Medical devices for ablating tissue
Devices and methods for ablating tissue are disclosed. A method for ablating tissue includes applying a first radio frequency ablation current to a target tissue and applying a second radio frequency ablation current to the target tissue. Additionally, the ratio of the frequency of the first radio frequency ablation current to the second radio frequency ablation current is in the range of 1:2 to 1:400.
1. A method for ablating tissue, the method comprising:
emitting a first radio frequency ablation current from a first electrode to ablate a target tissue;
emitting a second radio frequency ablation current from a second electrode to ablate the target tissue;
directly heating extracellular matter of the target tissue by the emitted first radio frequency ablation current; and
directly heating intracellular matter of the target tissue by the emitted second radio frequency ablation current;
wherein the ratio of the frequency of the first radio frequency ablation current emitted from the first electrode to the second radio frequency ablation current emitted from the second electrode is in the range of 1:4 to 1:400;
wherein the first radio frequency ablation current emitted from the first electrode is in the range of 50 kHz to 550 kHz;
wherein the second radio frequency ablation current emitted from the second electrode is in the range of 600 kHz to 10,000 kHz.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first radio frequency ablation current and the second radio frequency ablation current are applied simultaneously to the target tissue.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first radio frequency ablation current and the second radio frequency ablation current are applied in sequence to the target tissue.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first radio frequency ablation current is configured to directly heat through a first current path, and wherein the second radio frequency ablation current is configured to directly heat through a second current path.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first radio frequency ablation current and the second radio frequency ablation current are configured to maximize the total volume of target tissue to be ablated.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first radio frequency ablation current is applied over a first time period at a first power level and the second radio frequency is applied over a second time period at a second power level, and wherein each of the first power level and the second power level are sufficiently high to ablate the target tissue site.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the first time period is different from the second time period.
8. The method of claim 6 , wherein at least a portion of the first time period overlaps with at least a portion of the second time period.
9. The method of claim 6 , wherein the second time period occurs immediately after the first time period.
10. The method of claim 6 , wherein the entire second time period occurs simultaneously within the first time period.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first radio frequency ablation current and the second radio frequency ablation current are transmitted along the same electrical pathway.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first radio frequency ablation current and the second radio frequency ablation current are generated between the first electrode and the second electrode, and wherein the first electrode and the second electrode operate in a monopolar arrangement.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first radio frequency ablation current and the second radio frequency ablation current are generated between the first electrode and the second electrode, and wherein the first electrode and the second electrode operate in a bipolar arrangement.
14. A method for ablating tissue, the method comprising:
applying a first radio frequency ablation current to ablate a target tissue site through a first electrode; and
applying a second radio frequency ablation current to ablate the target tissue site through a second electrode;
directly heating extracellular matter of the target tissue by the emitted first radio frequency ablation current; and
directly heating intracellular matter of the target tissue by the emitted second radio frequency ablation current;
wherein the second radio frequency ablation current has a higher frequency than the first radio frequency ablation current;
wherein the first radio frequency ablation current is configured to directly heat through a first current path, and wherein the second radio frequency ablation current is configured to directly heat through a second current path;
wherein the ratio of the frequency of the first radio frequency ablation current to the second radio frequency ablation current is in the range of 1:4 to 1:400;
wherein the first radio frequency ablation current applied through the first electrode is in the range of 50 kHz to 550 kHz;
wherein the second radio frequency ablation current applied through the second electrode is in the range of 600 kHz to 10,000 kHz.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the first radio frequency ablation current and the second radio frequency ablation current are applied simultaneously to the target tissue site.
16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the first radio frequency ablation current and the second radio frequency ablation current are applied in sequence to the target tissue site.
17. The method of claim 14 , wherein the first radio frequency ablation current and the second radio frequency ablation current are configured to maximize the total volume of target tissue to be ablated.
18. The method of claim 14 , wherein the first radio frequency ablation current is applied over a first time period at a first power level and the second radio frequency is applied over a second time period at a second power level, and wherein each of the first power level and the second power level are sufficiently high to ablate the target tissue site.
19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the first time period is different from the second time period.
20. The method of claim 18 , wherein at least a portion of the first time period overlaps with at least a portion of the second time period.
21. The method of claim 18 , wherein the second time period occurs immediately after the first time period.
22. The method of claim 18 , wherein the entire second time period occurs simultaneously within the first time period.
23. A medical device for ablating tissue, the device comprising:
a radio frequency generator configured to provide a first radio frequency ablation current to ablate a target tissue and a second radio frequency ablation current to ablate the target tissue; and
wherein the first radio frequency ablation current is emitted from a first pair of electrodes to ablate the target tissue;
wherein the second radio frequency ablation current is emitted from a second pair of electrodes to ablate the target tissue;
wherein the first radio frequency ablation current emitted from the first pair of electrodes is configured to directly heat extracellular matter of the target tissue;
wherein the second radio frequency ablation current emitted from the second pair of electrodes is configured to directly heat intracellular matter of the target tissue;
wherein the ratio of the frequency of the first radio frequency ablation current to the second radio frequency ablation current is in the range of 1:4 to 1:400;
wherein the first radio frequency ablation current emitted from the first pair of electrodes is in the range of 50 kHz to 550 kHz;
wherein the second radio frequency ablation current emitted from the second pair of electrodes is in the range of 600 kHz to 10,000 kHz.
24. The device of claim 23 , wherein the device is configured to apply the first radio frequency ablation current and the second radio frequency ablation current simultaneously to the target tissue.
25. The device of claim 24 , wherein the first radio frequency ablation current is configured to target extracellular matter, and wherein the second radio frequency ablation current is configured to target intracellular matter, or wherein the first radio frequency ablation current is configured to directly heat through a first current path, and wherein the second radio frequency ablation current is configured to directly heat through a second current path.