US2003014050A1PendingUtilityA1

Electrode for electrosurgical ablation of tissue

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Assignee: ORATEC INTERVENTIONS INCPriority: Feb 12, 1997Filed: Sep 13, 2002Published: Jan 16, 2003
Est. expiryFeb 12, 2017(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Hugh R. SharkeyGary S. FantonJohn AshleyJ. Remberto Carranza
A61B 2018/00654A61N 1/06A61B 18/148A61B 2018/00797A61B 2018/00702A61B 2218/002A61B 2017/320008A61B 2018/00434A61B 2018/00625A61B 18/1492A61B 2018/00791A61N 1/40A61B 2018/1472
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Claims

Abstract

An electrosurgical probe is provided to vaporize, cut, coagulate or remove tissue from a body structure. A method of surgically treating a mammal includes providing a surgical instrument including a length of shaft and an active electrode having a curved current density edge with at least one convex surface; and ablating a tissue surface with said surgical instrument.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A surgical apparatus, comprising: 
 an energy application tip including: 
 a length of shaft: and  
 an active electrode having a curved current density edge with at least one convex surface.  
   
     
     
         2 . The surgical apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said length of shaft includes a substantially linear section near the tip.  
     
     
         3 . The surgical apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein said curved current density edge defines a crossfire pattern.  
     
     
         4 . The surgical apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein said curved current density edge defines a cloverleaf pattern.  
     
     
         5 . The surgical apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein said curved current density edge defines an ashtray pattern.  
     
     
         6 . The surgical apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein said curved current density edge defines a dome pattern.  
     
     
         7 . The surgical apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein said curved current density edge defines a dome with dimple pattern.  
     
     
         8 . The surgical apparatus of  claim 2 , further comprising an insulating collar coupled to a distal end of said shaft.  
     
     
         9 . The surgical apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein said length of shaft includes a return electrode that defines said distal end of said length of shaft.  
     
     
         10 . The surgical apparatus of  claim 9 , further comprising a return wire coupled to said return electrode.  
     
     
         11 . The surgical apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said length of shaft includes a curved section having a substantially constant radius of curvature.  
     
     
         12 . The surgical apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein said curved current density edge defines a crossfire pattern.  
     
     
         13 . The surgical apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein said curved current density edge defines a cloverleaf pattern.  
     
     
         14 . The surgical apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein said curved current density edge defines an ashtray pattern.  
     
     
         15 . The surgical apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein said curved current density edge defines a dome pattern.  
     
     
         16 . The surgical apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein said curved current density edge defines a dome at with dimple pattern.  
     
     
         17 . The surgical apparatus of  claim 11 , further comprising an insulating collar coupled to a distal end of said shaft.  
     
     
         18 . The surgical apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein said length of shaft includes a return electrode that defines said distal end of said length of shaft.  
     
     
         19 . The surgical apparatus of  claim 18 , further comprising a return wire coupled to said return electrode.  
     
     
         20 . The surgical apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said length of shaft includes an arcuate section.  
     
     
         21 . The surgical apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein said curved current density edge defines a crossfire pattern.  
     
     
         22 . The surgical apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein said curved current density edge defines a cloverleaf pattern.  
     
     
         23 . The surgical apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein said curved current density edge defines an ashtray pattern.  
     
     
         24 . The surgical apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein said curved current density edge defines a dome pattern.  
     
     
         25 . The surgical apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein said curved current density edge defines a dome at with dimple pattern.  
     
     
         26 . The surgical apparatus of  claim 20 , further comprising an insulating collar coupled to a distal end of said shaft.  
     
     
         27 . The surgical apparatus of  claim 26 , wherein said length of shaft includes a return electrode that defines said distal end of said length of shaft.  
     
     
         28 . The surgical apparatus of  claim 27 , further comprising a return wire coupled to said return electrode.  
     
     
         29 . The surgical apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said length of shaft includes a curved section having a right angle.  
     
     
         30 . The surgical apparatus of  claim 29 , wherein said curved current density edge defines a crossfire pattern.  
     
     
         31 . The surgical apparatus of  claim 29 , wherein said curved current density edge defines a cloverleaf pattern.  
     
     
         32 . The surgical apparatus of  claim 29 , wherein said curved current density edge defines an ashtray pattern.  
     
     
         33 . The surgical apparatus of  claim 29 , wherein said curved current density edge defines a dome pattern.  
     
     
         34 . The surgical apparatus of  claim 29 , wherein said curved current density edge defines a dome with dimple pattern.  
     
     
         35 . The surgical apparatus of  claim 29 , further comprising an insulating collar coupled to a distal end of said shaft.  
     
     
         36 . The surgical apparatus of  claim 35 , wherein said length of shaft includes a return electrode that defines said distal end of said length of shaft.  
     
     
         37 . The surgical apparatus of  claim 36 , further comprising a return wire coupled to said return electrode.  
     
     
         38 . A method of surgically treating a mammal in need thereof, comprising: 
 providing a surgical instrument including a length of shaft and an active electrode having a curved current density edge with at least one convex surface; and    ablating a tissue surface with said surgical instrument.    
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein ablating said tissue surface includes scraping said tissue surface.  
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein ablating said tissue surface includes sculpting said tissue surface.  
     
     
         41 . A surgical apparatus for ablating tissue, comprising: 
 a energy application tip including: 
 a length of shaft; and  
 a means for defining a curved current density edge with at least one concave surface  
   
     
     
         42 . The surgical apparatus of  claim 41 , wherein said length of shaft includes a substantially linear section.  
     
     
         43 . The surgical apparatus of  claim 41 , wherein said length of shaft includes a curved section having a substantially constant radius of curvature.  
     
     
         44 . The surgical apparatus of  claim 41 , wherein said length of shaft includes a curved section having an arcuate section.  
     
     
         45 . The surgical apparatus of  claim 41 , wherein said length of shaft includes a curved section having right angle.  
     
     
         46 . A surgical apparatus, comprising: 
 an energy application tip including: 
 a length of shaft tubing; and  
 an active electrode having a curved current density edge with at least one convex surface.  
   
     
     
         47 . The surgical apparatus of  claim 46 , wherein said active electrode is adjacent an inner surface of said length of shaft tubing.  
     
     
         48 . The surgical apparatus of  claim 47 , further comprising a return electrode adjacent an outer surface of said length of shaft tubing.  
     
     
         49 . The surgical apparatus of  claim 46 , wherein said active electrode is adjacent an outer surface of said length of shaft tubing.  
     
     
         50 . The surgical apparatus of  claim 49 , further comprising a return electrode adjacent an outer surface of said length of shaft tubing.  
     
     
         51 . The surgical apparatus of  claim 46 , wherein said active electrode defines a plurality of longitudinal recesses that are substantially parallel to an axis defined by said length of shaft tubing.  
     
     
         52 . The surgical apparatus of  claim 46 , wherein said length of shaft tubing includes a substantially linear section.  
     
     
         53 . The surgical apparatus of  claim 46 , wherein said length of shaft tubing includes a curved section having a substantially constant radius of curvature.  
     
     
         54 . The surgical apparatus of  claim 46 , wherein said length of shaft tubing includes a curved section having a right angle.  
     
     
         55 . A surgical system for directing thermal energy to tissue, comprising: 
 a power supply;    a probe coupled to the power supply, by cabling means, the probe having a handle and a shaft including a proximal end and a distal end, the shaft having at least one lumen;    an active electrode electrically coupled to the power supply, the active electrode being positioned on the distal end of the probe, the active electrode having an energy application surface; and    a return electrode electrically coupled to the power supply.    
     
     
         56 . The surgical system according to  claim 55 , wherein the distal end includes an insulating base member.  
     
     
         57 . The surgical system according to  claim 55 , wherein the active electrode is configured for vaporizing a tissue structure.  
     
     
         58 . The surgical system according to  claim 55 , wherein the active electrode is configured for sculpting a tissue structure.  
     
     
         59 . An RF probe comprising: 
 a handle:    a shaft coupled to the handle, the shaft having a proximal end and a distal tip;    an active electrode positioned at or near the distal tip, the active electrode having a energy application surface; and    a return electrode.    
     
     
         60 . The RF probe according to  claim 59 , wherein the return electrode is formed from a portion of the shaft.  
     
     
         61 . The RF probe according to  claim 59 , wherein the return electrode is a grounding pad.  
     
     
         62 . A method for vaporizing tissue structures within a body comprising: 
 providing an RF probe with a distal tip with complex curves;    approximating the RF probe to the tissue structures to be vaporized; and    applying RF energy through the complex curves, thereby vaporizing the tissue structures.    
     
     
         63 . The method according to claim  62 , wherein the distal tip is concavo-convex.

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