Electrosurgical device

• US 20050267552A1
• Filed: 05/26/2004
• Published: 12/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Baylis Medical Company Inc. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Baylis Medical Company Inc. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Conquergood, Laura Rozsi, Hillier, Taylor Lloyd William, Shah, Krishan
• Application Number:
  US10/853,126
• Publication Number:
  US 20050267552A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/96
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1477 Needle-like probes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0044 Spinal cord
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2218/002 Irrigation

Abstract

An electrosurgical device having improved placement accuracy is provided. The electrosurgical device comprises an elongate member having a proximal end, a distal end and a lumen therethrough, a conductive tip at the distal end for delivery of energy to the tissue, an electrical connector at or near the proximal end for flexibly coupling a power source control unit to supply energy to the conductive tip, a fluid delivery connection interface flexibly coupled at or near the proximal end for coupling a fluid delivery mechanism. The device further comprises a temperature sensor. A method of delivering electrical energy to a target on an animal is also provided.

Claims

1. An electrosurgical device for treating animal tissue comprising:

an elongate member having a proximal end, a distal end and a lumen therethrough;

a conductive tip at the distal end for delivering energy to the tissue;

a power connector at the proximal end for flexibly coupling a power source to supply energy to the conductive tip;

a temperature sensor at the distal end; and

at least one fluid delivery interface connection flexibly coupled at the proximal end for coupling a fluid delivery mechanism to deliver a treatment composition through the lumen to the distal end.

2. The electrosurgical device of claim 1, wherein the temperature sensor is located at the conductive tip.

3. The electrosurgical device of claim 1, wherein the temperature sensor comprises a thermocouple.

4. The electrosurgical device of claim 3, wherein the thermocouple is welded to the conductive tip.

5. The electrosurgical device of claim 1, wherein the energy is a high frequency electrical current.

6. The electrosurgical device of claim 1, further comprising at least one pre-formed connector flexibly coupled at or near the proximal end for coupling at least one predetermined treatment tool.

7. The electrosurgical device of claim 1, wherein the conductive tip defines at least one aperture in fluid communication with the lumen and through which the treatment composition exits.

8. The electrosurgical device of claim 7, wherein the at least one aperture is on a side of the conductive tip.

9. The electrosurgical device of claim 8, including a flexible tube connecting the fluid delivery interface connection to the lumen.

10. The electrosurgical device of claim 1, wherein the conductive tip is sharp for piercing through tissue.

11. The electrosurgical device of claim 1, wherein at least a major portion of the elongate member is electrically insulated.

12. The electrosurgical device of claim 11, wherein the elongate member comprises an insulating coating.

13. The electrosurgical device of claim 12 wherein the elongate member comprises a conductive shaft coupled to the conductive tip, said shaft coated with the insulating coating.

14. The electrosurgical device of claim 13, further comprising wiring for delivering energy to the conductive tip, the wiring connected to the conductive shaft at the proximal end.

15. The electrosurgical device of claim 1, wherein the lumen houses wiring to couple the conductive tip to the power source.

16. The electrosurgical device of claim 1, wherein the lumen houses wiring connected to the temperature sensor providing temperature data to a user.

17. The electrosurgical device of claim 1, wherein the elongate member has a second lumen, the second lumen carrying wiring for at least one of the temperature sensor and the conductive tip.

18. The electrosurgical device of claim 1, further comprising a handle at the proximal end coupled to the elongate member.

19. The electrosurgical device of claim 18, wherein the handle couples the power connector and the fluid delivery interface connection to the elongate member.

20. The electrosurgical device of claim 18, wherein the power connector is embedded in the handle.

21. The electrosurgical device of claim 18, wherein the power connector is flexibly coupled to the handle.

22. The electrosurgical device of claim 18, wherein the handle comprises one or more passages in fluid communication with the lumen of the elongate member.

23. The electrosurgical device of claim 22, wherein the one or more passages house at least one of cable, wiring and tubing extending from the handle.

24. The electrosurgical device of claim 1, comprising a radiopaque marker associated with the conductive tip.

25. The electrosurgical device of claim 1, wherein the elongate member is rigid.

26. The electrosurgical device of claim 1, wherein the tissue is neural tissue.

27. The electrosurgical device of claim 1, comprising wiring extruded in a wall of the elongate member, said wiring comprising at least one of the power connector to the conductive tip and the temperature sensor for providing temperature data to a user.

28. The electrosurgical device of claim 1, wherein the device is electrically isolated from a user except for the conductive tip.

29. The electrosurgical device of claim 1, wherein the conductive tip is curved.

30. The electrosurgical device of claim 1, comprising wiring connecting the power connector and the conductive tip to supply energy and connecting the temperature sensor for providing temperature data to a user, said wiring for the conductive tip sharing a wire with the wiring for the temperature sensor.

31. The electrosurgical device of claim 4, wherein the thermocouple is sharpened.

32. The electrosurgical device of claim 8, wherein the at least one aperture has a rounded edge on an outer wall of the conductive tip.

33. The electrosurgical device of claim 8, having a marker associated with the proximal end to indicate the orientation of the at least one aperture on the side of the conductive tip.

34. The electrosurgical device of claim 12, wherein an outer surface of the elongate member is textured for application of the insulating coating.

35. The electrosurgical device of claim 16, wherein the wiring exits the lumen through a side aperture in the lumen at the proximal end.

36. The electrosurgical device of claim 35, wherein the side aperture is defined such that the wiring bends less than 90 degrees relative to the axis of the elongate member.

37. The electrosurgical device of claim 18, wherein the handle has markings to indicate a 180°

rotation of the device about a longitudinal axis of the elongate member.

38. The electrosurgical device of claim 18, wherein the handle has markings to indicate a 90°

rotation of the device about a longitudinal axis of the elongate member.

39. The electrosurgical device of claim 23, wherein the handle further comprises a strain relief for the at least one of cable, wiring and tubing extending from the handle.

40. The electrosurgical device of claim 39, wherein the strain relief holds the least one of cable, wiring and tubing closely together and in parallel to a longitudinal axis of the handle.

41. The electrosurgical device of claim 39, wherein the strain relief is tapered from the distal end to the proximal end.

42. The electrosurgical device of claim 39, wherein the strain relief is textured.

43. The electrosurgical device of claim 1, wherein the elongate member further comprises a radiopaque marker.

44. The electrosurgical device of claim 43, wherein the radiopaque marker is at a junction between a non-conductive portion of the elongate member and the conductive tip.

45. The electrosurgical device of claim 43, wherein the radiopaque marker is proximal to the conductive tip.

46. The electrosurgical device of claim 1, wherein the elongate member further comprises depth markers.

47. The electrosurgical device of claim 1, whereby the device is insertable and operable without the need to remove any components.

48. A method for delivering energy to a predetermined treatment area of an animal body comprising the steps of:

(i) providing an electrosurgical device comprising;

an elongate member having a proximal end, a distal end and a lumen therethrough;

a conductive tip at the distal end for delivering energy to the tissue;

a power connector at the proximal end for flexibly coupling a power source to supply energy to the conductive tip;

a temperature sensor at the distal end; and

at least one fluid delivery interface connection flexibly coupled at the proximal end for coupling a fluid delivery mechanism to deliver a treatment composition through the lumen to the distal end;

ii) coupling the power source to the power connector;

iii) coupling the fluid delivery mechanism to the fluid delivery interface connection;

iv) positioning the device at or in the vicinity of the treatment area;

v) administering the treatment composition;

vi) delivering energy to the treatment area;

vii) monitoring temperature at the treatment area; and

viii) controlling the delivered energy based on the monitored temperature;

whereby the steps iv)-vi) are performed without the necessity to remove a part of the electrosurgical device from the animal body.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein controlling the delivered energy is automatic.

50. The method of claim 48, further comprising verifying the positioning using at least one of imaging technology, impedance measurement and electrical stimulation.

51. The method of claim 48, wherein the treatment area is a neural structure.

52. The method of claim 48, wherein the energy is high frequency electrical current.

53. The method of claim 48, wherein the positioning includes penetrating at least one of skin and tissue.

54. The method of claim 48, wherein the conductive tip is sharp.

55. The method of claim 48, further comprising, prior to positioning the device, coupling the electrosurgical device to a mounting device that is disposed to be positioned on the animal body.

56. The method of claim 48, wherein the device further comprises depth markings and the device is positioned to a pre-determined depth using the depth markings.

57. The method of claim 48, wherein the device further comprises a side aperture on the conductive tip from which the treatment composition exits and surrounds the conductive tip and adjacent tissue.

58. The method of claim 48, wherein delivering energy to the treatment area and administering the treatment composition occur simultaneously.