Methods and systems for controlled deployment of needle structures in tissue
View Patent ↗A system for deploying needles in tissue includes a controller and a visual display. A treatment probe has both a needle and tines deployable from the needle which may be advanced into the tissue. The treatment probe also has adjustable stops which control the deployed positions of both the needle and the tines. The adjustable stops are coupled to the controller so that the virtual treatment and safety boundaries resulting from the treatment can be presented on the visual display prior to actual deployment of the system.
1. A method for deploying a needle structure in tissue, said method comprising:
positioning a probe having a deployable needle structure near an anatomical feature in the tissue;
providing a real time image of the tissue including the anatomical feature to be treated on a display connected to a controller;
projecting a treatment region and a safety region on the real time image prior to deploying the needle structure;
adjusting a size and a position of a boundary of at least one of the projected image of the treatment region and safety region on the real time image prior to deploying the needle structure, wherein adjusting the size and position of the projected boundary comprises adjusting a user interface connected to the controller; and
deploying the needle structure from the probe, wherein the needle structure is positioned relative to the probe and the tissue to provide treatment within the projected boundary after the projected boundary has been adjusted.
2. A method as in claim 1 , wherein a position of the projected boundary is adjusted by manually repositioning the probe relative to the anatomical feature.
3. A method as in claim 1 , wherein the interface comprises a keyboard, mouse, roller ball, or touch screen which is connected to the controller.
4. A method as in claim 1 , wherein the interface is on the probe.
5. A method as in claim 4 , wherein the interface on the probe also adjusts mechanically a needle deployment stop on the probe, wherein advancement of the needle to the needle deployment stop assures that the treatment region will be treated and that treatment will not extend beyond the safety region.
6. A method as in claim 5 , wherein the needle structure further comprises a plurality of tines which are advanceable from the needle in a distally diverging pattern, wherein the extent of advancement of the tines at least partly determines the size of the treatment region and/or the safety region.
7. A method as in claim 6 , wherein the size of the projected boundary is adjusted by manually positioning a tine stop element on the probe.
8. A method as in claim 7 , wherein tine stop element provides a physical limit on advancing the plurality of tines so that when the tines are advanced to the tine stop element the tines will be located in tissue within the treatment region and/or safety region.
9. A method as in claim 1 , wherein deploying the needles comprises driving a servo motor controlled by the controller to advance the needle structure.
10. A method as in claim 6 , wherein deploying the tines comprises driving a servo motor controlled by the controller to advance the tines.
11. A method as in claim 1 , further comprising delivering energy through the needle structure to target tissue.
12. A method as in claim 11 , further comprising controlling at least one of treatment power or treatment time to limit the extent of tissue treatment to within the treatment region and/or safety region.
13. A method as in claim 1 , further comprising projecting virtual needle structure location information onto the display.
14. A method as in claim 13 , wherein the virtual needle structure location information comprises markers representing locations on the needle.
15. A method as in claim 13 , wherein the virtual needle location information is updated on the display as the probe stops are adjusted.
16. A method as in claim 1 , further comprising projecting actual needle structure location information onto the display.
17. A method as in claim 16 , wherein the actual needle structure location information is derived from sensors on the probe which track needle structure deployment.
18. A method as in claim 16 , wherein the virtual needle location information is updated on the display as the needle structure is deployed.
19. A method as in claim 1 , wherein adjusting the size and position of the projected boundary is performed while the probe is being held stationary.