Electrosurgical apparatus having a curved distal section
First Claim
1. A medical apparatus comprising a shaft including a shaft distal end portion and a shaft proximal end portion, the shaft distal end portion including at least one active electrode disposed thereon and having a shape comprising at least one curve proximal to the at least one active electrode, wherein the at least one curve comprises a first curve and a second curve proximal to the first curve, and the shaft distal end portion is adapted to be resilient such that upon the application of an external force the shape distorts, whereupon removal of the force the shape restores;
- further including an introducer needle having a needle lumen, the needle lumen adapted for passing the shaft distal end portion therethrough, wherein the shaft distal end portion includes a distal linear portion, the active electrode includes an electrode head located terminally at a distal tip of the shaft, the first curve is characterized by a first angle and the second curve is characterized by a second angle, wherein a transverse location of the electrode head within the needle lumen is determined by the first angle and by a length of the distal linear portion.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus and methods for advancing and retracting a medical instrument within an introducer device, wherein the instrument includes a distal tip, a distal linear portion, a first distal curve, a substantially linear inter-curve portion, and a second proximal curve. The length of the distal linear portion and the angle of the first curve determine the position of the distal tip within a lumen of the introducer device, such that the distal tip occupies a substantially central transverse location within the lumen and the distal tip avoids contact with the introducer device. The length of the inter-curve portion and the angle of the second curve determine deflection of the distal tip from a longitudinal axis of the shaft when the second curve is extended distally beyond a distal end of the introducer device. Also, methods and apparatus for treating an intervertebral disc by ablation of disc tissue. A method of the invention includes positioning at least one active electrode within the intervertebral disc, and applying at least a first high frequency voltage between the active electrode(s) and one or more return electrode(s), wherein the volume of the nucleus pulposus is decreased, pressure exerted by the nucleus pulposus on the annulus fibrosus is reduced, and discogenic pain of a patient is alleviated. In other embodiments, a curved or steerable probe is guided to a specific target site within a disc to be treated, and the disc tissue at the target site is ablated by application of at least a first high frequency voltage between the active electrode(s) and one or more return electrode(s). A method of making an electrosurgical probe is also disclosed.
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Citations
43 Claims
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1. A medical apparatus comprising a shaft including a shaft distal end portion and a shaft proximal end portion, the shaft distal end portion including at least one active electrode disposed thereon and having a shape comprising at least one curve proximal to the at least one active electrode, wherein the at least one curve comprises a first curve and a second curve proximal to the first curve, and the shaft distal end portion is adapted to be resilient such that upon the application of an external force the shape distorts, whereupon removal of the force the shape restores;
- further including an introducer needle having a needle lumen, the needle lumen adapted for passing the shaft distal end portion therethrough, wherein the shaft distal end portion includes a distal linear portion, the active electrode includes an electrode head located terminally at a distal tip of the shaft, the first curve is characterized by a first angle and the second curve is characterized by a second angle, wherein a transverse location of the electrode head within the needle lumen is determined by the first angle and by a length of the distal linear portion.
- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An electrosurgical probe and introducer needle combination for treating an intervertebral disc, comprising:
- a probe including a shaft, the shaft including a shaft distal end, at least one active electrode, and at least one return electrode, wherein the shaft distal end includes a first curve and a second curve proximal to the first curve; and
an introducer needle having a lumen and a needle distal end, the introducer needle adapted for passing the shaft distal end through the lumen, and for guiding the shaft distal end distally beyond the needle distal end. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
- a probe including a shaft, the shaft including a shaft distal end, at least one active electrode, and at least one return electrode, wherein the shaft distal end includes a first curve and a second curve proximal to the first curve; and
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27. A medical apparatus, comprising:
- a shaft including a shaft distal tip, a shaft distal end portion, and a shaft proximal end portion, the shaft distal end portion having a first curve and a second curve proximal to the first curve, wherein the first curve and the second curve are in the same plane relative to a longitudinal axis of the proximal end portion of the shaft, and the first curve and the second curve are in opposite directions, and an introducer device having a lumen and an introducer distal end, the introducer device adapted for passing the shaft distal end portion through the lumen, wherein the shaft distal tip occupies a substantially central transverse location within the lumen when the shaft distal end portion is passed within the lumen.
- View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A medical apparatus, comprising:
- a shaft including a shaft distal tip, a shaft distal end portion, and a shaft proximal end portion, the shaft distal end portion having a first curve and a second curve proximal to the first curve, wherein the first curve and the second curve are in the same plane relative to a longitudinal axis of the proximal end portion of the shaft, and the first curve and the second curve are in opposite directions, and where the shaft distal end portion is adapted to be resilient such that upon the application of an external force the at least one curve distorts, whereupon removal of the force the at least one curve restores, further comprising an introducer device having a lumen and an introducer distal end, the introducer device adapted for passing the shaft distal end portion through the lumen, wherein the shaft distal tip occupies a substantially central transverse location within the lumen when the shaft distal end portion is passed within the lumen.
- View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
Specification