Granted Patent B2

US 12,575,873 · App. 18/298,251 · Granted Mar 17, 2026

Inventors: Steven R. Mickelsen (Iowa City, IA); Raju Viswanathan (Menlo Park, CA); Allan Zingeler (Menlo Park, CA)

Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.

A61B18/14A61B17/08A61B18/1442A61B2018/00005A61B2018/00613A61B2018/00779A61B2018/00791A61B2090/061

Abstract

Claims (35)

1 . An apparatus, comprising:

a thermoelectric cooling unit comprising:

a first ceramic cover;

a metal electrode abutting the first ceramic cover;

a Peltier cooling module abutting the metal electrode; and

a second ceramic cover abutting the Peltier cooling module;

a voltage pulse generator configured to produce a pulsed voltage waveform; and

an electrode controller configured to be operably coupled to the voltage pulse generator and a medical clamp including a plurality of electrodes, the electrode controller implemented in at least one of a memory or a processor, the electrode controller including a feedback module, a cooling module and a pulse delivery module, the feedback module configured to determine a temperature of a target tissue to which the medical clamp is coupled, the cooling module configured to produce a signal to the cooling unit of the medical clamp to maintain a portion of the target tissue at a target temperature, the pulse delivery module configured to deliver an output signal associated with the pulsed voltage waveform to the plurality of electrodes.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the target temperature is below a body temperature.

3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the target temperature is below about 55 degrees Fahrenheit.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the electrode controller is configured to interface with an external device to program at least one of an amplitude of the output signal, a period of the output signal, or a duration of the output signal.

5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the cooling module is configured to produce the signal based at least in part on the temperature of the target tissue.

6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the medical clamp includes a first arm and a second arm, the first arm and the second arm defining a volume to receive the target tissue, the first arm spaced apart from the second arm by a distance;

the feedback module is configured to receive a distance signal associated with the distance; and

the pulse delivery module configured to adjust a characteristic of the output signal based on the distance.

7 . The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the characteristic of the output signal is any one of an amplitude of the output signal, a period of the output signal, or duration of the output signal.

8 . A method, comprising:

receiving, at a feedback module of an electrode controller, a temperature signal associated with a temperature of a target tissue to which a medical clamp is coupled, the medical clamp including a plurality of electrodes abutting a plurality of first ceramic covers and a first arm and a second arm defining a volume to receive the target tissue, the first arm spaced apart from the second arm by a distance;

producing a control signal based at least in part on the temperature of the target tissue;

delivering the control signal to a cooling unit of the medical clamp to maintain a portion of the target tissue at a target temperature, wherein the cooling unit abuts at least one of the plurality of electrodes and at least one of a plurality of second ceramic covers;

receiving a distance signal associated with the distance;

adjusting a characteristic of the output signal based on the distance; and

delivering an output signal associated with a pulsed voltage waveform to the plurality of electrodes when the target tissue is at the target temperature;

wherein the delivering the output signal is such that the pulsed voltage waveform is greater than approximately one kilovolt.

9 . A method, comprising:

receiving, at a feedback module of an electrode controller, a temperature signal associated with a temperature of a target tissue to which a medical clamp is coupled, the medical clamp including a plurality of electrodes abutting a plurality of first ceramic covers, wherein the medical clamp includes a first arm and a second arm, the first arm and the second arm defining a volume to receive the target tissue, the first arm spaced apart from the second arm by a distance;

producing a control signal based at least in part on the temperature of the target tissue;

delivering the control signal to a cooling unit of the medical clamp to maintain a portion of the target tissue at a target temperature, wherein the cooling unit abuts at least one of the plurality of electrodes and at least one of a plurality of second ceramic covers;

receiving a distance signal associated with the distance;

adjusting a characteristic of an output signal based on the distance; and

delivering the output signal associated with a pulsed voltage waveform to the plurality of electrodes when the target tissue is at the target temperature.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the target temperature of the target tissue is maintained below a body temperature.

11 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the target temperature of the target tissue is maintained below about 55 degrees Fahrenheit.

12 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the control signal controls a current to a thermoelectric cooler.

Assignments (5)

Continuity (5)

References Cited (400)