Ablation apparatus and system to limit nerve conduction

Abstract

A method of managing a system of minimally invasive surgery. The management method includes providing a practitioner with a minimally invasive surgery system including a controller. One or more use parameters is stored to memory associated with the controller. In addition, an electrosurgical probe having its own memory is provided to mate with the remaining elements of the system. Complementary use parameters are stored in the memory of the probe. The management method also includes communicating and comparing the use parameters of the controller with the complementary use parameters of the probe and managing the use of the electrosurgical probe according to the use parameters.

1 . A method of managing a system for minimally invasive surgery comprising: 
 providing a controller with memory to a practitioner;    writing one or more use parameters to the memory of the controller;    providing an electrosurgical probe with memory;    writing one or more complementary use parameters to the memory of the probe;    comparing the use parameters of the controller with the complementary use parameters of the electrosurgical probe; and    managing use of the electrosurgical probe according to the use parameters.    
     
     
         2 . The method of managing a system for minimally invasive surgery of  claim 1  wherein the use parameters in the memory of the controller comprise at least one of a practitioner identification designation, a controller identification designation a practitioner certification and a permitted therapeutic protocol.  
     
     
         3 . The method of managing a system for minimally invasive surgery of  claim 1  wherein the complementary use parameters in the memory of the electrosurgical probe comprise at least one of an electrosurgical probe identification designation, a practitioner identification designation a practitioner certification and a permitted therapeutic protocol.  
     
     
         4 . The method of managing a system for minimally invasive surgery of  claim 3  wherein the complementary use parameters are written to the electrosurgical probe memory prior to delivering the probe to the practitioner.  
     
     
         5 . The method of managing a system for minimally invasive surgery of  claim 1  further comprising maintaining a probe use flag in the electrosurgical probe memory.  
     
     
         6 . The method of managing a system for minimally invasive surgery of  claim 5  wherein the probe use flag is set to indicate a used probe by the controller after use of the electrosurgical probe for a therapeutic protocol.  
     
     
         7 . The method of managing a system for minimally invasive surgery of  claim 5  wherein the controller is operatively associated with an electrosurgical current source.  
     
     
         8 . The method of managing a system for minimally invasive surgery of  claim 7  wherein the controller prohibits the provision of current from the electrosurgical current source to the electrosurgical probe unless the use parameters in the memory of the controller match the use parameters of the electrosurgical probe.  
     
     
         9 . The method of managing a system for minimally invasive surgery of  claim 5  wherein the controller prohibits the provision of current from the electrosurgical current source to the electrosurgical probe unless the use flag is set to indicate an unused probe.  
     
     
         10 . The method of managing a system for minimally invasive surgery of  claim 5  wherein the controller limits the provision of current from the electrosurgical current source to the electrosurgical probe according to a permitted therapeutic protocol stored in the memory of the electrosurgical probe.  
     
     
         11 . The method of managing a system for minimally invasive surgery of  claim 1  further comprising managing authority to use the system according to the use parameters.  
     
     
         12 . A system for minimally invasive surgery comprising: 
 a controller associated with memory;    an electrosurgical probe associated with memory;    a communication link between the controller and the electrosurgical probe;    means for comparing a use parameter stored in the memory of the controller with a complementary use parameter stored in the electrosurgical probe; and    managing use of the electrosurgical probe according to the use parameters.    
     
     
         13 . The system for minimally invasive surgery of  claim 12  further comprising means for maintaining a probe use flag in the electrosurgical probe memory.  
     
     
         14 . The system for minimally invasive surgery of  claim 12  further comprising an electrosurgical current source operatively associated with the controller.  
     
     
         15 . The system for minimally invasive surgery of  claim 12  further comprising means for automatically delivering a select quantity of energy from the electrosurgical current source to the electrosurgical probe according to a therapeutic energy protocol stored in the controller memory.  
     
     
         16 . The system for minimally invasive surgery of  claim 15  further comprising means for automatically delivering a select quantity of energy from the electrosurgical current source to the electrosurgical probe according to a therapeutic energy protocol stored in the electrosurgical probe memory.  
     
     
         17 . An electrosurgical probe comprising: 
 a probe body defining a longitudinal probe axis;    multiple conductive electrodes operatively disposed along the probe axis;    a stimulation current source in electrical communication with at least one of the conductive electrodes; and    a blunt tip operatively disposed at a first end of the probe.    
     
     
         18 . The electrosurgical probe of  claim 17  further comprising a source of ablation current in electrical communication with at least one of the conductive electrodes.  
     
     
         19 . The electrosurgical probe of  claim 18  further comprising a switch providing for the selective connection of the stimulation current source or the ablation current source to at least one of the conductive electrodes.  
     
     
         20 . The electrosurgical probe of  claim 17  wherein the tip is defined by one of the conductive electrodes.  
     
     
         21 . An electrosurgical probe comprising: 
 a probe body defining a longitudinal probe axis;    multiple conductive electrodes operatively disposed along the probe axis;    a stimulation current source in electrical communication with at least one of the conductive electrodes;    a handle operatively associated with the probe body; and    a switch operatively associated with the handle wherein selective actuation of the switch may increase or decrease the application of stimulation current to at least one conductive electrode.    
     
     
         22 . The electrosurgical probe of  claim 21  further comprising a source of ablation current in electrical communication with at least one of the conductive electrodes wherein selective actuation of the switch enables the application of ablation current to at least one conductive electrode.  
     
     
         23 . The electrosurgical probe of  claim 22  further comprising a second switch the actuation of which applies ablation current to at least one conductive electrode.  
     
     
         24 . The electrosurgical probe of  claim 23  where in the second switch is a foot switch.  
     
     
         25 . The electrosurgical probe of  claim 21  further comprising an indicator configured to show the application of stimulation current to at least one conductive electrode.  
     
     
         26 . The electrosurgical probe of  claim 22  further comprising an indicator configured to show the application of ablation current to at least one conductive electrode.  
     
     
         27 . A system for minimally invasive surgery comprising: 
 an electrosurgical probe;    a source of ablation current in electrical communication with the electrosurgical probe;    means for automatically delivering a therapeutic quantity of energy from the source of ablation current to the electrosurgical probe.    
     
     
         28 . The system for minimally invasive surgery of  claim 27  wherein the therapeutic quantity of energy comprises a select waveform.  
     
     
         29 . The system for minimally invasive surgery of  claim 27  wherein the therapeutic quantity of energy comprises a select energy application duration.  
     
     
         30 . The system for minimally invasive surgery of  claim 27  wherein the therapeutic quantity of energy comprises a power profile that varies over time.  
     
     
         31 . A method of minimally invasive surgery comprising: 
 providing a controller in communication with a source of ablation current;    providing an electrosurgical probe in electrical communication with the source of ablation current; and    automatically supplying a therapeutic quantity of energy from the source of ablation current to the electrosurgical probe according to a select therapeutic energy protocol stored in memory associated with the controller.    
     
     
         32 . The method of minimally invasive surgery of  claim 31  wherein the therapeutic quantity of energy comprises a select waveform.  
     
     
         33 . The method of minimally invasive surgery of  claim 31  wherein the therapeutic quantity of energy comprises a select energy application duration.  
     
     
         34 . The method of minimally invasive surgery of  claim 31  wherein the therapeutic quantity of energy comprises a power profile that varies over time.