Method and system for heating solid tissue
First Claim
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1. A method for heating a treatment region within solid tissue, said method comprising:
- introducing at least one electrode to a target site within the treatment region;
energizing the electrode at a power level;
increasing the power level to an elevated power level at which an abrupt increase in electrode-tissue interface impedance is observed;
reducing power sufficiently below said elevated level to permit the electrode-tissue interface impedance to decrease; and
reenergizing the electrode at a level below said elevated level.
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Abstract
Methods for heating tissue by delivering radio frequency energy through tissue electrodes comprise controlling energy delivery so that an abrupt increase in impedance between the electrodes and the tissue is observed, typically in the form of an abrupt decrease in power delivered to the electrodes. The power at which the impedance increases and/or the time required to induce such an increase in impedance, are relied on to determine acceptable ranges to achieve a maximum sustainable delivery of radio frequency energy to the tissue consistent with complete, rapid, and uniform heating of the tissue.
471 Citations
95 Claims
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1. A method for heating a treatment region within solid tissue, said method comprising:
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introducing at least one electrode to a target site within the treatment region; energizing the electrode at a power level; increasing the power level to an elevated power level at which an abrupt increase in electrode-tissue interface impedance is observed; reducing power sufficiently below said elevated level to permit the electrode-tissue interface impedance to decrease; and reenergizing the electrode at a level below said elevated level. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for energizing an electrode disposed within solid tissue, said method comprising:
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delivering radio frequency power to the electrode under constant voltage; monitoring a power level being delivered; increasing the power until reaching an elevated power level at which the power level abruptly decreases due to an increase in impedance between the electrode and the tissue; reducing the power level sufficiently to allow the impedance to decrease; and restoring the power to the electrode at a power level below the elevated power level. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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- 29. An improved method for energizing an electrode disposed in tissue, said method being of the type wherein the electrode is powered by a radio frequency power supply, wherein the improvement comprises increasing voltage to increase power delivered to the electrode to a predetermined level, monitoring power delivered to the electrode until an abrupt drop in power delivered to the electrode is observed, and thereafter delivering current to the electrode at a level which results in a power level below that at which the abrupt drop in power delivered was observed.
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39. An electrosurgical power supply comprising:
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a radio frequency power source having a controlled voltage output and a first connection for a tissue electrode and a second connection for a counter electrode; and means for delivering and automatically adjusting power between an electrode in solid tissue connected to the first connection and a counter electrode electrically coupled to the solid tissue and connected to the second connection; wherein the adjusting means increases power to a maximum level when an abrupt rise in impedance occurs, at which time the adjusting means reduces power below said maximum level sufficiently to permit the impedance to decrease, after which time the adjusting means increases power to a treatment level below the maximum power level. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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51. A method for heating a treatment region within solid tissue, said method comprising:
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introducing at least one electrode to a target site within the treatment region; energizing the electrode at a power level; increasing the power level to an elevated power level at which an abrupt increase in electrode-tissue interface impedance is observed; reducing power sufficiently below said elevated level to permit the electrode-tissue interface impedance to decrease; and reenergizing the electrode at a power level from 50% to 90% of the elevated power level. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65)
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66. A method for energizing an electrode disposed within solid tissue, said method comprising:
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delivering radio frequency power to the electrode under constant voltage; monitoring a power level being delivered; increasing the power until reaching an elevated power level at which the power level abruptly decreases due to an increase in impedance between the electrode and the tissue; reducing the power level sufficiently to allow the impedance to decrease; and restoring the power to the electrode at a power level from 50% to 90% of the elevated power level. - View Dependent Claims (67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76)
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- 77. An improved method for energizing an electrode disposed in tissue, said method being of the type wherein the electrode is powered by a radio frequency power supply, wherein the improvement comprises increasing voltage to increase power delivered to the electrode to a predetermined level, monitoring power delivered to the electrode until an abrupt drop in power delivered to the electrode is observed, and thereafter delivering current to the electrode at a level which results in a power level from 50% to 90% of the maximum power level at which the abrupt drop in power delivered was observed.
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85. An electrosurgical power supply comprising:
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a radio frequency power source having a controlled voltage output and a first connection for a tissue electrode and a second connection for a counter electrode; means for delivering and automatically adjusting power between an electrode in solid tissue connected to the first connection and a counter electrode electrically coupled to the solid tissue and connected to the second connection; and a counter electrode selected from the group consisting of dispersive or return electrodes and additional tissue electrodes; and wherein the adjusting means increases power to a maximum level when an abrupt rise in impedance occurs, at which time the adjusting means reduces power below said maximum level sufficiently to permit the impedance to decrease, after which time the adjusting means increases power to a treatment level below the maximum power level. - View Dependent Claims (86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95)
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Specification