Methods of Treating the Sacroiliac Region of a Patient's Body

• US 20140243823A1
• Filed: 05/06/2014
• Published: 08/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avent Incorporated (Avanos Medical, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Inventors: Godara, Neil, Hillier, Taylor
• Granted Patent: US 9,949,789 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/49
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1477 Needle-like probes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00023 closed, i.e. without wound contact by the fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00083 low, i.e. electrically insulating
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00339 Spine, e.g. intervertebral disc
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00434 Neural system
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0044 Spinal cord
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00702 Power or energy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00744 Fluid flow
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00791 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00839 Bioelectrical parameters, e.g. ECG, EEG
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00875 Resistance or impedance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/143 multiple needles

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 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 patient'"'"'s body.

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

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the energy is delivered in a monopolar, bipolar, multipolar or triphasic manner.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more probes is positioned such that it is substantially perpendicular to the sacrum.

5. The method of claim 1, 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.

6. 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.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of:

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

8. The method of claim 7, 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.

9. The method of claim 7, 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.

10. The method of claim 7, 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.

11. A method of treating at least one target site in a sacroiliac region of a patient'"'"'s body by delivering energy, the sacroiliac region including a sacrum having a posterior surface and a plurality of foramina extending therethrough, and a sacral neural crescent adjacent the foramina, each of the foramina defining a face in a plane generally parallel to the opening defining the foramina, 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 portion of the posterior surface of the sacrum laterally adjacent a face of at least one of the foramina, the one or more probes being inserted so that energy is delivered to at least one of approximately 2 o'"'"'clock, 4 o'"'"'clock and 6 o'"'"'clock positions lateral to the face of one of the foramina, or at least one of approximately 10 o'"'"'clock, 8 o'"'"'clock and 6 o'"'"'clock positions lateral to the face of one of the foramina, when one of the foramina is viewed as a clock face with 12 o'"'"'clock in the cranial direction; and

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

12. The method of claim 11, wherein at least one of the one or more probes is inserted at an angle ranging between about 45°

to about 135°

from a line perpendicular to a face of at least one of the foramina relative to the portion of the posterior surface.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein at least one of the one or more probes is inserted at an angle ranging between about 60°

to about 120°

from the line.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein at least one of the one or more probes is inserted at an angle ranging between about 80°

to about 100°

from the line.

15. The method of claim 11, 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.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein the at least one target site is located at least 1 cm lateral to a face of one of the foramina.