Temperature Control for Joint Protection

Introduction

This innovative system for limiting joint temperature provides a critical solution for protecting joints during therapeutic procedures or physical rehabilitation. By controlling heat buildup in joints, the technology ensures that patients undergoing treatments—whether for injury recovery, arthritis, or post-surgery—are protected from overheating, which can lead to inflammation or further damage. For medical device manufacturers and healthcare providers, this technology offers a valuable tool to improve patient outcomes, ensuring joint care that maximizes healing while minimizing risks.

The Challenge: Managing Joint Heat During Recovery

In physical therapy and rehabilitation, particularly for joint injuries or conditions like arthritis, maintaining optimal joint temperature is essential for reducing inflammation and pain. Excessive heat can cause additional tissue damage and prolong recovery time, making it crucial to manage joint temperature during treatments. However, existing therapies may not always effectively regulate joint temperature, leading to the risk of overheating and compromising the healing process. As patients seek more effective and safer treatment options, there is a growing demand for devices that can prevent joint overheating while promoting recovery.

Effective Temperature Regulation for Safer Healing

This joint temperature control system addresses these challenges by offering precise, real-time temperature management for joint therapies. The system continuously monitors and limits heat buildup, ensuring that joints remain within a safe temperature range during treatment. This technology can be integrated into various therapeutic devices, such as braces, wraps, or rehabilitation machines, providing enhanced safety for patients undergoing recovery from injuries, surgeries, or chronic conditions. By offering better control over joint temperature, this system promotes faster healing and helps prevent complications such as excessive swelling or tissue damage.

Key Benefits for Medical Device Companies and Healthcare Providers

For medical device manufacturers, this technology offers a way to differentiate products by integrating temperature control mechanisms that enhance patient safety and treatment efficacy. Orthopedic and sports medicine practices will benefit from the system’s ability to protect joints during rehabilitation, reducing the risk of complications and improving recovery times. Hospitals and clinics can incorporate the technology into their physical therapy offerings, providing patients with safer, more effective joint care solutions. This technology is especially beneficial for elderly patients or those with chronic joint conditions who need extra care during rehabilitation.

Invest in Joint Health Innovation

Licensing this temperature control for joint protection technology positions your company as a leader in orthopedic care and rehabilitation solutions. By offering a system that ensures safe, effective joint treatments, your business can meet the growing demand for advanced therapeutic tools that prioritize patient safety and recovery. This technology is a smart investment for companies focused on improving joint health outcomes and delivering innovative healthcare solutions.

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Abstract
Claims

Joint temperature monitoring and control systems and methods are described herein in which the temperature of a fluid within a body or joint space is determined and/or monitored despite the energy generated during treatment by an ablation probe. One or more temperature sensors are positioned along the probe proximally of the electrode assembly and measure the temperature of an electrically conductive fluid without being overly influenced by the surgical effect occurring proximate the electrode assembly. The controller coupled to the probe can also be configured to set temperature limits and treatment times as well as moderating joint temperature by altering the electrically conductive fluid flow.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for treating tissue at a target site within a body or joint space comprising:

an electrosurgical probe having a shaft with a distal end and a proximal end, the electrosurgical probe further comprising:

an active electrode disposed near the distal end;

a return electrode disposed on the shaft; and

a temperature sensor disposed on the shaft spaced away from the active electrode and the return electrode for measuring the temperature of an electrically conductive fluid located in the body or joint space, and wherein the temperature sensor is electrically insulated from the electrically conductive fluid;

a high frequency power supply, the high frequency power supply coupled to the active electrode, the high frequency power supply configured to provide an electrical energy output between the active electrode and the return electrode.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the temperature sensor is disposed at least 5 mm away from the distal end.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the electrically conductive fluid located at the target site provides a current path between the active electrode and the return electrode.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, the high frequency power supply further comprising an analog-to-digital converter for converting measured temperature to a digital signal.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the temperature sensor is at least one selected from the group consisting of: a thermocouple; a T type thermocouple; a thermistor; a resistance detector.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the target site comprises a joint in a patient body.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a fluid delivery element for delivering the electrically conductive fluid to the target site.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the fluid delivery element comprises a pump, and wherein the pump is operable to control fluid inflow to the target site and fluid outflow from the target site.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the pump regulates the fluid inflow and the fluid outflow in order to maintain the temperature of the fluid below a predetermined level.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein temperature sensor is disposed proximally from the electrodes, and is between 3 mm and 20 mm, inclusive, away from the distal end of the shaft.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the high frequency power supply is configured to generate plasma proximate the active electrode.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a microprocessor for controlling the high frequency power supply in accordance with an output of the temperature sensor, wherein the microprocessor is programmed with a series of temperature limits, and is configured to generate an alarm if the temperature sensor measures temperature of the electrically conductive fluid in excess of a first limit, and to reduce or deactivate the electrical energy output if the temperature sensor measures temperature of the electrically conductive fluid in excess of a second limit.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the microprocessor is configured for monitoring and controlling a power output from the active electrode in accordance with the temperature of the electrically conductive fluid.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the microprocessor is configured for a user to select the first limit of the series of temperature limits.

15. A method for treating tissue at a target site comprising:

delivering an electrically conductive fluid to the target site in a patient’s body or joint space;

positioning an electrosurgical instrument adjacent to the target site, the electrosurgical instrument comprising an elongate shaft, an active electrode disposed on the elongate shaft and a return electrode disposed on the elongate shaft;

generating a plasma proximate the active electrode by applying a high frequency voltage between the active electrode and the return electrode, wherein the electrically conductive fluid provides a conductive path between the active electrode and the return electrode; and

sensing a temperature of the electrically conductive fluid in the body or joint space, the sensing by a temperature sensor disposed on an exterior surface of the elongate shaft, the temperature sensor disposed proximally from the electrodes, and the temperature sensor between 3 mm and 20 mm, inclusive, away from a distal end of the elongate shaft.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

delivering a circulating flow of the electrically conductive fluid to the body or joint space;

comparing the temperature to a desired temperature range; and

adjusting the circulating flow of the electrically conductive fluid based on the temperature.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of sensing further comprises correlating a target tissue temperature from the temperature of the electrically conductive fluid.

18. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

generating an alarm upon the temperature of the electrically conductive fluid exceeding a first limit; and

controlling the high frequency voltage applied between the active electrode and the return electrode upon the temperature of the electrically conductive fluid exceeding a second limit.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

comparing the temperature to a desired temperature range; and

adjusting the voltage based on the temperature.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the desired temperature range is selected according to a tissue type or a procedure type.

21. The method of claim 18, further comprising selecting, by a user, the first limit within a series of temperature limits.

22. A tissue treatment apparatus, comprising:

an electrosurgical probe having an elongate shaft with an active electrode positioned near or at a distal end of the elongate shaft, and a return electrode positioned on the elongate shaft proximally of the active electrode; and

at least one temperature sensor spaced away from the active and return electrodes, the at least one temperature sensor within or along the shaft, the at least one temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of an electrically conductive fluid, and the at least one temperature sensor electrically insulated from the electrically conductive fluid.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the at least one temperature sensor comprises a thermocouple, thermistor, or resistance temperature detector.

24. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the at least one temperature sensor is positioned proximally from the return electrode by a distance of at least 5 mm.

25. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the at least one temperature sensor is thermally insulated from the elongate shaft.

26. The apparatus of claim 22 further comprising a controller coupled to the electrosurgical probe.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the controller further comprises:

a microprocessor for controlling the apparatus; and

an analog-to-digital converter for converting the temperature of the electrically conductive fluid to a digital signal readable by the microprocessor.

28. The apparatus of claim 22 further comprising:

a microprocessor coupled to the at least one temperature sensor and programmed with a series of temperature limits, the microprocessor configured to generate an alarm if the temperature sensor detects temperature of the electrically conductive fluid in excess of a first limit, and to reduce or deactivate an electrical energy output if the temperature sensor detects temperature of the electrically conductive fluid in excess of a second limit.

29. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the microprocessor is pre-programmed with a series of temperature limits.

30. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the microprocessor is configured for a user to select the first limit of the series of temperature limits.

31. The apparatus of claim 22 further comprising a high frequency power supply, the high frequency power supply coupled to the active electrode and the return electrode, and the high frequency power supply configured to generate plasma proximate the active electrode by supplying an electrical energy output between the active electrode and the return electrode.

32. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the at least one temperature sensor is positioned proximally from the active and return electrodes, and the temperature sensor is between 3 mm and 20 mm, inclusive, away from the distal end of the elongate shaft.

33. A tissue treatment apparatus, comprising:

an electrosurgical probe that defines

an elongate shaft that defines a distal end and a proximal end;

a suction lumen within the elongate shaft, and the suction lumen has a distal opening;

an active electrode disposed on the elongate shaft at the distal end of the elongate shaft, and the active electrode disposed over the distal opening;

a return electrode disposed on the elongate shaft proximally of the active electrode;

a tubing layer telescoped over and covering a portion of the elongate shaft, the tubing layer disposed proximal of the active and return electrodes, the tubing layer extends toward the proximal end of the elongate shaft, and the tubing layer is electrically insulative; and

a temperature sensor disposed on the elongate shaft proximally of the return electrode, and the temperature sensor disposed beneath the tubing layer;

a high frequency power supply, the high frequency power supply coupled to the active electrode, the high frequency power supply configured to generate plasma proximate the active electrode by supplying an electrical energy output between the active electrode and the return electrode.

34. The tissue treatment apparatus of claim 33 wherein the return electrode is concentrically disposed on the elongate shaft.

35. The tissue treatment apparatus of claim 33 wherein temperature sensor is at least 5 mm away from the distal end of the elongate shaft.

36. The tissue treatment apparatus of claim 33 further comprising:

a thermally insulative layer disposed between the temperature sensor and the elongate shaft and

wherein the temperature sensor is between 3 mm and 20 mm, inclusive, away from the distal end of the elongate shaft.

Title

Systems and methods for limiting joint temperature

Inventor(s)

Duane W. Marion, Katherine Knudsen, Robert DeCou

Assignee(s)

Arthrocare Corp

Patent #

9452008

Patent Date

September 27, 2016