Methods for electrosurgical electrolysis

• US 20100036446A9
• Filed: 12/10/2004
• Published: 02/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nuortho Surgical Inc.
• Original Assignee: Map Technologies LLC (MIN AIK Technology Company Limited)
• Inventors: Auge, Wayne, Morgan, Roy
• Granted Patent: US 7,819,861 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/3
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/14 Probes or electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00452 Skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00565 Bone
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1472 for use with liquid electrolyte, e.g. virtual electrodes

Abstract

Methods for electrosurgical electrolysis for treating tissue within a body, including methods that operate in an electrolyzable medium, including an aqueous electrolyzable medium, by means of electrolysis, and optionally by means of oxy-hydrogen combustion for use in treatment, including therapeutic methods of electrolysis to effect advantageous tissue changes.

Claims

1. A method for treating tissue within the body, comprising:

providing an aqueous electrolyzable interfacing medium adjacent the tissue to be treated;

providing an active electrode contained within a structure, the active electrode being in fluid contact with the tissue to be treated but spaced by the structure a determinable distance from the tissue to be treated;

applying sufficient electrical energy to the active electrode to induce electrolysis of the electrolyzable interfacing medium without inducing combustion of the products of electrolysis or formation of a plasma, whereby acid base pairs are generated in the medium adjacent the tissue to provide a therapeutic effect.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the structure comprises a cavity.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the structure is a porous structure.

4. A method for treating tissue within the body, comprising:

providing a probe with a distal end and a proximal end, with at least one active electrode disposed on the distal end;

positioning the at least one active electrode adjacent the tissue to be treated;

providing an electrolyzable interfacing medium adjacent the at least one active electrode; and

,

providing sufficient electrical energy to the at least one active electrode to induce electrolysis of the electrolyzable interfacing medium without inducing combustion of the products of electrolysis or formation of a plasma.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the electrolyzable interfacing medium comprises a hydrogel, a sol-gel, a wax, or a liquid.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein the electrolyzable interfacing medium lubriciously softens in response to electrolysis.

7. The method of claim 4 wherein the electrolyzable interfacing medium comprises an adhesive.

8. The method of claim 4 wherein the electrolyzable interfacing medium comprises a therapeutically effective agent.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the therapeutically effective agent is an antiseptic, growth factor, or apoptotic agent.

10. The method of claim 4 wherein the electrolyzable interfacing medium effects a change in pH on electrolysis.

11. The method of claim 4 wherein the electrolyzable interfacing medium effects a change in impedance on electrolysis.

12. The method of claim 4 wherein the electrolyzable interfacing medium effects a change in net electrical potential on electrolysis.

13. The method of claim 4 wherein upon electrolysis the electrolyzable interfacing medium forms one or more chemical gradients.

14. The method of claim 4 wherein upon electrolysis the electrolyzable interfacing medium forms a thermal gradient.

15. The method of claim 4 wherein the electrolyzable interfacing medium is provided by disposing within the probe prior to positioning the probe.

16. A method for treating tissue within the body, comprising:

providing a probe with a distal end and a proximal end, with the distal end comprising a cavity wherein is disposed at least one active electrode;

positioning the cavity adjacent the tissue to be treated;

providing an electrolyzable interfacing medium adjacent the at least one active electrode; and

,

providing sufficient electrical energy to the at least one active electrode to induce electrolysis of the electrolyzable interfacing medium without inducing combustion of the products of electrolysis or formation of a plasma.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the electrolyzable interfacing medium comprises a hydrogel, a sol-gel, a wax, or a liquid.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the electrolyzable interfacing medium lubriciously softens in response to electrolysis.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein the electrolyzable interfacing medium comprises an adhesive.

20. The method of claim 16 wherein the electrolyzable interfacing medium comprises a therapeutically effective agent.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the therapeutically effective agent is an antiseptic, growth factor, or apoptotic agent.

22. The method of claim 16 wherein the electrolyzable interfacing medium effects a change in pH on electrolysis.

23. The method of claim 16 wherein the electrolyzable interfacing medium effects a change in impedance on electrolysis.

24. The method of claim 16 wherein the electrolyzable interfacing medium effects a change in net electrical potential on electrolysis.

25. The method of claim 16 wherein upon electrolysis the electrolyzable interfacing medium forms one or more chemical gradients.

26. The method of claim 16 wherein upon electrolysis the electrolyzable interfacing medium forms a thermal gradient.

27. The method of claim 16 wherein the electrolyzable interfacing medium is provided by disposing within the probe prior to positioning the probe.

28. The methods of claim 16 wherein byproducts of electrolysis generated within the cavity are controlled to effect the desired tissue treatment.

29. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of detecting at least one byproduct of electrolysis within the cavity.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein the step of detecting comprises detecting pH concentration, temperature, conductivity, ion concentrations, gas production, gas consumption, sound, or changes in local pressure.