Patent ID: 11857241
Assignee: CPSI HOLDINGS LLC
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 0:
1. A method of monitoring a tissue characteristic during a thermal ablation procedure, the method comprising:
inserting an ablation probe into a target tissue, the ablation probe including:
a longitudinal body including a thermal ablation energy source, the longitudinal body having a proximal end and a distal end terminating at a probe tip;
a guide channel disposed on a radially outward facing surface of the longitudinal body;
at least one deployable assembly disposed within the guide channel, the deployable assembly including:
a deployment member, and
at least one sensor affixed to a distal end of the deployment member; and

a control mechanism for controlling deployment of the deployable assembly;
a surface mounted deflection wedge on the distal end of the guide channel at an interface of the distal end of the longitudinal body and the probe tip,
wherein the surface mounted deflection wedge includes an angled face relative to the longitudinal body, the angled face extending distally and radially outwardly,
wherein the angled face of the wedge is configured to guide the sensor to a specific target, and
wherein the angled face guides the deployable assembly distally and radially outward as it is deployed;

deploying the deployable assembly into at least one of the target tissue and a non-target tissue prior to initiating a hyperthermic or hypothermic temperature gradient;
initiating the hyperthermic or hypothermic temperature gradient in the target tissue to create an ablation zone, wherein the ablation zone includes a temperature gradient, and wherein the temperature gradient includes a change in temperature from the ablation probe radially outward to the non-target tissue;
monitoring at least one tissue characteristic in at least one of the target tissue or the non-target tissue; and
after completing the thermal ablation procedure, retracting the deployable assembly prior to withdrawing the ablation probe from the target tissue.