Patent ID: 8790281

Claim:
An apparatus for treating uterine fibroids, comprising: (a) a catheter having a distal end and a proximal end; and (b) an ultrasound applicator disposed at the distal end of said catheter, the ultrasound applicator comprising: a plurality of transducers disposed longitudinally along a central axis of the catheter; the one or more transducers being coupled to a power source external to said catheter; (c) wherein the ultrasound applicator is configured to be positioned at a treatment location interstitially within a fibroid tissue mass and deliver high-intensity ultrasound energy outward into said fibroid tissue mass sufficient to therapeutically heat said fibroid tissue mass; (d) wherein each of the one or more transducers are sectored into a plurality of segments such that at least one wired radial segment emits a portion of a 360° radial pattern to provide directional energy distribution of the ultrasound energy in a first direction associated with the fibroid while a second radial segment limits or emits no ultrasound energy in a second direction; and (e) wherein each segment is individually wired to a power source such that each segment may be operated at a different power level and frequency than the other segments.