Method for fixing an electrical electrode to bone tissue
First Claim
1. A method for attaching through soft tissue an electrode to bone tissue, said electrode having a rigid electrode tip and a flexible electric cable connected to the electrode tip and being electrically insulated against surrounding soft tissue, comprising the steps of:
- applying one end of an elongated guide means having a longitudinally extending channel to an outer surface of soft tissue adjacent a selected location of bone tissue;
moving the one end of the elongated guide means through the soft tissue towards the bone tissue;
preforming a hole in the bone tissue by introducing a member through said channel;
introducing through the channel an electrode having a rigid electrode tip, a flexible cable connected thereto and means for stiffening the cable, said cable stiffening means releasably connected with said electrode tip;
displacing the cable stiffening means through the guide means so as to move the electrode tip into contact with the bone tissue adjacent said hole;
threading the electrode tip into the bone tissue adjacent said hole so that said electrode tip is located in the bone tissue; and
removing the stiffening means and the guide means so as to leave a part of the flexible cable exposed above the outer surface of the soft tissue, whereby the cable may be connected to an electric current or voltage source and said electrode tip may remain in the bone tissue after treatment.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention relates to a method for attaching, through soft tissue, an electric electrode to bone tissue (hard tissue), in which the electrode is provided with a rigid electrode tip and a highly flexible cable which is connected to the electrode tip and which is electrically insulated against surrounding soft tissue. The method comprises the following steps, given by way of example:
(a) applying one end (3a) of an elongated guide means (1) having a longitudinally extending channel (2) to an outer surface (4) of soft tissue (5) immediately adjacent a fracture location (6) of bone tissue;
(b) moving one end (3a) of the elongated member through the soft tissue towards said bone tissue;
(c) introducing through the channel (2) firstly an electrode having a rigid electrode tip (20) and a flexible cable (25) connected thereto, and secondly a tube (25) which embraces the cable and which coacts with the electrode tip via coupling means;
(d) displacing the tube (25) relative to the guide means (1) in a manner to move the electrode tip (20) towards the hard tissue;
(e) causing the electrode tip (20) to penetrate the bone tissue, by exerting a force on the tube (25) in a direction towards the bone tissue (7); and
(f) removing the tube (25) and the guide means (1) in a manner such as to leave a part (22a) of the flexible cable exposed above the outer surface (14) of the soft tissue (5), such as to enable the cable to be connected to an electric current or voltage source.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method for attaching through soft tissue an electrode to bone tissue, said electrode having a rigid electrode tip and a flexible electric cable connected to the electrode tip and being electrically insulated against surrounding soft tissue, comprising the steps of:
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applying one end of an elongated guide means having a longitudinally extending channel to an outer surface of soft tissue adjacent a selected location of bone tissue; moving the one end of the elongated guide means through the soft tissue towards the bone tissue; preforming a hole in the bone tissue by introducing a member through said channel; introducing through the channel an electrode having a rigid electrode tip, a flexible cable connected thereto and means for stiffening the cable, said cable stiffening means releasably connected with said electrode tip; displacing the cable stiffening means through the guide means so as to move the electrode tip into contact with the bone tissue adjacent said hole; threading the electrode tip into the bone tissue adjacent said hole so that said electrode tip is located in the bone tissue; and removing the stiffening means and the guide means so as to leave a part of the flexible cable exposed above the outer surface of the soft tissue, whereby the cable may be connected to an electric current or voltage source and said electrode tip may remain in the bone tissue after treatment. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification