Liquid infusion apparatus for radiofrequency tissue ablation
First Claim
1. An apparatus for delivering electrical energy to tissue within a patient, comprising:
- a tubular member comprising a proximal end, a distal end having a size for insertion into a body of a patient, and a lumen extending from the distal end towards the proximal end; and
a needle comprising a distal portion extending at least partially from the lumen and terminating in a tissue-piercing distal tip, the distal portion comprising an electrically conductive and porous material, thereby providing an electrode through which electrolytic fluid may flow for delivering electrical energy to tissue surrounding the distal portion.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for delivering electrical energy includes a cannula and one or more needles extendable from and retractable into a lumen of the cannula. A distal portion of each needle is extendable from the lumen and terminates in a tissue-piercing distal tip. Each distal portion is formed from an electrically conductive and porous material, thereby providing a porous electrode through which electrolytic fluid may flow for delivering electrical energy to tissue surrounding the distal portion. The cannula is introduced into a tissue structure of a patient, the one or more needles are advanced from the cannula, saline is introduced from the porous material to surrounding tissue, and electrical energy from an RF generator is delivered to ablate tissue within the tissue structure.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. An apparatus for delivering electrical energy to tissue within a patient, comprising:
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a tubular member comprising a proximal end, a distal end having a size for insertion into a body of a patient, and a lumen extending from the distal end towards the proximal end; and
a needle comprising a distal portion extending at least partially from the lumen and terminating in a tissue-piercing distal tip, the distal portion comprising an electrically conductive and porous material, thereby providing an electrode through which electrolytic fluid may flow for delivering electrical energy to tissue surrounding the distal portion. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An apparatus for delivering electrical energy to tissue within a patient, comprising:
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a tubular member comprising a proximal end, a distal end having a size for insertion into a body of a patient, and a lumen extending from the-distal end towards the proximal end of the tubular member; and
an array of needles extendable from the lumen beyond the distal end of the tubular member, each needle comprising a distal tip for penetrating tissue, at least one needle comprising a distal portion comprising an electrically conductive and porous material, thereby providing a porous electrode through which electrolytic fluid may flow for delivering electrical energy to tissue adjacent the distal portion. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An apparatus for delivering electrical energy to tissue within a patient, comprising:
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a tubular member comprising a proximal end, a distal end having a size for insertion into a body of a patient, and a lumen extending between the proximal and distal ends of the tubular member;
a pair of opposing members extendable from the distal end of the tubular member, the opposing members being expandable away from one another and being directable towards one another for engaging tissue between inner surfaces of the opposing members, the opposing members comprising one or more electrodes for delivering electrical energy to tissue engaged between the opposing members; and
one or more hollow needles extending from an inner surface of at least one opposing member, each needle comprising a sharpened tip for penetrating tissue engaged between the opposing members and an outlet in the sharpened tip communicating with a lumen in the opposing member for delivering conductive fluid from the lumen into tissue penetrated by the sharpened tip. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification