Energy delivery systems and uses thereof
The present invention relates to systems and devices for delivering energy to tissue for a wide variety of applications, including medical procedures (e.g., tissue ablation, resection, cautery, vascular thrombosis, treatment of cardiac arrhythmias and dysrhythmias, electrosurgery, tissue harvest, etc.). In particular, the present invention relates to systems and devices for the delivery of energy with a linear array of antenna components having optimized energy delivery characteristics. In certain embodiments, methods are provided for treating a tissue region (e.g., a tumor) through application of energy with the systems and devices of the present invention.
1. A device consisting of an antenna, a stylet, and a conductive terminal end having a conductive terminal end proximal end and a conductive terminal end distal end,
wherein said antenna comprises an outer conductor enveloped around an inner conductor, the outer conductor having an outer conductor proximal end and an outer conductor distal end, the inner conductor having an inner conductor proximal end and an inner conductor distal end, wherein material of the outer conductor from the outer conductor proximal end to the outer conductor distal end is the same,
wherein said inner conductor is designed to receive and transmit microwave or radiofrequency energy, wherein the inner conductor is hollow,
wherein said outer conductor has therein a plurality of gaps positioned circumferentially along said outer conductor, wherein each of the plurality of gaps has a proximal end and a distal end, wherein one of the plurality of gaps is positioned most distally along the length of the antenna,
wherein multiple energy peaks are configured to be generated along a length of said antenna, wherein positions of said multiple energy peaks are controlled by a location of said plurality of gaps,
wherein said antenna comprises a dielectric layer disposed between said inner conductor and said outer conductor, wherein the dielectric layer has a proximal end and a distal end,
wherein the antenna is configured to conduct cooling fluid along its length through one or more channels, wherein the one or more channels have a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the distal end of the one or more channels engages the conductive terminal end proximal end, wherein the distal end of the one more channels is closed,
wherein the dielectric layer distal end and the inner conductor distal end each engage but do not extend into the conductive terminal end proximal end, wherein a terminal point of the distal end of a most distally positioned gap of the plurality of gaps coincides with the terminal points of the dielectric layer distal end and the inner conductor distal end,
wherein the inner conductor distal end is closed,
wherein the stylet engages the conductor terminal end distal end,
wherein one of the plurality of gaps is positioned circumferentially along said outer conductor between the outer conductor distal end and the conductive terminal end proximal end,
wherein the conductive terminal end comprises a disc having a diameter substantially identical to a diameter of the outer conductor,
wherein the antenna is flexible.
2. The device of claim 1 , wherein said plurality of gaps is at least two gaps.
3. The device of claim 1 , wherein said inner conductor has a diameter of approximately 0.013 inches or less.
4. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a tuning element for adjusting an amount of energy delivered.
5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more channels are positioned within the dielectric layer.
6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more channels are positioned within the outer conductor.
7. A system for ablation therapy, consisting of a power distributor and a device comprising an antenna, a stylet, and a conductive terminal end having a conductive terminal end proximal end and a conductive terminal end distal end,
wherein said antenna comprises an outer conductor enveloped around an inner conductor, the outer conductor having an outer conductor proximal end and an outer conductor distal end, the inner conductor having an inner conductor proximal end and an inner conductor distal end, wherein material of the outer conductor from the outer conductor proximal end to the outer conductor distal end is the same,
wherein said inner conductor is designed to receive and transmit microwave or radiofrequency energy, wherein the inner conductor is hollow,
wherein said outer conductor has therein a plurality of gaps positioned circumferentially along said outer conductor, wherein each of the plurality of gaps has a proximal end and a distal end, wherein one of the plurality of gaps is positioned most distally along the length of the antenna,
wherein multiple energy peaks are configured to be generated along a length of said antenna, wherein positions of said multiple energy peaks are controlled by a location of said plurality of gaps,
wherein said antenna comprises a dielectric layer disposed between said inner conductor and said outer conductor, wherein the dielectric layer has a proximal end and a distal end,
wherein the antenna is configured to conduct cooling fluid along its length through one or more channels, wherein the one or more channels have a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the distal end of the one or more channels engages the conductive terminal end proximal end, wherein the distal end of the one more channels is closed,
wherein the dielectric layer distal end and the inner conductor distal end each engage but do not extend into the conductive terminal end proximal end, wherein a terminal point of the distal end of the most distally positioned gap coincides with the terminal points of the dielectric layer distal end and the inner conductor distal end,
wherein the inner conductor distal end is closed,
wherein the stylet engages the conductor terminal end distal end,
wherein one of the plurality of gaps is positioned circumferentially along said outer conductor between the outer conductor distal end and the conductive terminal end proximal end,
wherein the conductive terminal end comprises a disc having a diameter substantially identical to a diameter of the outer conductor,
wherein the antenna is flexible.
8. The system of claim 7 , wherein said plurality of gaps is at least two gaps.
9. The system of claim 7 , wherein said inner conductor has a diameter of approximately 0.013 inches or less.
10. The system of claim 7 , further comprising a tuning element for adjusting an amount of the energy delivered.
11. A method of treating a tissue region, consisting of:
a) providing a device, wherein said device comprises an antenna, a stylet, and a conductive terminal end having a conductive terminal end proximal end and a conductive terminal end distal end,
wherein said antenna comprises an outer conductor enveloped around an inner conductor, the outer conductor having an outer conductor proximal end and an outer conductor distal end, the inner conductor having an inner conductor proximal end and an inner conductor distal end, wherein material of the outer conductor from the outer conductor proximal end to the outer conductor distal end is the same,
wherein said inner conductor is designed to receive and transmit energy, wherein the inner conductor is hollow,
wherein said outer conductor has therein a plurality of gaps positioned circumferentially along said outer conductor, wherein each of the plurality of gaps has a proximal end and a distal end, wherein one of the plurality of gaps is positioned most distally along the length of the antenna,
wherein multiple energy peaks are configured to be generated along a length of said antenna, wherein positions of said multiple energy peaks are controlled by a location of said plurality of gaps,
wherein said antenna comprises a dielectric layer disposed between said inner conductor and said outer conductor, wherein the dielectric layer has a proximal end and a distal end,
wherein the antenna is configured to conduct cooling fluid along its length through one or more channels, wherein the one or more channels have a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the distal end of the one or more channels engages the conductive terminal end proximal end, wherein the distal end of the one more channels is closed,
wherein the dielectric layer distal end and the inner conductor distal end each engage but do not extend into the conductive terminal end proximal end, wherein a terminal point of the distal end of the most distally positioned gap coincides with the terminal points of the dielectric layer distal end and the inner conductor distal end,
wherein the inner conductor distal end is closed,
wherein the stylet engages the conductor terminal end distal end,
wherein one of the plurality of gaps is positioned circumferentially along said outer conductor between the outer conductor distal end and the conductive terminal end proximal end,
wherein the conductive terminal end comprises a disc having a diameter substantially identical to a diameter of the outer conductor,
wherein the antenna is flexible;
b) positioning said device in a vicinity of a tissue region,
c) delivering an amount of the energy with said device to said tissue region.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein said tissue region is selected from the group consisting of a tumor and lung tissue.