Methods and devices for applying energy to bodily tissues

摘要

Devices and methods for treating tissue with microwave energy used in applications such as destroying a soft tissue by microwave ablation and/or creating point, line, area or volumetric lesions. Various embodiments of flexible, low-profile devices are also disclosed where such device can be inserted non-invasively or minimally invasively near or into the target tissue such as cardiac tissue. The devices disclosed herein comprise antennas wherein the field profile generated by an antenna is tailored and optimized for a particular clinical application. The antennas use unique properties of microwaves such as interaction of a microwave field with one or more conductive or non-conductive shaping elements to shape or redistribute the microwave field.

主权项

1. A medical device adapted to be coupled to a microwave energy source for applying microwave energy to tissue, the medical device comprising:
a transmission line having a shielding element; a microwave antenna configured to apply microwave energy to tissue, the antenna comprising a radiating member operatively coupled to the microwave energy source via the transmission line, an antenna dielectric and a shaping member electrically coupled to the shielding element, where the shaping member is electrically conductive; and where the radiating member comprises a first profile such that application of microwave energy by the radiating member alone would result in a first-unshaped microwave energy field, and where the shaping element comprises a second profile such that the shaping element couples to the microwave energy to alter the first unshaped microwave energy field into a second shaped microwave energy field extending volumetrically around the antenna.