VOLTAGE THRESHOLD ABLATION APPARATUS

• US 20100305565A1
• Filed: 05/28/2010
• Published: 12/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Relign Corporation (Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Arqos Surgical, Inc.
• Inventors: Truckai, Csaba, Strul, Bruno
• Granted Patent: US 8,333,763 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/42
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/14 Probes or electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/18 by applying electromagnetic radiation, e.g. microwaves radiation therapy A61N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00065 porous
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00666 using a threshold value
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00892 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1213 creating an arc
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/143 multiple needles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2218/002 Irrigation

Abstract

The present invention relates to the field of electrosurgery, and more particularly to systems and methods for ablating, cauterizing and/or coagulating body tissue using radio frequency energy. More in particular, the systems utilize voltage threshold means for controlling the voltage applied to tissue in a cycle-to-cycle manner.

Claims

1. A surgical probe for applying electrical energy to tissue, the probe working end having an electrically non-conductive tissue-contacting surface with a thickness of less than about 1000 microns and an interior electrode within an interior of the working end coupled to an electrical source, and

a voltage threshold switch mechanism operatively coupled with the electrical source and the interior electrode, said switch located proximal the inferior of the working end or within an interior of a handle portion of the probe.

2. A surgical probe as in claim 1 further comprising an opposing polarity electrode at an exterior of the working end, the opposing polarity electrode coupled to the electrical source.

3. A surgical probe as in claim 2 wherein the voltage threshold switch mechanism includes flow means for flowing a gas therethrough.

4. A surgical probe as in claim 1 wherein the microporous nonconductive ceramic body has a thickness of less than about 500 microns.

5. A surgical probe as in claim 1 wherein the microporous nonconductive ceramic body has a thickness of less than about 100 microns.

6. A surgical probe for applying electrical energy to tissue, the probe working end having an electrically non-conductive tissue-contacting surface with a thickness of less than about 1000 microns and an interior electrode within an interior of the working end coupled to an electrical source, and

a voltage threshold switch mechanism operatively coupled with the electrical source and the electrically non-conductive tissue-contacting surface, said switch located proximal the inferior of the working end or within an interior of a handle portion of the probe.

7. A surgical probe as in claim 6 further comprising an opposing polarity electrode at an exterior of the working end, the opposing polarity electrode coupled to the electrical source.

8. A surgical probe as in claim 7 wherein the voltage threshold switch mechanism includes flow means for flowing a gas therethrough.

9. A surgical probe as in claim 6 wherein the microporous nonconductive ceramic body has a thickness of less than about 500 microns.

10. A surgical probe as in claim 6 wherein the microporous nonconductive ceramic body has a thickness of less than about 100 microns.