Electrosurgical probe having circular electrode array for ablating joint tissue and systems related thereto
First Claim
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1. An electrosurgical probe for ablating tissue from a joint, comprising:
- a shaft having a shaft distal end and a shaft proximal end, and an aspiration lumen;
an electrically insulating electrode support affixed to the shaft distal end, wherein the electrode support includes a distal tissue treatment surface, the electrode support having a void therethrough, and the void defining an aspiration port in the tissue treatment surface and said aspiration port in fluid communication with a distal end of said aspiration lumen;
a digestion electrode adapted for digesting fragments of resected tissue; and
an electrode array disposed on the electrode support, the electrode array comprising a first circular arrangement of active electrode terminals.
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Abstract
Electrosurgical methods, systems, and apparatus for the controlled ablation of tissue from a target site, such as a synovial joint, of a patient. An electrosurgical probe of the invention includes a shaft, and a working end having an electrode array comprising an outer circular arrangement of active electrode terminals and an inner circular arrangement of active electrode terminals. The electrode array is adapted for the controlled ablation of hard tissue, such as meniscus tissue. The working end of the probe is curved to facilitate access to both medial meniscus and lateral meniscus from a portal of 1 cm. or less.
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Citations
57 Claims
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1. An electrosurgical probe for ablating tissue from a joint, comprising:
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a shaft having a shaft distal end and a shaft proximal end, and an aspiration lumen; an electrically insulating electrode support affixed to the shaft distal end, wherein the electrode support includes a distal tissue treatment surface, the electrode support having a void therethrough, and the void defining an aspiration port in the tissue treatment surface and said aspiration port in fluid communication with a distal end of said aspiration lumen; a digestion electrode adapted for digesting fragments of resected tissue; and an electrode array disposed on the electrode support, the electrode array comprising a first circular arrangement of active electrode terminals. - 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, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57)
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Specification