Catheter for delivery of energy to a surgical site
First Claim
1. A catheter for delivering energy to an intervertebral disc, and said catheter including at a proximal end a handle and at a distal end a probe and said intervertebral disc having a nucleus pulposus, an annulus fibrosus, and an inner wall of said annulus fibrosus, said nucleus pulposus having a first diameter in a disc plane between opposing sections of said inner wall, and said catheter comprising:
- at least one energy delivery device located at the distal end of the catheter to deliver energy to portions of the intervertebral disc; and
an activation element located at the distal end of the catheter, to transition the probe from a linear to a multi-dimensional shape, within the intervertebral disc.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A catheter for delivering energy to a surgical site is disclosed. The catheter includes at a proximal end a handle and at a distal end a probe. The catheter includes at least one energy delivery device and an activation element. The at least one energy delivery device is located at the distal end of the catheter to deliver energy to portions of the surgical site. The activation element is located at the distal end of the catheter, to transition the probe from a linear to a multi-dimensional shape, within the surgical site. Methods for deploying the probe from the linear to multi-dimensional shape are disclosed.
In another embodiment of the invention the catheter includes a heating element fabricated on a substrate by photo-etching to deliver thermal energy to portions of the surgical site. In another embodiment of the invention the catheter includes an energy delivery element, a tip and a blade. The energy delivery element is located at the distal end of the catheter to deliver energy to portions of the intervertebral disc. The blade is positioned within a first lumen of the tip and is extensible beyond the tip, to cut selected portions within the intervertebral disc. In another embodiment of the invention a catheter includes both energy and material transfer elements and an interface on the handle thereof The interface couples the energy delivery element and the material transfer element to external devices for energy and material transfer to and from the intervertebral disc.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. A catheter for delivering energy to an intervertebral disc, and said catheter including at a proximal end a handle and at a distal end a probe and said intervertebral disc having a nucleus pulposus, an annulus fibrosus, and an inner wall of said annulus fibrosus, said nucleus pulposus having a first diameter in a disc plane between opposing sections of said inner wall, and said catheter comprising:
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at least one energy delivery device located at the distal end of the catheter to deliver energy to portions of the intervertebral disc; and
an activation element located at the distal end of the catheter, to transition the probe from a linear to a multi-dimensional shape, within the intervertebral disc. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A catheter for delivering energy to an intervertebral disc, and said catheter including at a proximal end a handle and at a distal end a probe and the intervertebral disc having a nucleus pulposus, an annulus fibrosus, and an inner wall of said annulus fibrosus, said nucleus pulposus having a first diameter in a disc plane between opposing sections of said inner wall, and said catheter comprising:
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a substrate located at the distal end of the catheter; and
a heating element adapted to deliver thermal energy to portions of the intervertebral disc, said heating element fabricated on said substrate by a photo-etching. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
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25. A catheter for delivering energy to an intervertebral disc, and said catheter including at a proximal end a handle and at a distal end a probe and the intervertebral disc having a nucleus pulposus, an annulus fibrosus, and an inner wall of said annulus fibrosus, said nucleus pulposus having a first diameter in a disc plane between opposing sections of said inner wall, and said catheter comprising:
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a first probe section defining along the length thereof a first lumen;
at least one energy delivery element located at the distal end of the catheter to deliver energy to portions of the intervertebral disc;
a tip coupled to the first probe section at a terminus thereof, the tip defining on an exterior face a second lumen substantially concentric with said first lumen; and
a blade positioned within the first lumen and extensible from a first position within said first probe section to a second position extending through the second lumen and beyond the tip, to cut selected portions within the intervertebral disc. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28)
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29. A catheter for delivering energy to an intervertebral disc, and said catheter including at a proximal end a handle and at a distal end a probe and said intervertebral disc having a nucleus pulposus, an annulus fibrosus, and an inner wall of said annulus fibrosus, said nucleus pulposus having a first diameter in a disc plane between opposing sections of said inner wall, and said catheter comprising:
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an energy delivery element located at the distal end of the catheter to deliver energy to portions of the intervertebral disc;
a material transfer element located at the distal end of the catheter to transfer material to and from the intervertebral disc; and
at least one interface on the handle for coupling the energy delivery element and the material transfer element to external devices for energy and material transfer to and from the intervertebral disc.
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30. A method for deploying a probe portion of a catheter in a multi-dimensional shape within an intervetebral disc, and the catheter including at a proximal end a handle and at a distal end a probe and the intervertebral disc having a nucleus pulposus, an annulus fibrosus, and an inner wall of said annulus fibrosus, said nucleus pulposus having a first diameter in a disc plane between opposing sections of said inner wall, and the method for deploying the probe portion comprising:
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configuring the probe of the catheter in a substantially linear configuration;
applying a sufficient force to advance the probe of the catheter through the nucleus pulposus, which force is insufficient to puncture the annulus fibrosus;
deploying the probe in a substantially arcuate configuration within the inner wall of the annulus fibrosus, and delivering energy from the probe to portions of the intervertebral disc. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33)
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34. A catheter for treating an intervertebral disc, and said catheter including at a proximal end a handle and at a distal end a probe and said intervertebral disc having a nucleus pulposus, an annulus fibrosus, and an inner wall of said annulus fibrosus, said nucleus pulposus having a first diameter in a disc plane between opposing sections of said inner wall, and said catheter comprising:
an electrophoretic element located at the distal end of the catheter to alter the milieu within the intervertebral disc.
Specification