Apparatus for electrosurgical spine surgery
First Claim
1. An electrosurgical apparatus for treating tissue within a patient'"'"'s spine comprising:
- a shaft having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion sized to fit within an intervertebral disc in the patient'"'"'s spine;
an electrode terminal on the distal end portion of the shaft;
a return electrode;
an insulating member positioned between the return electrode and the electrode terminal, the return electrode being sufficiently spaced from the electrode terminal to minimize direct contact between the return electrode and a body structure in or on the disc when the electrode terminal is positioned in close proximity or in partial contact with the body structure; and
means for applying a high frequency voltage difference between the electrode terminal and the return electrode to reduce a volume of the disc to relieve pressure on a spinal nerve.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides systems and methods for selectively applying electrical energy to a target location within of a patient'"'"'s body, particularly including tissue in the spine. The present invention applies high frequency (RF) electrical energy to one or more electrode terminals in the presence of electrically conductive fluid to remove, contract or otherwise modify the structure of tissue structures. In one aspect of the invention, a method is provided for treating herniated discs within a patient'"'"'s spine by applying sufficient electrical energy to the disc tissue to reduce a volume of the disc, thereby relieving pressure on a spinal nerve. In one embodiment, the high frequency voltage is sufficient to ablate a portion of the nucleus pulposis, either the extruded portion outside of the annulus or a portion or all of the pulposis within the annulus. In another embodiment, the electrode terminal is advanced into the annulus and sufficient high frequency voltage is applied to contract or shrink the collagen fibers within the nucleus pulposis. This causes the pulposis to shrink and withdraw from its impingement on the spinal nerve.
759 Citations
37 Claims
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1. An electrosurgical apparatus for treating tissue within a patient'"'"'s spine comprising:
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a shaft having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion sized to fit within an intervertebral disc in the patient'"'"'s spine;
an electrode terminal on the distal end portion of the shaft;
a return electrode;
an insulating member positioned between the return electrode and the electrode terminal, the return electrode being sufficiently spaced from the electrode terminal to minimize direct contact between the return electrode and a body structure in or on the disc when the electrode terminal is positioned in close proximity or in partial contact with the body structure; and
means for applying a high frequency voltage difference between the electrode terminal and the return electrode to reduce a volume of the disc to relieve pressure on a spinal nerve. - 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)
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24. An electrosurgical apparatus for treating tissue within a patient'"'"'s spine comprising:
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a shaft having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion sized to fit within an intervertebral disc in the patient'"'"'s spine;
an electrode terminal on the distal end portion of the shaft;
a return electrode;
a fluid delivery element defining a fluid path in electrical contact with the return electrode and the electrode terminal to generate a current flow path between the return electrode and the electrode terminal, wherein the fluid delivery element comprises a fluid tube extending a long an outer surface of the shaft, the tube having an inlet positioned proximal to the return electrode, wherein the return electrode is spaced proximally from the electrode terminal; and
means for applying a high frequency voltage difference between the electrode terminal and the return electrode to reduce a volume of the disc to relieve pressure on a spinal nerve. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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Specification