MEDICAL INSTRUMENT AND METHOD OF USE
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An instrument for thermally-mediated therapies in targeted tissue volumes or for volumetric removal of tissue. In one embodiment, the instrument has an interior chamber that includes a diffuser structure for diffusing a biocompatible conductive fluid that is introduced under high pressure. The interior chamber further includes surfaces of opposing polarity electrodes for vaporizing the small cross-section diffused fluid flows created within a diffuser structure. In one embodiment, the diffuser structure includes a negative temperature coefficient of resistance material between the opposing polarity surfaces. The NTCR structure can self-adjust the lengths of current paths between the opposing polarities to insure complete vaporization of the volume of flow of conductive fluid. The non-ionized vapor phase media is ejected from a working surface of the instrument and a controlled vapor-to-liquid phase change in an interface with tissue applies thermal energy substantially equal to the heat of vaporization to ablate tissue. In another embodiment, the instrument provides voltage means for converting the non-ionized vapor phase media into an ionized media or plasma for applying energy to body structure.
-
Citations
112 Claims
-
1-92. -92. (canceled)
-
93. A method for delivering energy to mammalian body structure, comprising:
-
providing an elongated probe with a proximal end and a working end;
providing a flow of a non-ionized flow media from at least one port in the working end, wherein a source of the non-ionized flow media is positioned remotely from the working end and wherein the non-ionized flow media carries sufficient thermal energy to modify the body structure. - View Dependent Claims (94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99)
-
-
100. A method for applying energy to mammalian body structure, comprising:
-
providing an elongated probe with a distal working end including a pressure sensing mechanism for measuring pressure within at least one of the probe and the body structure;
providing a flow of a non-ionized flow media from at least one port in the working end for applying energy to the body structure; and
adjusting the pressure of the flow of the non-ionized flow media from the at least one port in response to a measured change in pressure by the pressure sensing mechanism. - View Dependent Claims (101, 102, 103)
-
- 104. A surgical instrument for applying energy to tissue comprising a probe body having an interior flow channel with an open termination in a working end, the flow channel including a diffuser structure for diffusing a flow of a liquid media therein, at least one electrode in the flow channel for applying energy to the flow within the diffuser sufficient to vaporize the flow of the liquid media.
-
110. A method for delivering energy to mammalian body structure, comprising:
-
providing an elongated probe with an interior flow channel extending to at least one open termination in a working end, the flow channel including a diffuser structure for diffusing a flow of a liquid media therein;
providing a flow of a conductive liquid media into the interior channel;
applying sufficient high frequency voltage to the liquid media proximate the diffuser structure to at least equal the heat of vaporization to thereby provide a flow of non-ionized vapor media;
contacting the body structure with the non-ionized vapor media thereby applying energy to the body structure. - View Dependent Claims (111, 112)
-
Specification