US 12,082,789 B2
Method and apparatus for laser ablation under ultrasound guidance
Dinesh Kumar, Roseville, CA (US); Amit Vohra, Roseville, CA (US); and Daniel S. Sperling, Boca Raton, FL (US)
Assigned to Convergent Life Sciences, Inc., Delray Beach, FL (US)
Filed by Convergent Life Sciences, Inc., Delray Beach, FL (US)
Filed on Oct. 7, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/065,468.
Application 17/065,468 is a continuation of application No. 14/024,025, filed on Sep. 11, 2013, granted, now 10,835,215.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/700,273, filed on Sep. 12, 2012.
Prior Publication US 2021/0100535 A1, Apr. 8, 2021
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. A61B 10/02 (2006.01); A61B 10/00 (2006.01); A61B 18/20 (2006.01); A61B 34/10 (2016.01); A61B 34/20 (2016.01); A61B 90/00 (2016.01); A61B 17/00 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 10/02 (2013.01) [A61B 10/00 (2013.01); A61B 10/0241 (2013.01); A61B 18/20 (2013.01); A61B 34/10 (2016.02); A61B 34/20 (2016.02); A61B 90/361 (2016.02); A61B 90/39 (2016.02); A61B 2017/00274 (2013.01); A61B 2034/107 (2016.02); A61B 2090/364 (2016.02); A61B 2090/365 (2016.02); A61B 2090/378 (2016.02)] 34 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for performing minimally invasive laser ablation of a target tissue within a patient while sparing tissue within a safety zone proximate to the target tissue, comprising:
a guidance tool configured to guide a laser fiber within a patient;
a controller configured to control a laser to deliver energy through the laser fiber;
an invasive thermal sensor and a non-invasive thermal sensor; and
at least one automated processor configured to:
measure a temperature within the target tissue using one or more of the invasive thermal sensor and the non-invasive thermal sensor,
measure a temperature within the safety zone using one or more of the invasive thermal sensor and the non-invasive thermal sensor,
control the controller to deliver a minimally therapeutic ablation therapy to the target tissue based on at least a treatment plan, while ensuring that the safety zone is maintained in a non-ablation condition,
compute a thermal profile of the target tissue and the safety zone based on at least a combination of the temperatures measured by the invasive thermal sensor and the non-invasive thermal sensor in conjunction with a real-time tissue image adapted for guidance of the laser fiber with the guidance tool within the patient,
generate a thermal map based on the thermal profile, wherein the thermal map illustrates:
the combination of the temperatures measured by the invasive thermal sensor and the non-invasive thermal sensor,
an isothermal region representing a highest temperature allowable within the safety zone, and
an isothermal region representing a lowest temperature allowable within the target tissue, and
cause the thermal map to be overlaid on the real-time ultrasound image.