System and method for electrosurgical tissue contraction
First Claim
1. A method for contracting collagen tissue at a target site on or within a patient'"'"'s body comprising:
- heating an electrically conducting fluid in the region of the target site; and
directing the heated electrically conducting fluid onto tissue at the target site to induce contraction of collagen fibers in said tissue.
3 Assignments
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Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods are provided for performing electrosurgical interventions, such as selectively contracting soft collagen tissue and other body structures, while limiting thermal damage or molecular dissociation of such tissue and limiting the thermal damage to tissue adjacent to and underlying the treatment site. The systems and methods of the present invention are particularly useful for surgical procedures in electrically conducting environments, such as arthroscopic procedures in the joints, e.g., shoulder, knee, hip, hand, foot, elbow or the like. The present invention is also useful in relatively dry environments, such as treating and shaping the cornea, and dermatological procedures involving surface tissue contraction of tissue underlying the surface of the skin for tissue rejuvenation, wrinkle removal and the like.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. A method for contracting collagen tissue at a target site on or within a patient'"'"'s body comprising:
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heating an electrically conducting fluid in the region of the target site; and directing the heated electrically conducting fluid onto tissue at the target site to induce contraction of collagen fibers in said tissue. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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13. The method of 9 further comprising directing the electrically conducting fluid past the return electrode to generate the current flow path between the return electrode and the electrode terminal.
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22. A method for contracting collagen tissue at a target site on or within a patient'"'"'s body comprising:
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positioning a tissue treatment surface of an electrode terminal in close proximity to the target site in the presence of an electrically conducting fluid; contacting the electrically conducting fluid with a contact surface of a return electrode to generate a current flow path between the electrode terminal and the return electrode; and applying high frequency voltage to the electrode terminal and the return electrode, the voltage being sufficient to induce a contraction of collagen fibers at the target site without causing dissociation or molecular breakdown of the collagen fibers. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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Specification