Method for treating intervertebral discs
First Claim
1. A method of manipulating a disc tissue of an intervertebral disc, the disc having a nucleus pulposus, an annulus fibrosus, and an inner wall of the annulus fibrosus, the method comprising:
- providing a catheter having a radiofrequency electrode at a distal region of the catheter and a proximal region for externally guiding the distal region of the catheter within an intervertebral disc;
positioning the electrode at the inner wall of the annulus fibrosus by applying a sufficient force to advance the catheter through the nucleus pulposus to the inner wall of the annulus fibrosus, which force is insufficient to puncture the annulus fibrosus; and
delivering energy to the disc tissue using the electrode.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of manipulating a disc tissue of an intervertebral disc is described, the disc has a nucleus pulposus, an annulus fibrosus, and an inner wall of the annulus fibrosus. The method includes providing a catheter having a radiofrequency electrode at a distal region of the catheter and a proximal region for externally guiding the distal region of the catheter within an intervertebral disc. The method also includes positioning the electrode at the inner wall of the annulus fibrosus by applying a sufficient force to advance the catheter through the nucleus pulposus to the inner wall of the annulus fibrosus. The force is insufficient to puncture the annulus fibrosus. The method further includes delivering energy to the disc tissue using the electrode.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. A method of manipulating a disc tissue of an intervertebral disc, the disc having a nucleus pulposus, an annulus fibrosus, and an inner wall of the annulus fibrosus, the method comprising:
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providing a catheter having a radiofrequency electrode at a distal region of the catheter and a proximal region for externally guiding the distal region of the catheter within an intervertebral disc; positioning the electrode at the inner wall of the annulus fibrosus by applying a sufficient force to advance the catheter through the nucleus pulposus to the inner wall of the annulus fibrosus, which force is insufficient to puncture the annulus fibrosus; and delivering energy to the disc tissue using the electrode. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method of manipulating a disc tissue at a selected location of the intervertebral disc, the disc having a nucleus pulposus, an annulus fibrosus, and an inner wall of the annulus fibrosus, the method comprising:
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providing a catheter having a radiofrequency electrode at a distal region of the catheter and a proximal region for externally guiding the distal region of the catheter within an intervertebral disc; positioning the electrode at the selected location of the disc by applying a sufficient force to advance at least a portion of the distal region of the catheter through the nucleus pulposus beyond a central region of the nucleus pulposus, which force is insufficient to puncture the annulus fibrosus; and delivering energy to remove material at the selected location of the disc using the electrode.
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7. A method of manipulating a disc tissue of an intervertebral disc, the disc having a nucleus pulposus, an annulus fibrosus, and an inner wall of the annulus fibrosus, the method comprising:
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providing a catheter having a radiofrequency electrode at a distal region of the catheter and a proximal region for externally guiding the distal region of the catheter within an intervertebral disc; positioning the electrode at a location selected from the group consisting of posterior medial inner, posterior lateral, anterior lateral and anterior medial wall of the annulus fibrosus or combinations thereof by applying a sufficient force to advance at least a portion of the distal region of the catheter through the nucleus pulposus beyond a central region of the nucleus pulposus, which force is insufficient to puncture the annulus fibrosus; and delivering energy to the disc tissue using the electrode at the selected location.
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8. A method of manipulating a disc tissue of an intervertebral disc, the disc having a nucleus pulposus, an annular fibrosus, and an inner wall of the annulus fibrosus, the method comprising:
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providing a catheter having a radiofrequency electrode at a distal region of the catheter and a proximal region for externally guiding the distal region of the catheter within an intervertebral disc; positioning the electrode at a first selected location of the disc by applying a sufficient force to advance at least a portion of the distal region of the catheter through the nucleus pulposus beyond a center of the nucleus pulposus to a location that is closer to the inner wall of the annulus fibrosus than to the center of the nucleus pulposus, which force is insufficient to puncture the annulus fibrosus; delivering energy to the disc tissue at the first selected location of the disc using the electrode; positioning the electrode at a second selected location; and delivering energy to the disc tissue at the second selected location of the disc using the electrode.
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9. A method of manipulating a disc tissue at a selected location of an intervertebral disc, the disc having a nucleus pulposus, an annulus fibrosus, and an inner wall of the annulus fibrosus, the method comprising:
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providing a catheter having a radiofrequency electrode at a distal region of the catheter and a proximal region for externally guiding the distal region of the catheter within an intervertebral disc; positioning the electrode at the selected location of the disc by twisting the proximal region of the catheter and applying a sufficient force to advance at least a portion of the distal region of the catheter through the nucleus pulposus beyond a center of the nucleus pulposus to a location that is closer to the inner wall of the annulus fibrosus than to the center of the nucleus pulposus, which force is insufficient to puncture the annulus fibrosus; and delivering energy to the disc tissue at the selected location of the disc using the electrode.
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10. A method comprising:
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introducing an intervertebral disc apparatus within an intervertebral disc such that a radiofrequency electrode incorporated into the apparatus at a distal region of the apparatus is advanced beyond a center of a nucleus pulposus of the disc to a selected location that is closer to an inner wall of an annulus fibrosus of the disc than to the center of the nucleus pulposus; and delivering energy from the electrode positioned at the selected location such that no vaporization of intervertebral disc tissue occurs when energy is delivered.
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11. A method comprising:
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providing a catheter having a radiofrequency electrode at a distal region of the catheter; advancing the electrode beyond a center of a nucleus pulposus of an intervertebral disc to a selected location that is closer to an inner wall of an annulus fibrosus of the disc than to the center of the nucleus pulposus; and delivering energy from the electrode positioned at the selected location. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method comprising:
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providing a catheter having a radiofrequency electrode at a distal region of the catheter; positioning the electrode in the intervertebral disc; advancing the electrode non-linearly within the intervertebral disc beyond a center of a nucleus pulposus of the disc to a selected location that is closer to an inner wall of an annulus fibrosus of the disc than to the center of the nucleus pulposus; and delivering energy to the selected location from the electrode positioned at the selected location. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A method for delivering a controlled amount of energy adjacent an inner wall of an intervertebral disc comprising:
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introducing an intervertebral disc apparatus within an intervertebral disc such that a functional element incorporated into the apparatus adjacent a distal end of the apparatus is positioned proximate a wall of the intervertebral disc; and delivering energy from the functional element to the wall of the invertebral disc such that no vaporization of intervertebral disc tissue occurs when energy is delivered.
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Specification