Flexible microwave catheters for natural or artificial lumens
A method for forming a resonating structure within a body lumen, the method including advancing a flexible microwave catheter into a body lumen of a patient, the flexible microwave catheter including a radiating portion at the distal end of the flexible microwave catheter, the radiating portion configured to receive microwave energy, and at least one centering device proximate the radiating portion configured to deploy radially outward from the flexible microwave catheter; positioning the radiating portion near tissue of interest; deploying the at least one centering device radially outward from the flexible microwave catheter within the body lumen such that a longitudinal axis of the radiating portion is substantially parallel with and at a fixed distance from a longitudinal axis of the body lumen near the targeted tissue; and delivering microwave energy to the radiating portion such that a circumferentially balanced resonating structure is formed with the body lumen.
1. A surgical apparatus comprising:
a flexible microwave catheter including a radiating portion having a proximal feed gap;
a proximal centering basket disposed proximal to the proximal feed gap and configured to transition between an expanded condition and a compressed condition, the proximal centering basket including:
a proximal receiver slidably coupled to the flexible microwave catheter; and
a distal receiver fastened to the flexible microwave catheter; and
a distal centering basket disposed distal to the proximal feed gap and configured to transition between an expanded condition and a compressed condition, the distal centering basket including:
a proximal receiver slidably coupled to the flexible microwave catheter; and
a distal receiver fastened to the flexible microwave catheter.
2. The surgical apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the proximal receiver of the distal centering basket is disposed distal to the proximal feed gap.
3. The surgical apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the radiating portion includes a distal feed gap and the distal centering basket is disposed about the distal feed gap.
4. The surgical apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the proximal receiver of the distal centering basket is disposed distal to the proximal feed gap and proximal to the distal feed gap.
5. The surgical apparatus according to claim 3 , further comprising a cap operably coupled to the flexible microwave catheter, wherein the distal receiver of the distal centering basket is fastened to the flexible microwave catheter between the distal feed gap and the cap.
6. The surgical apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the proximal centering basket includes a plurality of prongs, and a proximal portion of the plurality of prongs is coupled to the proximal receiver of the proximal centering basket and a distal portion of the plurality of prongs is coupled to the distal receiver of the proximal centering basket.
7. The surgical apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the distal centering basket includes a plurality of prongs, and a proximal portion of the plurality of prongs is coupled to the proximal receiver of the distal centering basket and a distal portion of the plurality of prongs is coupled to the distal receiver of the distal centering basket.
8. The surgical apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the proximal receiver of the proximal centering basket is configured to freely slide along the flexible microwave catheter.
9. The surgical apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the proximal receiver of the distal centering basket is configured to freely slide along the flexible microwave catheter.
10. The surgical apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the flexible microwave catheter includes a coaxial cable.