HIFU probe for treating tissue with in-line degassing of fluid

1. An apparatus for treating tissue, the apparatus comprising,

a probe including

a transducer which is positionable proximate to the tissue to be treated, and configured to provide HIFU energy to the tissue to be treated and to sense ultrasound energy,

a positioning member coupled to the transducer and configured to position the transducer relative to the tissue to be treated, 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; and

a fluid circulation system 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;

a fluid adjustment member including a reservoir in which the fluid passes, the fluid adjustment member being configured to both add additional fluid to the fluid circulation system and remove fluid from the fluid circulation system, the fluid adjustment member being in fluid communication with the reservoir; and

a first fluid circuit and a second fluid circuit, the first fluid circuit being in fluid communication with the fluid pathway of the probe and the reservoir and the second fluid circuit being in fluid communication with the degasser and the reservoir such that fluid in the second circuit may pass into the first circuit through the reservoir and fluid in the first circuit may pass into the second circuit through the reservoir.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the pump is a part of the first fluid circuit and a second pump is a part of the second circuit, the second pump configured to circulate the fluid through the second circuit.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , further comprising a controller operably coupled to the transducer and to the positioning member, the controller being configured to position the transducer with the positioning member and to operate the transducer in an imaging mode wherein images of the tissue to be treated are 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.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the pump, the second pump, and the vacuum pump are electrically connected together such that each is provided electrical power generally at the same time.

5. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the fluid adjustment member is a syringe.

6. An apparatus for treating tissue, the apparatus comprising,

a probe including

a transducer which is positionable proximate to the tissue to be treated, and configured to provide HIFU energy to the tissue to be treated and to sense ultrasound energy,

a positioning member coupled to the transducer and configured to position the transducer relative to the tissue to be treated wherein the positioning member positions the transducer along a longitudinal axis of the probe and rotationally about the longitudinal axis the probe,

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, and

an expandable membrane surrounding a first portion of the probe including the area adjacent the face of the transducer wherein the expandable membrane positions the transducer along a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis relative to the tissue; and

a fluid circulation system in fluid communication with the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet of the probe, the fluid circulation system including

a chiller configured to reduce a temperature of the fluid;

a degasser which is configured to remove dissolved gases from a fluid, wherein the degasser is positioned in series with the fluid inlet and fluid outlet of the probe, and wherein the degasser includes a filter having a plurality of air-permeable fluid conduits through which the fluid passes and a vacuum pump connected to the filter, the vacuum pump reducing the pressure on an outside portion of the air-permeable fluid conduits thereby drawing dissolved air in the fluid through the air-permeable fluid conduits;

a pump configured to circulate a fluid throughout the fluid circulation system and the fluid pathway of the probe, wherein the pump and the vacuum pump are electrically connected together such that each is provided electrical power generally at the same time; 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.

7. A method of preparing a HIFU system having a transrectal probe to provide treatment to the prostate area of a patient, the transrectal probe including a fluid pathway which includes an area adjacent 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.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the fluid is a non-degassed fluid when introduced into the fluid circulation system.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the fluid is tap water.

10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising the steps of:

waiting a period of time after providing electrical power to the vacuum pump and the pump at least sufficient for the fluid to be degassed to a level below about 3 parts per million;

positioning the transrectal probe relative to the prostate of the patient for providing a HIFU treatment;

imaging the prostate of the patient; and

providing the HIFU treatment with the HIFU system.