METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR NON-INVASIVELY TREATING PATENT FORAMEN OVALE USING HIGH INTENSITY FOCUSED ULTRASOUND
Methods and apparatus are provided for non-invasively treating patent foramen ovale using an ultrasound imaging system and a high intensity focused ultrasound system to selectively target high intensity ultrasound energy on either or both of a patient's septum primum or septum secundum.
1 . An apparatus for non-invasively treating patent foramen ovale comprising:
a housing;
an ultrasound imaging system disposed within the housing;
a high intensity focused ultrasound system disposed within the housing in alignment with the ultrasound imaging system;
a controller operably connected to the ultrasound imaging system and high intensity focused ultrasound system to selectively target high intensity ultrasound energy on either or both of a patient's septum primum or septum secundum; and
a fluid-filled balloon coupled to the housing to adjust a location of a focal point of the high intensity focused ultrasound system.
2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the patient's septum primum and septum secundum are apposed during treatment.
3 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein apposition of the patient's septum primum and septum secundum is achieved noninvasively using drugs, noninvasive procedures, or a combination thereof.
4 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein increased contact pressure between the patient's septum primum and septum secundum is achieved noninvasively using drugs, noninvasive procedures, or a combination thereof.
5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the housing is adapted to apply energy to either or both of the septum primum or septum secundum from outside a patient's body.
6 . A method of non-invasively treating patent foramen ovale comprising:
providing a housing having an ultrasound imaging system and a high intensity focused ultrasound system disposed in alignment with the ultrasound imaging system;
contacting the housing against a patient's body; and
operating the ultrasound imaging system to generate an image of a portion of cardiac tissue; and operating the high intensity focused ultrasound system, guided by the image, to heat or ablate either or both of a patient's septum primum or septum secundum.
7 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising generating and displaying a marker corresponding to a focal point of the high intensity focused ultrasound system on the image.
8 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising modifying a location of the target site by adjusting a location of a focal point of the high intensity focused ultrasound system.
9 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising disposing a fluid-filled balloon between the patient's body and the housing to adjust a location of a focal point of the high intensity focused ultrasound system.
10 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising apposing the patient's septum primum and septum secundum noninvasively using drugs, noninvasive procedures, or a combination thereof.
11 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising increasing contact pressure between the patient's septum primum and septum secundum is noninvasively using drugs, noninvasive procedures, or a combination thereof.
12 . The method of claim 6 , wherein contacting comprises engaging the housing on an outside surface of the patient's body.
13 . The method of claim 6 , wherein contacting comprises engaging the housing on an esophageal surface of the patient's body.
14 . The method of claim 6 , wherein contacting the housing comprises introducing the housing in a patient's heart chamber.