Electrosurgical apparatus and methods for laparoscopy
First Claim
1. An electrosurgical apparatus for treating tissue at a target site, comprising:
- a shaft having a shaft distal end and a shaft proximal end;
an electrically insulating electrode support disposed at the shaft distal end; and
a plurality of active electrodes disposed on the electrode support, wherein each of the plurality of active electrodes includes a bridge portion, and wherein the bridge portions are arranged substantially parallel to each other.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Electrosurgical methods and apparatus for treating tissue at a target site of a patient. An electrosurgical instrument includes a shaft, having a shaft distal end and a shaft proximal end, and an electrode assembly disposed at the shaft distal end. The electrode assembly includes at least one active electrode disposed on an electrode support. The instrument is adapted for coupling to a high frequency power supply or electrosurgical generator. Each active electrode is adapted for removing tissue from a target site and/or for localized coagulation of the target tissue. In one embodiment, the instrument is adapted for laparoscopic procedures.
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Citations
111 Claims
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1. An electrosurgical apparatus for treating tissue at a target site, comprising:
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a shaft having a shaft distal end and a shaft proximal end;
an electrically insulating electrode support disposed at the shaft distal end; and
a plurality of active electrodes disposed on the electrode support, wherein each of the plurality of active electrodes includes a bridge portion, and wherein the bridge portions are arranged substantially parallel to each other. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An electrosurgical apparatus, comprising:
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a shaft having a shaft distal end and a shaft proximal end;
an electrically insulating electrode support disposed at the shaft distal end; and
a plurality of active electrodes disposed on the electrode support, wherein the electrode support includes a distal treatment surface and a recess within the treatment surface, wherein each of the plurality of active electrodes is arranged substantially orthogonal to the recess. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. An electrosurgical apparatus for treating tissue at a target site, comprising:
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a shaft having a shaft distal end and a shaft proximal end;
an electrically insulating electrode support disposed at the shaft distal end; and
a plurality of active electrodes arranged substantially parallel to each other on the electrode support, wherein the shaft comprises an inner shaft and an outer shaft, wherein a proximal portion of the inner shaft lies within the outer shaft, and a distal portion of the inner shaft extends distally from the outer shaft. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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49. An electrosurgical instrument, comprising:
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a shaft having a shaft distal end, the shaft distal end having a plurality of longitudinal, external grooves;
an electrode assembly disposed at the shaft distal end; and
an electrically insulating sheath external to the shaft distal end, the sheath and the plurality of grooves jointly defining a corresponding plurality of fluid delivery channels external to the shaft distal end, each of the plurality of fluid delivery channels adapted as a fluid conduit. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51, 52, 53)
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54. An electrosurgical instrument, comprising:
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a shaft having a shaft distal end and a shaft proximal end;
an electrically insulating electrode support disposed at the shaft distal end, the electrode support including a treatment surface and a linear recess within the treatment surface;
an aspiration unit including an aspiration port, the aspiration port lying within the recess; and
a plurality of active electrodes disposed on the electrode support, each of the plurality of active electrodes comprising a bridge portion, each bridge portion bridging the recess. - View Dependent Claims (55, 56, 57)
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58. An electrode assembly for an electrosurgical probe, the electrode assembly comprising:
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an electrically insulating electrode support having a treatment surface; and
an electrode array comprising a plurality of active electrodes, wherein each of the plurality of active electrodes comprises a bridge portion spaced from the treatment surface, and wherein the bridge portions are arranged substantially parallel to each other. - View Dependent Claims (59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73)
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74. An electrosurgical system, comprising:
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an electrosurgical instrument; and
a high frequency power supply coupled to the instrument for applying a high frequency voltage to the instrument, the instrument including;
a shaft having a shaft distal end and a shaft proximal end;
an electrically insulating electrode support disposed at the shaft distal end, the electrode support including a treatment surface and a recess within the treatment surface; and
a plurality of active electrodes protruding from the treatment surface, each of the plurality of active electrodes coupled to the high frequency power supply, each of the plurality of active electrodes comprising a bridge portion, the bridge portions arranged substantially parallel to each other, and at least one of the bridge portions spanning the recess. - View Dependent Claims (75, 76, 77, 78, 79)
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80. A method of treating tissue at a target site of a patient, comprising:
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a) positioning a working end of an electrosurgical instrument in the vicinity of the target site, the working end bearing an electrically insulating electrode support, the electrode support including a treatment surface, and a plurality of active electrodes disposed on the treatment surface, each of the plurality of active electrodes including a bridge portion, the bridge portions arranged substantially parallel to each other, wherein at least one of the bridge portions makes contact with, or is in close proximity to, the tissue at the target site; and
b) applying a high frequency voltage between the plurality of active electrodes and a return electrode, wherein at least a portion of the tissue at the target site is ablated or modified. - View Dependent Claims (81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89)
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90. A method of treating a target tissue of a patient, comprising:
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a) providing an electrosurgical probe, the probe including an electrode array comprising a plurality of active electrodes, each of the plurality of active electrodes including a bridge portion, the electrode array configured such that each of the bridge portions are substantially parallel with each other;
b) positioning the electrode array in at least close proximity to the target tissue; and
c) applying a high frequency voltage between a return electrode and the plurality of active electrodes, wherein the voltage is effective in ablating or modifying the target tissue. - View Dependent Claims (91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99)
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100. A method of treating a target tissue of a patient, comprising:
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a) advancing a shaft distal end of an electrosurgical instrument towards the target tissue, the shaft distal end having an electrode assembly disposed thereon, the electrode assembly comprising an electrode support and a plurality of active electrodes disposed on the electrode support, the electrode support having a treatment surface and a recess bisecting the treatment surface, each of the plurality of active electrodes adapted for coagulating or ablating the target tissue; and
b) applying a high frequency voltage between a return electrode and each of the plurality of active electrode terminals, wherein the target tissue is coagulated or ablated with minimal or no collateral damage to adjacent non-target tissue. - View Dependent Claims (101, 102, 103, 104)
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105. A method of electrosurgically removing ectopic endometrial tissue of a patient, the method comprising:
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a) providing an electrosurgical probe, the probe including an electrode assembly having at least one active electrode;
b) positioning the electrode assembly in at least close proximity to a target endometrial implant; and
c) applying a high frequency voltage between a return electrode and the at least one active electrode, wherein the voltage is effective in removing the endometrial implant with little or no damage to tissue underlying the endometrial implant. - View Dependent Claims (106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111)
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Specification