Large area thermal ablation
View Patent ↗A large area thermal ablation apparatus for use with an endoscope includes a housing and at least one electrode. The housing is removably attachable to a distal terminating end of the endoscope. The housing includes an outer surface and a cross-sectional area that is at least as large as a cross-sectional area of the distal terminating end of the endoscope. The electrode is supported by the outer surface of the housing. The electrode is capable of delivering energy to a tissue region inside a body to ablate the tissue region.
1. A method of manufacturing an ablation apparatus comprising the steps of:
a) providing a housing;
b) providing a slurry comprising a conductive material and a solution;
c) applying the slurry on at least a portion of a surface of the housing; and
d) removing the solution applied on the surface of the housing to form an electrode comprising the conductive material on the surface of the housing.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein step c) comprises printing the slurry on the surface of the housing.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein step b) comprises providing a slurry comprising an epoxy.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein step c) comprises applying the slurry by at least one of spraying, dipping, and brushing.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein step d) comprises heating the slurry to remove the solution and to melt the conductive material to form the electrode.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein step a) comprises providing a housing comprising at least one groove and step d) comprises removing at least a portion of the conductive material to form the electrode in the at least one groove.
7. The method of claim 5 wherein the surface of the housing comprises a groove and step d) comprises melting the conductive material so that it flows into the groove to form the electrode.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising removing a portion of the electrode formed so that the surface of the housing does not contain any protrusion.
9. The method of claim 5 wherein the conductive material has a melting temperature lower than that of the housing.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein the housing comprises a ceramic material.
11. The method of claim 1 wherein the housing comprises a polymeric material.
12. The method of claim 1 wherein the housing comprises a glass material.
13. A method of manufacturing an ablation apparatus comprising the steps of:
a) providing a housing;
b) providing a slurry comprising a conductive material mixed with a volatile substance;
c) applying the slurry on at least a portion of a surface of the housing; and
d) drying the slurry to remove the volatile substance on the surface of the housing so that an electrode comprising the conductive material is formed on the surface of the housing.
14. The method of claim 13 wherein step c) comprises printing the slurry on the surface of the housing.
15. The method of claim 13 herein step c) comprises applying the slurry by at least one of spraying, dipping, and brushing.
16. The method of claim 13 wherein step d) comprises heating the slurry.
17. The method of claim 13 wherein step d) comprises cooling the slurry.
18. The method of claim 13 wherein the surface of the housing comprises a groove where at least a portion of the electrode is formed.
19. The method of claim 18 wherein step d) comprises melting the conductive material so that it flows into the groove to form the at least a portion of the electrode.
20. The method of claim 19 wherein the conductive material has a melting temperature lower than that of the housing.
21. The method of claim 13 , further comprising removing a portion of the electrode formed so that the surface of the housing does not contain any protrusion.
22. The method of claim 13 , further comprising using chemical etching to modify the formed electrode.
23. The method of claim 13 wherein the housing comprises a ceramic material.
24. The method of claim 13 wherein the housing comprises a polymeric material.
25. The method of claim 13 wherein the housing comprises a glass material.
26. The method of claim 13 wherein the slurry comprising an epoxy.
27. The method of claim 26 wherein the epoxy is a silver-bearing epoxy.