METHODS OF TREATING THE SACROILIAC REGION OF A PATIENT'S BODY

• US 20070156136A1
• Filed: 07/03/2006
• Published: 07/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Avent Incorporated (Avanos Medical, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Avent Incorporated (Avanos Medical, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hillier, Taylor, GODARA, NEIL
• Application Number:
  US11/428,458
• Publication Number:
  US 20070156136A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/41
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/148 having a short, rigid shaft for accessing the inner body transcutaneously, e.g. for neurosurgery or arthroscopy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00434 Neural system
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1467 using more than two electrodes on a single probe

Abstract

A method, system and apparatus are disclosed for performing an electrosurgical treatment procedure on a bodily tissue. An electrosurgical apparatus is described, the apparatus comprising one or more probes having insulated and conductive regions for creating lesions in bodily tissue. A method of delivering energy to a patient'"'"'s body is described, including methods of treating sacro-iliac related pain using electrosurgical probes.

Claims

1. A method of treating at least one target site in a sacroiliac region of a patient'"'"'s body by delivering energy, the method comprising the steps of:

inserting one or more probes into the sacroiliac region of a patient'"'"'s body, wherein the one or more probes are inserted at an angle ranging between about 45°

to about 135°

relative to a face of a foramen; and

delivering energy from an energy source through the one or more probes to the at least one target site.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more probes is inserted at an angle ranging between about 60°

to about 120°

relative to a face of a foramen.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein at least one of the one or more probes is inserted at an angle ranging between about 80°

to about 100°

relative to a face of a foramen.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more probes is inserted such that at least a portion of the target site is generally distal to the distal end of the at least one probe.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more probes is cooled.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the energy is delivered in a monopolar, bipolar, tri-phasic or multi-polar manner.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the energy is electrical energy in the radio-frequency range.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the at least one target site comprises at least a portion of a sacral neural crescent.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the energy is delivered to approximately 2 o'"'"'clock, 4 o'"'"'clock and 6 o'"'"'clock positions lateral to a posterior sacral foramen, or approximately 10 o'"'"'clock, 8 o'"'"'clock and 6 o'"'"'clock positions lateral to a posterior sacral foramen, when the posterior sacral foramen is viewed as a clock face.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein energy is delivered to the at least one target site concurrently or in any sequence.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of delivering energy to the at least one target site comprises at least one step of repositioning at least one of the one or more probes.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein energy is delivered in a monopolar or bipolar manner.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein at least one of the one or more probes are cooled.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein two probes are inserted and wherein the step of delivering energy to the at least one target site comprises a step of repositioning at least one of the probes.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the probes are inserted into the sacroiliac region substantially concurrently.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein energy is delivered to the probes in a monopolar, bipolar, multipolar or tri-phasic manner.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein three probes are inserted at approximately 2 o'"'"'clock, 4 o'"'"'clock and 6 o'"'"'clock positions lateral to the posterior sacral foramen.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the three probes are inserted into the sacroiliac region substantially concurrently.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein energy is delivered to the probes in a monopolar, bipolar, multipolar or tri-phasic manner.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein at least one of the probes is cooled.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein one probe is inserted.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein two probes are inserted and wherein the step of inserting the probes into the sacroiliac region of a patient'"'"'s body comprises the steps, in any order, of:

inserting a first probe into the sacroiliac region of a patient'"'"'s body; and

inserting a second probe into the sacroiliac region of a patient'"'"'s body.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein at least one of the first and second probes are cooled.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein at least a portion of the at least one target site comprises at least a portion of a sacral neural crescent of the sacroiliac region.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein the energy is delivered in a monopolar or bipolar manner.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein the second probe is located substantially cranial to the first probe.

27. The method of claim 22, further comprising, in any order, the step of:

inserting at least one additional probe into the sacroiliac region of a patient'"'"'s body.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the at least one additional probe is located substantially caudal to the first probe.

29. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one target site is located at least 1 cm lateral to a posterior sacral foramen.

30. The method of claim 1, wherein the energy delivered is sufficient to form a lesion in at least a portion of the at least one target site.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising the step of:

adjusting a parameter of a treatment procedure, whereby a size of the lesion is increased.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein adjusting a parameter of the treatment procedure comprises repositioning the one or more probes to alter a distance between the one or more probes and the at least one target site.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein adjusting a parameter of the treatment procedure comprises adjusting a length of an electrically exposed conductive region of at least one of the one or more probes.

34. The method of claim 31, wherein adjusting a parameter of the treatment procedure comprises modifying an amount of cooling supplied to at least one of the one or more probes.

35. A method of treating the sacroiliac region of a patient'"'"'s body by delivering energy, the method comprising the steps of:

inserting one or more probes into the sacroiliac region of a patient'"'"'s body, wherein at least one of the one or more probes are positioned at least 1 cm lateral to a posterior sacral foramen; and

delivering energy from an energy source through the one or more probes to at least one target site within the sacroiliac region of a patients body.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein at least one of the one or more probes is cooled.

37. The method of claim 35, wherein the energy is delivered in a monopolar, bipolar, multipolar or triphasic manner.

38. The method of claim 35, wherein at least one of the one or more probes is positioned such that it is substantially perpendicular to the sacrum.

39. The method of claim 35, further comprising the steps of:

repositioning at least one of the one or more probes; and

delivering energy from the energy source through the at least one of the one or more probes at the repositioned site.

40. The method of claim 35, wherein the energy delivered is sufficient to form a lesion in at least a portion of the at least one target site.

41. The method of claim 40, further comprising the step of:

adjusting a parameter of a treatment procedure, whereby a size of the lesion is increased.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein adjusting a parameter of the treatment procedure comprises repositioning at least one of the one or more probes to alter a distance between the one or more probes and the at least one target site.

43. The method of claim 41, wherein adjusting a parameter of the treatment procedure comprises adjusting a length of an electrically exposed conductive region of at least one of the one or more probes.

44. The method of claim 41, wherein adjusting a parameter of the treatment procedure comprises modifying an amount of cooling supplied to at least one of the one or more probes.

45. A method of treating at least one target site in a sacroiliac region of a patient'"'"'s body by delivering energy, the method comprising the steps of:

inserting one or more probes into the sacroiliac region of a patient'"'"'s body, wherein the one or more probes are inserted so as to be generally upstanding relative to a face of a foramen; and

delivering energy from an energy source through the one or more probes to the at least one target site.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein at least one of the one or more probes is inserted at an angle ranging between about 45°

to about 1135°

relative to a face of a foramen.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein at least one of the one or more probes is inserted at an angle ranging between about 60°

to about 120°

relative to a face of a foramen.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein at least one of the one or more probes is inserted at an angle ranging between about 80°

to about 100°

relative to a face of a foramen.

49. The method of claim 45, wherein at least one of the one or more probes is inserted such that at least a portion of the target site is generally distal to the distal end of the at least one probe.