Apparatus and methods for treating cervical inter-vertebral discs
First Claim
1. A method of treating a target tissue of an inter-vertebral disc, comprising:
- a) inserting an introducer needle into the inter-vertebral disc, the introducer needle having a needle lumen therethrough and a needle distal end;
b) positioning the needle distal end with respect to the target tissue within the inter-vertebral disc;
c) positioning an active electrode of an electrosurgical probe in relation to the needle distal end, the probe including a shaft having a shaft distal end, the active electrode disposed at the shaft distal end;
d) retracting the introducer needle by at least a first distance, wherein the first distance represents a minimum distance, between the active electrode and the needle distal end, for activating the probe; and
e) after said step d), applying a high frequency voltage between the active electrode and a return electrode, the high frequency voltage sufficient to ablate or modify at least a portion of the target tissue; and
f) during said step e) axially translating the shaft distally within the inter-vertebral disc.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus and methods for treating an inter-vertebral disc by ablation, coagulation, shrinking, stiffening, or other treatment of disc tissue. A method of the invention includes positioning at least one active electrode within the inter-vertebral 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. An apparatus of the invention includes an electrosurgical probe, an introducer needle adapted for passing the distal end of the probe therethrough, and a positioning unit for monitoring a position of the probe in relation to the introducer needle.
585 Citations
43 Claims
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1. A method of treating a target tissue of an inter-vertebral disc, comprising:
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a) inserting an introducer needle into the inter-vertebral disc, the introducer needle having a needle lumen therethrough and a needle distal end; b) positioning the needle distal end with respect to the target tissue within the inter-vertebral disc; c) positioning an active electrode of an electrosurgical probe in relation to the needle distal end, the probe including a shaft having a shaft distal end, the active electrode disposed at the shaft distal end; d) retracting the introducer needle by at least a first distance, wherein the first distance represents a minimum distance, between the active electrode and the needle distal end, for activating the probe; and e) after said step d), applying a high frequency voltage between the active electrode and a return electrode, the high frequency voltage sufficient to ablate or modify at least a portion of the target tissue; and f) during said step e) axially translating the shaft distally within the inter-vertebral disc. - 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)
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25. A method of treating a target tissue of an inter-vertebral disc, comprising:
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a) inserting an introducer needle into the inter-vertebral disc, the introducer needle having a needle lumen therethrough and a needle distal end; b) positioning the needle distal end with respect to the target tissue within the inter-vertebral disc; c) positioning an active electrode of an electrosurgical probe in relation to the needle distal end, the probe including a shaft having a shaft distal end, the active electrode disposed at the shaft distal end; d) retracting the introducer needle by at least a first distance, wherein the first distance represents a minimum distance, between the active electrode and the needle distal end, for activating the probe; e) after said step d), applying a high frequency voltage between the active electrode and a return electrode, the high frequency voltage sufficient to ablate or modify at least a portion of the target tissue; and
,f) prior to said step a), positioning a needle stop unit on the introducer needle to limit the depth of penetration of the introducer needle into the patient'"'"'s body.
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26. A method of treating a target tissue of an inter-vertebral disc, comprising:
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a) introducing a distal portion of an electrosurgical apparatus into the inter-vertebral disc, the apparatus comprising an electrosurgical probe having a shaft and an active electrode disposed on the shaft distal end, an introducer device adapted for passage of the shaft therethrough, and a positioning unit adapted for monitoring a location of the probe in relation to the introducer device; b) positioning the active electrode into at least close proximity to the target tissue of the disc, wherein the active electrode includes an active electrode filament and an electrode head disposed on the filament distal end; and c) applying a high frequency voltage between the active electrode and a return electrode, wherein the high frequency voltage is sufficient to ablate or modify the target tissue. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. A method of treating a target tissue of an inter-vertebral disc, comprising:
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a) introducing a distal portion of an electrosurgical apparatus into the inter-vertebral disc, the apparatus comprising an electrosurgical probe and an introducer device, the probe including a shaft having a shaft distal end and an electrically insulating spacer disposed at the shaft distal end, and an active electrode disposed distal to the spacer, wherein the introducer device includes an introducer lumen adapted for passage of the shaft therethrough, and the shaft makes electrical contact with the introducer device when the shaft is engaged within the introducer lumen; b) positioning the active electrode in at least close proximity to the target tissue; and c) applying a high frequency voltage between the active electrode and a return electrode, wherein the return electrode comprises the shaft in combination with the introducer device, and the high frequency voltage is sufficient to ablate or modify the target tissue. - View Dependent Claims (43)
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Specification