) should be used.
In addition, fluid circulation system 314 may remove approximately 2 cubic centimeters of air (i.e. not dissolved in the water) from the system per hour. As such, over time any larger air bubbles in the system will be removed from the system without requiring probe tapping. As the water is degassed, air from the air bubbles will dissolve into the water (due to a concentration gradient); once dissolved, it is forced to permeate through the filter cartridge due to a pressure gradient (applied by the vacuum pump). This way, all air (dissolved or not), is over time removed to an acceptable level from fluid circulation system 314. The small change in volume due to the removal of air may be compensated for by syringe 175, and by a slight deformation of the acoustic membrane of probe 310, which is flexible.
Further, if additional (non-degassed) water is added to the system, such as that required to adjust the probe position and acoustic membrane height for proper treatment, this water will increase the gas content of the existing water somewhat, which will in turn be taken out over the next few seconds be the degasser. As long as the added water volume is small (<50 cc, typical syringe volume) with respect to that already present in the waterpath (approximately 450 cc), the dissolved oxygen content of the coupling fluid does not change noticeably to negatively affect the treatment.
Although the invention has been described in detail with reference to certain illustrated embodiments, variations and modifications exist within the spirit and scope of the invention as described and defined in the following claims.
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|Clasificación de EE.UU.||601/3|
|Clasificación cooperativa||A61B2018/00023, A61B8/00, A61B2017/2253, A61N7/02, A61B2019/5276|
|Clasificación europea||A61B8/00, A61N7/02|
|12 Feb 2007||AS||Assignment|
Owner name: FOCUS SURGERY, INC., INDIANA
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:KAGOSAKI, SHUHEI;SHIMAZAKI, YUTAKA;YAMASHITA, KENJI;AND OTHERS;REEL/FRAME:018880/0938;SIGNING DATES FROM 20061128 TO 20061208
|14 Ago 2009||AS||Assignment|
Owner name: MMV FINANCE INC.,CANADA
Free format text: SECURITY INTEREST, LIEN AND CHARGE;ASSIGNOR:FOCUS SURGERY, INC.;REEL/FRAME:023094/0812
Effective date: 20090727
|25 Feb 2013||REMI||Maintenance fee reminder mailed|
|12 Jul 2013||FPAY||Fee payment|
Year of fee payment: 4
|12 Jul 2013||SULP||Surcharge for late payment|