Method and apparatus for tissue ablation
The present application discloses devices that ablate human tissue. The device comprises a catheter with a shaft through which an ablative agent can travel, a liquid reservoir and a heating component, which may comprise a length of coiled tubing contained within a heating element, wherein activation of said heating element causes said coiled tubing to increase from a first temperature to a second temperature and wherein the increase causes a conversion of liquid within the coiled tubing to vapor, a reusable cord connecting the outlet of the reservoir to the inlet of the heating component, and a single use cord connecting a pressure-resistant inlet port of a vapor based ablation device to the outlet of the heating component.
1. A tissue ablation system comprising:
a catheter with a proximal end and a distal end and a lumen there between, said catheter comprising a plurality of ports at the distal end and a handle positioned on the proximal end, said handle configured to engage with a channel of an endoscope;
a fluid heating chamber comprising ferromagnetic material, wherein said fluid heating chamber is connected to the catheter;
a coil for receiving an alternating current and causing said ferromagnetic material in the fluid heating chamber to inductively heat, wherein said coil is coaxially positioned around the fluid heating chamber and separated from the fluid heating chamber;
wherein said handle is positioned around said coil and fluid heating chamber, wherein a diameter and length of said fluid heating chamber is less than a diameter and length of the coil and a diameter and length of the handle;
a container of sterile water connected to said fluid heating chamber by tubing,
wherein said fluid heating chamber is configured to receive the sterile water from the container and convert said sterile water to vapor within said fluid heating chamber by a transfer of heat from said ferromagnetic material to said sterile water; and
a connector attached to said heating chamber and configured such that force applied to the connector is configured to causes said heating chamber to co-axially move within said handle and coil and is further configured to causes said catheter to move in and out of a distal end of the endoscope.
2. The tissue ablation system of claim 1 , further comprising a second sensor on said catheter and a microprocessor, wherein said second sensor is configured to transmit information to said microprocessor, and wherein said microprocessor is configured to use said information to regulate said fluid heating chamber and thereby regulate a flow of the vapor.
3. The tissue ablation system of claim 1 further comprising a thermally insulating material positioned between said coil and said fluid heating chamber.
4. The tissue ablation system of claim 1 further comprising a pressure resistant fitting positioned between said fluid heating chamber and said container.
5. The tissue ablation system of claim 4 further comprising a one-way valve in said pressure resistant fitting to prevent a backflow of the vapor from the fluid heating chamber into the container.
6. The tissue ablation system of claim 1 further comprising a sensor positioned at said handle of the catheter, wherein the sensor is configured to sense when the catheter is not engaged with the endoscope and is configured to cause a heating of the ferromagnetic material to be temporarily disabled.