Claims
- 1. A method for treating brain tissue, comprising the steps of:
providing a surgical tool having a cryotreatment element, mapping a target region of said brain tissue, identifying a first focus for cryotreatment, positioning said cryotreatment element proximate said first focus, and treating said first focus with said cryotreatment element.
- 2. The method of claim 1, wherein said first focus is an epileptic focus.
- 3. The method of claim 1, wherein said cryotreatment comprises cryoablation and said step of treating said first focus comprises ablating said first focus.
- 4. The method of claim 1, wherein said treating of said first focus comprises cooling said brain tissue proximate said first focus to a predetermined temperature.
- 5. The method of claim 4, wherein said predetermined temperature is in a subrange in the range of +30 to −200 degrees Celsius.
- 6. The method of claim 5, wherein said subrange is +30 to −40 degrees Celsius, and said cooling of said brain tissue proximate said first focus comprises causing reversible interruption of electrical activity of at least part of said brain tissue proximate said first focus.
- 7. The method of claim 5, wherein said subrange is +20 to −200 degrees Celsius, and said cooling of said brain tissue proximate said first focus comprises causing permanent interruption of electrical activity of at least part of said brain tissue proximate said first focus.
- 8. The method of claim 5, wherein said subrange is +20 to −200 degrees Celsius, and said cooling of said brain tissue proximate said first focus comprises causing necrosis of at least part of said brain tissue proximate said first focus.
- 9. The method of claim 5, wherein said subrange is +20 to −40 degrees Celsius, and said cooling of said brain tissue proximate said first focus comprises causing apoptosis of at least part of said brain tissue proximate said first focus.
- 10. The method of claim 5, wherein said subrange is +20 to −200 degrees Celsius, and said first focus is an epileptic focus.
- 11. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:
remapping said target region of brain tissue, identifying an additional focus, if any, for cryotreatment, positioning said cryotreatment element proximate said additional focus, and treating said additional focus with said cryotreatment element, wherein the foregoing steps are repeatedly performed until no additional focus is identified.
- 12. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of infusing chemotherapeutic agents into said brain tissue in said first focus to potentiate said treating of said first focus with said cryotreatment element.
- 13. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of infusing cryoprotectant agents into said brain tissue proximate said first focus.
- 14. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of providing a surgical tool having a cryotreatment element comprises providing a flexible catheter having proximal and distal end portions.
- 15. The method of claim 14, wherein said cryotreatment element is a Joule-Thomson cryoablation device, said device being disposed within the distal end portion of said catheter.
- 16. A method for treating a target region of brain tissue, comprising the steps of:
providing a catheter having
a flexible body having
at least one lumen, proximal and distal end portions, said distal end portion enclosing a thermally transmissive cryochamber in fluid communication with said at least one lumen, positioning said catheter to dispose said cryochamber proximate said target region of brain tissue, injecting a refrigerant fluid flow into the at least one lumen in said catheter body, and expanding said refrigerant fluid flow inside said cryochamber.
- 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of positioning said catheter to dispose said cryochamber proximate said target region of brain tissue comprises:
subcutaneously inserting said distal end portion of said catheter in a vascular pathway connected to said target region of brain tissue, and advancing said catheter through said pathway to dispose said cryochamber proximate said target region of brain tissue.
- 18. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of positioning said catheter to dispose said cryochamber proximate said target region of brain tissue comprises:
inserting said distal end portion of said catheter through a cranial pathway proximate said brain tissue, and advancing said catheter through said pathway to dispose said cryochamber proximate said target region of brain tissue.
- 19. A method for cooling brain tissue, comprising the steps of:
providing a thermally transmissive cryochamber in fluid communication with a flow of fluid refrigerant therein, positioning said cryochamber proximate said brain tissue, injecting said fluid refrigerant into said cryochamber to flow therein, and changing the thermodynamic properties of said fluid refrigerant flow inside said cryochamber to absorb heat from said brain tissue.
- 20. The method of claim 19, wherein said step of changing the thermodynamic properties of said fluid refrigerant flow comprises a thermodynamic process selected from a group consisting of: (i) gas dynamic expansion through a Joule-Thomson throttling process, (ii) evaporative cooling though a change in phase of said fluid refrigerant, and (iii) both gas dynamic expansion through a Joule-Thomson throttling process and evaporative cooling though a change in phase of said fluid refrigerant.
- 21. A method for cryotreatment of brain tissue, comprising the steps of
identifying a conduction path in a region of said brain tissue, and applying cryotreatment to said region of brain tissue to create a lesion in said tissue and to form a conduction block along a said conduction path.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is related to and claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/269,566, filed Feb. 16, 2001, entitled DEVICE AND METHOD FOR USING CRYOGENIC ENERGY TO TREAT BRAIN TISSUE, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
[0002] n/a
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60269566 |
Feb 2001 |
US |