Methods for repairing damaged intervertebral discs
First Claim
1. A method of treating an inter-vertebral disc, comprising:
- a) contacting at least a first region of a nucleus pulposus of the inter-vertebral disc with at least one heat delivery element of an electrosurgical system, the at least one heat delivery element disposed on a shaft of an electrosurgical probe; and
b) applying a first high frequency voltage to said heat delivery element sufficient to decompress said disc such that pressure on a nerve root is reduced wherein a portion of said nucleus pulposus is ablated thereby reducing the volume of the nucleus pulposus.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus and methods 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
34 Claims
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1. A method of treating an inter-vertebral disc, comprising:
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a) contacting at least a first region of a nucleus pulposus of the inter-vertebral disc with at least one heat delivery element of an electrosurgical system, the at least one heat delivery element disposed on a shaft of an electrosurgical probe; and b) applying a first high frequency voltage to said heat delivery element sufficient to decompress said disc such that pressure on a nerve root is reduced wherein a portion of said nucleus pulposus is ablated thereby reducing the volume of the nucleus pulposus. - 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)
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Specification