Microwave ablation instrument with flexible antenna assembly

Abstract

A flexible microwave antenna assembly for a surgical ablation instrument capable of conforming to a tissue surface for ablation thereof. The ablation instrument includes a transmission line having a proximal portion suitable for connection to an electromagnetic energy source. The antenna assembly includes a flexible antenna coupled to the transmission line for radially generating an electric field sufficiently strong to cause tissue ablation. A flexible shield device is coupled to the antenna to substantially shield a surrounding area of the antenna from the electric field radially generated therefrom while permitting a majority of the field to be directed generally in a predetermined direction. A flexible insulator is disposed between the shield device and the antenna which defines a window portion enabling the transmission of the directed electric field in the predetermined direction. The antenna, the shield device and the insulator are formed for selective manipulative bending thereof, as a unit, to one of a plurality of contact positions to generally conform the window portion to the biological tissue surface to be ablated.

1 . An ablation device for forming a lesion in targeted biological tissue, the device comprising: 
 an ablation portion for delivering ablation energy to targeted biological tissue;    a handle portion extending proximally of the ablation portion; and    a grip portion attached to and extending distally from a distal end of the ablation portion to facilitate manipulating the ablation portion into position relative to the targeted biological tissue.    
     
     
         2 . The ablation device according to  claim 1  in which the ablation portion and grip portion are flexible to facilitate conforming the ablation portion to contours of the targeted biological tissue.  
     
     
         3 . The ablation device according to  claim 1  in which the targeted biological tissue includes epicardial tissue and the ablation portion and grip portion are flexible to substantially conform to the surface contours of the targeted epicardial tissue.  
     
     
         4 . The ablation device according to  claim 1  in which the ablation portion includes a high frequency antenna structure for delivering high frequency ablation energy to targeted biological tissue in response to high frequency energy applied to the antenna structure.  
     
     
         5 . The ablation device according to  claim 1  in which the ablation portion delivers ablation energy through a window portion in a surface of the ablation portion; and 
 the grip portion attached to a distal end of the ablation portion is axially offset in a direction toward the window portion.    
     
     
         6 . The ablation device according to  claim 2  in which the handle portion is flexible.