Methods and apparatus for treating back pain
First Claim
1. A method for treating discogenic pain, comprising:
- a) advancing an active electrode of an electrosurgical probe from a location outside an intervertebral disc towards an annulus fibrosus of the disc;
b) positioning the active electrode in at least close proximity to the annulus fibrosus; and
c) electrosurgically denervating at least a portion of the annulus fibrosus, whereby the pain is alleviated.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus and methods for treating back pain of a patient by denervation of an intervertebral disc or a region of the posterior longitudinal ligament by the controlled application of heat to a target tissue. In one embodiment, the invention may include a procedure combining both decompression of a disc, and denervation of the annulus fibrosus. In one embodiment, a method of the invention includes positioning an active electrode of an electrosurgical instrument in at least close proximity to an intervertebral disc, and applying at least a first high frequency voltage between the active electrode and a return electrode, wherein nervous tissue within the annulus fibrosus is inactivated, and discogenic pain of the patient is alleviated. In one embodiment, the invention includes positioning a first electrode of a dual-shaft electrosurgical instrument at a first location in relation to a target disc, positioning a second electrode of the instrument at a second location, and applying a high frequency voltage between the first and second electrodes, wherein the first and second electrodes are disposed on separate shafts of the instrument.
-
Citations
99 Claims
-
1. A method for treating discogenic pain, comprising:
-
a) advancing an active electrode of an electrosurgical probe from a location outside an intervertebral disc towards an annulus fibrosus of the disc;
b) positioning the active electrode in at least close proximity to the annulus fibrosus; and
c) electrosurgically denervating at least a portion of the annulus fibrosus, whereby the pain is alleviated. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
-
21. A method for denervating an intervertebral disc, comprising:
-
a) advancing an active electrode of an electrosurgical instrument from a location outside the disc towards a posterior region of an annulus fibrosus of the disc;
b) positioning the active electrode in at least close proximity to the posterior region of the annulus fibrosus; and
c) applying a high frequency voltage between the active electrode and a return electrode, wherein the posterior region of the annulus fibrosus is denervated. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
-
-
33. A method for treating an intervertebral disc, comprising:
-
a) advancing an active electrode of an electrosurgical instrument from a location outside an intervertebral disc towards the annulus fibrosus; and
b) electrosurgically inactivating nervous tissue within the annulus fibrosus. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37)
-
-
38. A method for treating an intervertebral disc, comprising:
-
a) electrosurgically decompressing the disc; and
b) denervating the annulus fibrosus of the disc. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42)
-
-
43. A method for treating an intervertebral disc, comprising:
-
a) providing an electrosurgical instrument, the instrument including a shaft having a shaft distal end and an electrode assembly disposed at the shaft distal end, the electrode assembly including an active electrode and a return electrode;
b) positioning the active electrode within a nucleus pulposus of the disc;
c) electrosurgically decompressing the disc;
d) positioning the active electrode in at least close proximity to a posterior region of an annulus fibrosus of the disc; and
thereaftere) electrosurgically denervating the posterior region of the annulus fibrosus. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54)
-
-
55. A method for treating back pain, comprising:
-
a) positioning an active electrode of an electrosurgical probe in at least close proximity to a target tissue of a patient'"'"'s spine, wherein the target tissue comprises a region of a posterior longitudinal ligament; and
b) electrosurgically denervating the region of the posterior longitudinal ligament, whereby the back pain is alleviated. - View Dependent Claims (56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65)
-
-
66. A method for treating an intervertebral disc, comprising:
-
a) providing an apparatus adapted for the controlled heating of a target tissue;
b) via the apparatus, heating a posterior region of an annulus fibrosus of the disc; and
c) as a result of said step b), denervating at least a portion of the annulus fibrosus, whereby discogenic pain is alleviated, and wherein the apparatus does not contact or pass through a nucleus pulposus of the intervertebral disc. - View Dependent Claims (67, 68)
-
-
69. A method for treating back pain, comprising:
-
a) providing an apparatus adapted for the controlled heating of a target tissue;
b) via the apparatus, applying heat to a region of the posterior longitudinal ligament; and
c) as a result of said step b), at least partially denervating the region of the posterior longitudinal ligament, whereby the back pain is alleviated. - View Dependent Claims (70)
-
-
71. A method for treating back pain, comprising:
-
a) applying heat to a target tissue of a patient'"'"'s spine;
b) controlling the temperature to which the target tissue is exposed, such that the target tissue is exposed to a temperature in the range of from about 43°
C. to 53°
C.; and
c) as a result of said steps a) and b), denervating at least a portion of the target tissue, whereby the pain is alleviated. - View Dependent Claims (72, 73, 74, 75, 76)
-
-
77. A method for electrosurgically treating a target tissue, comprising:
-
a) providing an electrosurgical instrument, the instrument having a first shaft and a second shaft, the first shaft having a first electrode disposed at the first shaft distal end, and the second shaft having a second electrode disposed at the second shaft distal end;
b) positioning the first electrode at a first location with respect to the target tissue;
c) positioning the second electrode at a second location with respect to the target tissue; and
d) applying a high frequency voltage between the first electrode and the second electrode, wherein at least a portion of the target tissue is modified or ablated. - View Dependent Claims (78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87)
-
-
88. An electrosurgical apparatus, comprising:
-
a first shaft having a first shaft distal end and a first shaft proximal end;
a first electrode disposed at the first shaft distal end;
a second shaft having a second shaft distal end and a second shaft proximal end;
a second electrode disposed at the second shaft distal end; and
a connection block for coupling the first electrode and the second electrode thereto. - View Dependent Claims (89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96)
-
-
97. A method for treating an intervertebral disc, comprising:
-
a) providing an electrosurgical instrument, the instrument having a first shaft and a second shaft, the first shaft having a first electrode disposed at the first shaft distal end, and the second shaft having a second electrode disposed at the second shaft distal end;
b) positioning the first electrode at a first location, the first location within the annulus fibrosus adjacent to a posterior region of a nucleus pulposus of the disc;
c) positioning the second electrode at a second location, the second location spaced from the first location in a direction towards the posterior of the disc; and
d) applying a high frequency voltage between the first electrode and the second electrode, wherein a portion of the annulus fibrosus is at least partially denervated. - View Dependent Claims (98, 99)
-
Specification