Methods and apparatus for surgical cutting
First Claim
1. An electrosurgical probe comprising:
- a shaft having a proximal end and a distal end;
an electrode array disposed near the distal end of the shaft, said array including a plurality of electrically isolated electrode terminals secured in an electrically insulating matrix and having substantially the same applied potential; and
a connector disposed near the proximal end of the shaft for electrically coupling the electrode terminals to a high frequency voltage source;
wherein voltage is applied between each of the electrode terminals and a return electrode.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An electrosurgical probe comprises a shaft having an electrode array at its distal end and a connector at its proximal end. The array includes a plurality of isolated electrode terminals, and an electrosurgical power supply is provided with a multiplicity of independently limited or controlled current sources and a connector. The electrosurgical probe and the power supply may be connected through their respective connectors so that the independent current sources are connected to individual electrode terminals. In other configurations, the probe includes a single electrode terminal spaced from a return electrode such that when the electrode terminal is brought adjacent a tissue structure immersed in electrically conductive fluid, the electrically conductive fluid completes a conduction path between the electrode terminal and the return electrode. By applying very high frequency electrical energy to the electrode terminal, target tissue may be cut or ablated while heat dissipation through low impedance paths, such as blood and normal saline, will be minimized.
1963 Citations
59 Claims
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1. An electrosurgical probe comprising:
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a shaft having a proximal end and a distal end; an electrode array disposed near the distal end of the shaft, said array including a plurality of electrically isolated electrode terminals secured in an electrically insulating matrix and having substantially the same applied potential; and a connector disposed near the proximal end of the shaft for electrically coupling the electrode terminals to a high frequency voltage source; wherein voltage is applied between each of the electrode terminals and a return electrode. - 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, 25)
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26. An electrosurgical probe comprising:
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a shaft having a proximal end and a distal end; an electrode array disposed near the distal end of the shaft, said array including a plurality of electrically isolated electrode terminals disposed over a contact surface; a connector disposed near the proximal end of the shaft for electrically coupling the electrode terminals to one or more high frequency voltage sources; and a plurality of current limiting elements coupled to each of the electrode terminals for selectively limiting or interrupting current flow to the electrode terminals. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. An electrosurgical probe for ablating a tissue structure at a target site comprising:
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a shaft having a proximal end and a distal end with a distal tip; at least one electrode terminal disposed near the distal end of the shaft; a return electrode spaced from the electrode terminal; at least one connector disposed near the proximal end of the shaft for electrically coupling the electrode terminal to a high frequency voltage source; and wherein the electrode terminal and the return electrode are in contact with electrically conducting fluid, wherein voltage applied between the electrode terminal and the return electrode causes ablation of a tissue structure at the target site while minimizing energy dissipation to the electrically conducting fluid. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43)
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44. An electrosurgical probe for ablating a tissue structure at a target site comprising;
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a shaft having a proximal end, a distal end with a distal tip; an inorganic electrically insulating member at or near the distal end of the shaft; at least one electrode terminal substantially surrounded by the inorganic electrically insulating member and having a tissue treatment portion; a return electrode having an exposed fluid contact surface with a surface area substantially larger than the electrode terminal; at least one connector disposed near the proximal end of the shaft for electrically coupling the electrode terminal to a high frequency voltage source; and wherein the return electrode is spaced from the electrode terminal such that when the tissue treatment portion of the electrode terminal is brought adjacent a tissue structure immersed in electrically conductive fluid, the fluid contact surface of the return electrode is spaced from the tissue structure and the electrically conductive fluid completes a conduction path between the electrode terminal and the return electrode. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59)
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Specification