PULSED RADIOFREQUENCY FOR INTRA-ARTICULAR THERAPY OF PAIN

• US 20100198212A1
• Filed: 10/24/2007
• Published: 08/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Cotop International BV (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Cotop International BV (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Inventors: Sluijter, Menno Emanuel, Teixeira, Alexandre Jose Leonardo
• Application Number:
  US12/446,972
• Publication Number:
  US 20100198212A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/33
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36017 with leads or electrodes penetrating the skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36021 for treatment of pain
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/40 Applying electric fields by inductive or capacitive coupling microwave apparatus A61N5/00; Applying radio-frequency signals

Abstract

The invention provides for a method of treating pain in a joint of a subject with pulsed radiofrequency. To enable such a treatment a specific electrode is provided comprising a completely insulated outer needle with a sharp tip, a removable stylet, and one or more conductive, blunt ended, optionally flexible electrodes, optionally with an insulated tip.

Claims

1. Method for treatment of pain in a joint of a subject comprising the steps of:

a) placing at least one electrode with the tip in the cavity of the affected joint; and

b) applying pulsed radio frequency (PRF) electrical current through the at least one electrode.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the subject is a human being.

3. Method according to claim 1, wherein the joint is a wrist, an elbow, a shoulder, a knee, a hip, an ankle, a spinal disc, the sacro-iliacal joint, the small joints of hand and foot, the zygoapophyseal joints, the lateral atlantoaxial joint or the atlantooccipital joint, or any other joint in the body.

4. Electrode assembly for use in PRF therapy for joint pain, comprising:

a) a hollow needle, with a sharp tip, which is completely insulated

b) a removable stylet; and

c) one or more conductive, blunt ended, optionally flexible electrodes.

5. Electrode assembly according to claim 4, wherein the tip of the outer needle is bent, or has a side outlet, so that the electrode comes out at an angle.

6. Electrode assembly according to claim 4, wherein the assembly further comprises a thermocouple.

7. Electrode assembly according to claim 4, wherein the tip of the electrode is insulated.

8. System for intra-articular application of PRF comprising:

a) an electrode assembly according to claim 4

b) a PRF current generator with multiple current outlets, wherein the pulses at the various outlets are delivered asynchronously

c) means for connecting a) and b) and means to connect a patient to earth.

9. (canceled)