Systems and methods for electrosurgical treatment of vascular disorders
First Claim
1. A method of treating a discolored blood vessel located in tissue under the surface of the skin comprising:
- positioning an active electrode in close proximity to a target region of the blood vessel; and
applying high frequency electrical energy to the active electrode, the electrical energy being sufficient to effect coagulation of blood within at least a portion of the target region of the vessel.
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Abstract
Systems and methods are provided for treating a discolored blood vessel in tissue under the surface of the skin. In this method, one or more active electrode(s) are positioned in close proximity to a target region of the blood vessel, and a sufficient high frequency voltage is applied to the electrode terminal(s) to cause thermal damage to a target region within the blood vessel. The thermal injury causes the vessel to shrink or to thrombose and collapse so that blood flow through the vessel is restricted or completely interrupted. Preferably, the vessel is injured with minimal thermal energy being applied to the surrounding tissue, which prevents the tissue discoloration or scarring associated with prior art thermal processes. The electrode terminal(s) may be positioned on the external surface of the skin, or they may be introduced through a percutaneous penetration in the outer skin surface to the blood vessel. In the latter embodiment, the percutaneous penetration may be formed by advancing one or more needle electrodes through the outer surface of the skin to the target region of the vessel.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method of treating a discolored blood vessel located in tissue under the surface of the skin comprising:
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positioning an active electrode in close proximity to a target region of the blood vessel; and
applying high frequency electrical energy to the active electrode, the electrical energy being sufficient to effect coagulation of blood within at least a portion of the target region of the vessel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An apparatus for treating a discolored blood vessel located in tissue under the surface of the skin comprising:
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an instrument having proximal and distal end portions and an active electrode on the distal end portion;
a return electrode; and
a high frequency power supply coupled to the active and return electrodes for applying a high frequency voltage difference therebetween, the high frequency voltage difference being sufficient to coagulate a target region of a blood vessel. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification