Patent ID: 8235901
Filing Date: 2012-08-07
Classification: A61B,A61N

Abstract:
1. A method for treating body tissue using acoustic energy, comprising: identifying a target focal zone to be treated; delivering a first pulse of acoustic energy from a transducer to generate bubbles in bodily liquid contained in the tissue in a tissue region located distally, relative to the transducer, of a focal center of the target focal zone; and before the distally located bubbles dissipate, delivering a second pulse of acoustic energy from the transducer to generate thermal ablation energy in tissue at or proximate the focal center of the target focal zone, wherein the first pulse is focused at a selected distance from the focal center of the target focal zone to cause the distally located bubbles to suppress formation of a far-field thermal-ablation tail; and further wherein the bubbles are generated in the body liquid without using an injected fluid.