Bone-treatment instrument and method
First Claim
1. A system for palliatively treating a pain-causing tumor on or in a bone, comprising:
- an instrument having a distal-end structure adapted to be inserted into the bone tumor, said tip being activatable to ablate tumor tissue, and connecting structure for connecting said distal-end structure to an activating device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Ablation devices and associated methods are provided for use in palliative treatment of a bone tumor on or in a compact bone region. The bone treatment devices include an elongate probe having a distal end. A proximal end of the probe supports placement in a location at or adjacent to the bone tumor. Electrodes are carried within the probe for deployment from the distal end into the bone tumor. The electrodes may be shapable to create, upon deployment, an array of electrodes that defines a geometric area within the bone tumor. Application of energy, for example energy from a radio frequency (RF) source, to the area of the bone tumor via the electrodes destroys at least a portion of the nerve receptors located in or adjacent to the tumor and produces a reduction in pain associated with the bone tumor. Liquid, such as a polymer in liquid form, may be injected through an electrode needle, with electrode heating being employed to allow introduction of the polymer solution through the needle and/or hardening at the site of injection.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A system for palliatively treating a pain-causing tumor on or in a bone, comprising:
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an instrument having a distal-end structure adapted to be inserted into the bone tumor, said tip being activatable to ablate tumor tissue, and connecting structure for connecting said distal-end structure to an activating device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of palliatively treating a pain-causing tumor on or in a bone, comprising:
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locating the position of the bone tumor, positioning against or adjacent the located bone tumor, the distal end of an instrument having a distal-end structure which can be activated to ablate tissue, and with said tip inserted into the bone tumor, activating the tip under conditions effective to ablate at least a portion of the tumor. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 25, 26)
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24. A method of injecting into an internal body site in a subject, a thermoset or thermoplastic polymer material, comprising
positioning against or adjacent the internal body site, the distal end of an instrument having a distal-end electrode needle which can be activated to produce localized heating, with said tip inserted into or against body site, activating said needle under conditions effective to raise the temperature of said site, in the region of the needle, injecting a thermoset or thermoplastic polymer liquid into the tumor, before, during or following said activating step, such that the needle and surrounding tumor region is at a temperature that allows introduction of the polymer solution through the needle and hardening at the site of injection.
Specification