Electrosurgical tissue treatment method
First Claim
1. A method of treating spinal tissue of a patient'"'"'s body, the method comprising:
- providing a system comprising an energy source and first and second internally-cooled probe assemblies, wherein each of the probe assemblies comprises an electrically conductive energy delivery device electrically coupled to said energy source;
inserting the energy delivery devices of said first and second internally-cooled probe assemblies into spaced-apart treatment sites for said spinal tissue;
delivering stimulating energy through said energy delivery devices for determining proximity of at least one of said energy delivery devices to a neural structure; and
delivering energy from said energy source to said spinal tissue through said energy delivery devices to treat said spinal tissue;
wherein said stimulating energy is capable of eliciting a response from said neural structure without damaging said neural structure and wherein delivering stimulating energy comprises delivering said stimulating energy preferentially between said energy delivery devices in a bipolar manner.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A medical probe assembly, system, and methods for the use thereof to treat tissue are described. The system optionally comprises an energy source, two internally-cooled probe assemblies, and one or more cooling devices to provide cooling to at least one of the probe assemblies. The probe assemblies may be configured in a bipolar mode, whereby current flows preferentially between the probe assemblies. The probe assemblies and system described herein are particularly useful to deliver radio frequency energy to a patient'"'"'s body. RF energy delivery may be used for various applications, including the treatment of pain, tumor ablation and cardiac ablation.
468 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of treating spinal tissue of a patient'"'"'s body, the method comprising:
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providing a system comprising an energy source and first and second internally-cooled probe assemblies, wherein each of the probe assemblies comprises an electrically conductive energy delivery device electrically coupled to said energy source; inserting the energy delivery devices of said first and second internally-cooled probe assemblies into spaced-apart treatment sites for said spinal tissue; delivering stimulating energy through said energy delivery devices for determining proximity of at least one of said energy delivery devices to a neural structure; and delivering energy from said energy source to said spinal tissue through said energy delivery devices to treat said spinal tissue; wherein said stimulating energy is capable of eliciting a response from said neural structure without damaging said neural structure and wherein delivering stimulating energy comprises delivering said stimulating energy preferentially between said energy delivery devices in a bipolar manner. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of treating spinal tissue of a patient'"'"'s body by delivering energy from an energy source to said patient'"'"'s body, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing first and second internally-cooled probe assemblies and at least one additional electrically conductive component, wherein each of the probe assemblies comprises an electrically conductive energy delivery device electrically coupled to said energy source; delivering energy from said energy source to spaced-apart treatment sites for said spinal tissue through said energy delivery devices; and altering an electrical impedance between a current sink and at least one electrically conductive component selected from the group consisting of said first probe assembly, said second probe assembly and said at least one additional electrically conductive component; whereby altering an electrical impedance serves to adjust a flow of energy between at least two electrically conductive components selected from the group consisting of said first probe assembly, said second probe assembly and said at least one additional electrically conductive component.
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19. A method of treating spinal tissue of a patient'"'"'s body, the method comprising:
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providing a system comprising an energy source and first and second internally-cooled probe assemblies, wherein each of the probe assemblies comprises an electrically conductive energy delivery device electrically coupled to said energy source; providing at least one additional electrically conductive component coupled to said energy source and operable to transmit energy between said energy source and said patient'"'"'s body; inserting the energy delivery devices of said first and second internally-cooled probe assemblies into spaced-apart treatment sites for said spinal tissue; delivering energy from said energy source to said spinal tissue through said energy delivery devices; and controlling a flow of energy between at least two electrically conductive components selected from the group consisting of said first probe assembly, said second probe assembly and said at least one additional electrically conductive component. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification