Methods and apparatus for ablation of luminal tissues
First Claim
1. A method for enlarging a body lumen within a patient body, said method comprising:
- engaging an electrode array including a plurality of electrically isolated electrode terminals against a wall of the body lumen;
applying high frequency voltage between each electrode terminal in the electrode array and on or in the patient body; and
applying laterally outward force on the electrode array while applying the high frequency voltage to ablate peripheral tissue in the lumen.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An electrosurgical probe comprises a shaft having an electrode array disposed over a recessed surface at its distal end. The electrode array includes a plurality of isolated electrode terminals, and an electrosurgical power supply may be connected to the array via a connector at the distal end of the probe. The electrosurgical power supply will be provided with a plurality of independently limited or controlled current sources. By applying very high frequency electrical energy to the electric array with the power supply, target issue may be ablated while heat dissipation through low impedance past is minimized. The probe is particularly suitable for treatment of surfaces of body lumens, such as the mucosal surface within an enlarged prostate.
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Citations
45 Claims
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1. A method for enlarging a body lumen within a patient body, said method comprising:
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engaging an electrode array including a plurality of electrically isolated electrode terminals against a wall of the body lumen; applying high frequency voltage between each electrode terminal in the electrode array and on or in the patient body; and applying laterally outward force on the electrode array while applying the high frequency voltage to ablate peripheral tissue in the lumen. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. An improved method for treating prostate disease of the type wherein energy is applied to the mucosal surface of the prostate, wherein the improvement comprises engaging an electrode array against the mucosal surface and applying high frequency voltage to the electrode array under conditions where current flow from individual terminals from the electrode array is limited to inhibit power loss through low impedance paths from the electrode array.
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26. An electrosurgical probe comprising:
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a shaft having a proximal end, a distal end, and a recessed surface near the distal end; an electrode array disposed over the recessed surface near the distal end of the shaft, said array including a plurality of electrically isolated electrode terminals having substantially the same potential; and a connector disposed near the proximal end of the shaft for electrically coupling the electrode terminals to a high frequency voltage source. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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45. A method for treating prostate disease comprising:
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engaging an electrode array including a plurality of electrically isolated terminals against prostatic tissue at a target site adjacent the urethra; applying high frequency voltage between each electrode terminal in the electrode array and one or more common electrodes on or in the patient body; and independently controlling current flow through individual electrode terminals to inhibit power dissipation into the medium surrounding the target site.
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Specification