Radiofrequency Catheter

Abstract

An integrated catheter shaft with a guidewire and a radio frequency wire is used in a catheter to deliver radio frequency energy to a treatment site. The small entry wound and the long integrated catheter shaft allows a user to thread the shaft along a tortuous route along a spinal canal to reach a treatment site while causing a minimal amount of trauma to the patient.

1 . A guideable catheter for delivering radiofrequency energy to a treatment site; comprising:
 a flexible shaft having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the shaft has an outer diameter of at most 2 mm;   a guidewire extending along a first length of the shaft; and concurrently a radio frequency wire extending along a second length of the shaft.   
     
     
         2 . The catheter of  claim 1 , wherein the outer diameter of the shaft is at most 1.5 mm. 
     
     
         3 . The catheter of  claim 1 , wherein the outer diameter of the shaft is at most 1 mm. 
     
     
         4 . The catheter of  claim 1 , further comprising an angulation attached to a distal end of the guidewire. 
     
     
         5 . The catheter of  claim 1 , further comprising a radio frequency insulator at least partially encapsulating the radio frequency wire. 
     
     
         6 . The catheter of  claim 5 , wherein the radio frequency insulator encapsulates all but a distal end of the radio frequency wire. 
     
     
         7 . The catheter of  claim 1 , further comprising a radio frequency adapter connected to a proximal end of the radio frequency wire. 
     
     
         8 . The catheter of  claim 7 , wherein the adapter is selected from the group consisting of a radal adapter and a tuohy-borst adapter. 
     
     
         9 . The catheter of  claim 1 , further comprising a fluid passageway within the shaft extending along a third length of the shaft to an injection port at the distal end of the shaft. 
     
     
         10 . The catheter of  claim 9 , wherein the fluid passageway extends to a second injection port at the distal end of the shaft. 
     
     
         11 . The catheter of  claim 1 , further comprising a temperature sensor extending along a fourth length of the shaft. 
     
     
         12 . The catheter of  claim 1 , wherein the guidewire is a temperature sensor. 
     
     
         13 . The catheter of  claim 1 , wherein the distal end of the shaft is blunt. 
     
     
         14 . The catheter of  claim 1 , wherein a cross-section of the distal end of the shaft is an angled polygon. 
     
     
         15 . The catheter of  claim 1 , wherein a cross-section of the distal end of the shaft is an ellipse. 
     
     
         16 . The catheter of  claim 1 , wherein the catheter comprises stainless steel.