Claims
- 1. A probe for therapeutically heating a target tissue of a patient body through an intermediate tissue, the probe comprising:at least two electrodes, each electrode having an electrode surface which is engageable against the intermediate tissue, the electrode surface being substantially flat, wherein the electrodes each define a width and are separated by a separation distance in a range from about ⅓ to about 5 times the width; and a cooling system coupled to the electrodes so that the electrode surfaces can cool the engaged intermediate tissue while an electrical current flux from the electrode surfaces therapeutically heats the target tissue.
- 2. A probe as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electrode surfaces are sufficiently flat to direct the current flux from the electrode surfaces, through the cooled intermediate tissue, and into the target tissue, wherein the cooling system is capable of maintaining the intermediate tissue at or below a maximum safe tissue temperature while the current flux heats the target tissue.
- 3. A probe as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a control system coupled to the electrodes and a temperature sensor coupled to the control system and adapted for measuring a temperature of at least one of the intermediate tissue and the target tissue, the control system adapted to selectively energize the electrodes in response to the temperature so as to heat the target tissue to a treatment temperature while the cooling system maintains the intermediate tissue below the maximum safe tissue temperature.
- 4. A probe as claimed in claim 3, wherein the electrodes comprise three bipolar electrodes and the control system can apply a bipolar electrical potential between the electrodes.
- 5. A probe as claimed in claim 3, wherein the target tissue comprises collagenated tissue, and wherein the treatment temperature is sufficient to shrink the collagenated tissue.
- 6. A probe as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electrodes comprise an electrode array, and wherein the electrode surfaces comprise a plurality of electrode surface segments, and further comprising a control system coupled to each electrode surface segment, the control system capable of selectively energizing electrode surface segments to vary the current flux within the target tissue.
- 7. A probe as claimed in claim 1, wherein the probe is adapted for insertion into a patient body.
- 8. A probe as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a needle coupled to the probe for injecting insulating fluid.
- 9. A probe as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an insulating insert coupled to each electrode.
- 10. A probe for applying energy to fascia from within a vagina of a patient body so as to treat incontinence, the fascia separated from the vagina by vaginal wall, the probe comprising:a probe body having a proximal end and a distal end, the probe having a length and a cross-section selected to permit introduction into the vagina; energy transmitting elements mounted to the probe body, the transmitting elements capable of transmitting sufficient heating energy through the vaginal wall to heat and contract the fascia without ablating the fascia, and so that the contracted fascia inhibits the incontinence; and cooling system disposed between the transmitting elements, the cooling system capable of maintaining the vaginal mucosa adjacent the probe at or below a maximum safe temperature when the fascia is heated by the transmitting elements.
- 11. A probe as claimed in claim 10, wherein the cooling system comprises a channel system positioned between the transmitting elements.
- 12. A probe for heating a target tissue of a patient body through an intermediate tissue, the probe comprising:a probe body supporting a plurality of electrode surface segments, the electrode surface segments separated by a predetermined spacing distance and simultaneously engageable against the intermediate tissue; a cooling system coupled to the probe for cooling the electrode surface segments; and a control system coupled to the electrode surface segments, the control system adapted to selectively energize the electrode surface segments so as to heat the target tissue to a treatment temperature while the cooling system maintains the intermediate tissue disposed between the electrode surface segments and the target zone below a maximum safe tissue temperature.
- 13. A probe as claimed in claim 12, wherein the electrode segments define an electrode surface which is substantially flat so as to direct current flux through the intermediate tissue and into the target tissue.
- 14. A probe as claimed in claim 12, wherein the control system can apply a bipolar electrical potential between electrode segments, wherein the cooling system cools the engaged intermediate tissue disposed between the bipolar electrode segments, and wherein the bipolar electrode segments are adapted to direct a current flux through the engaged intermediate tissue and into the target tissue.
- 15. A probe as claimed in claim 12, further comprising an ultrasound transducer disposable adjacent the intermediate tissue to facilitate aligning the probe with the target tissue.
- 16. A probe as claimed in claim 15, further comprising a needle extendable from the probe within a field of view of the ultrasound transducer, the needle coupled to a temperature sensor for monitoring a temperature of the target tissue.
- 17. A probe as claimed in claim 12, wherein the predetermined spacing distance comprises a separation distance in a range from about ⅓ to about 5 times a width of the electrode surface segment.
- 18. A vaginal probe for selectively heating a target endopelvic support tissue so as to treat incontinence, the target tissue separated from a tissue surface by an intermediate vaginal mucosa tissue, the vaginal probe comprising:a probe body having a size and shape suitable for transvaginal insertion and a surface oriented for engaging the tissue surface; a pair of bi-polar electrodes disposed along the probe surface, the electrodes adapted to direct an energy flux through the intermediate vaginal mucosa tissue and into the target endopelvic support tissue to contract the target endopelvic support tissue so that the contracted target endopelvic support tissue inhibits the incontinence; and a cooling system thermally coupled to the electrodes and to the probe surface adjacent the electrodes so as to cool the intermediate vaginal mucosa tissue.
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a divisional of and claims the benefit of priority from U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/133,496 filed Aug. 12, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,216,704 which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 08/910,775; 08/910,369, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,033,288 and Ser. No. 08/910,371, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,081,749, all filed Aug. 13, 1997, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application Nos. 60/071,418; 60/071,419; 60/071,422; and 60/071,323, all filed Jan. 14, 1998, the full disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
US Referenced Citations (111)
Foreign Referenced Citations (18)
Number |
Date |
Country |
WO 9307815 |
Apr 1993 |
WO |
WO 9315664 |
Aug 1993 |
WO |
WO 9600041 |
Jan 1996 |
WO |
WO 9600042 |
Jan 1996 |
WO |
WO 9634568 |
Nov 1996 |
WO |
WO 9715238 |
May 1997 |
WO |
WO 9720510 |
Jun 1997 |
WO |
WO 9724992 |
Jul 1997 |
WO |
WO 9732532 |
Sep 1997 |
WO |
WO 9739688 |
Oct 1997 |
WO |
WO 9743970 |
Nov 1997 |
WO |
WO 9743971 |
Nov 1997 |
WO |
WO 9805286 |
Feb 1998 |
WO |
WO 9805380 |
Feb 1998 |
WO |
WO 9807468 |
Feb 1998 |
WO |
WO 9838936 |
Sep 1998 |
WO |
WO 9916502 |
May 1999 |
WO |
WO 0122897 |
Apr 2001 |
WO |
Non-Patent Literature Citations (1)
Entry |
Hayes et al., “Prediction of Transient Temperature Fields and Cumulative Tissue Destruction for Radio Frequency Heating of a Tumor” Med. Phys. 12:6 (Nov./Dec. 1995) pp. 684-692. |
Provisional Applications (4)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60/071418 |
Jan 1998 |
US |
|
60/071419 |
Jan 1998 |
US |
|
60/071422 |
Jan 1998 |
US |
|
60/071323 |
Jan 1998 |
US |
Continuation in Parts (3)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
08/910775 |
Aug 1997 |
US |
Child |
09/133496 |
|
US |
Parent |
08/910369 |
Aug 1997 |
US |
Child |
08/910775 |
|
US |
Parent |
08/910371 |
Aug 1997 |
US |
Child |
08/910369 |
|
US |