Apparatus and methods for electrosurgical ablation and resection of target tissue
First Claim
1. An electrosurgical probe for treating a target tissue of a patient, comprising:
- a probe proximal end and a probe distal end;
an elongate body including a first shaft, the first shaft located at the probe distal end, and the first shaft bifurcated to provide a first arm and a second arm;
a first electrically insulating electrode support disposed on the first arm distal end, and a second electrically insulating electrode support disposed on the second arm distal end;
an active electrode disposed between the first and second electrode supports wherein the active electrode is configured to promote high electric field intensities at a surface of the active electrode when a high frequency voltage is applied to the active electrode; and
a wire return electrode disposed between the first and second electrode supports at a location distal to the active electrode wherein the return electrode has a larger effective surface area than said active electrode and is configured to promote low electric field intensities at a surface of the return electrode, said low electric field intensities less than said high electric field intensities and wherein a ratio of said effective surface area of the return electrode to that of the active electrode is in the range of 1.1 to 4.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An electrosurgical system and method for ablating, resecting, or cutting body structures, with minimal or no damage to tissue adjacent to the treatment site. The system includes an electrosurgical probe having a shaft with a shaft distal end bifurcated to provide first and second arms. First and second electrode supports are disposed on the first and second arms, respectively. At least one active electrode, in the form of a loop or partial loop, is arranged between the first and second electrode supports. A return electrode, also in the form of a loop or partial loop, is arranged between the first and second electrode supports distal to the active electrode. The active and return electrodes are configured to promote substantially high electric field intensities and associated high current densities between the active portion and the target site when a high frequency voltage is applied to the electrodes. These high current densities are sufficient to break down the tissue by processes including molecular dissociation of tissue components. In one embodiment, the high frequency voltage imparts energy to the target site to effect the vaporization and volumetric removal of a layer of tissue without causing substantial tissue damage beyond the layer of tissue ablated. In another embodiment, a fragment of target tissue is removed, with minimal or no damage to surrounding tissue, by a process including the molecular dissociation of tissue components, and the tissue fragment is retrieved for biopsy.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. An electrosurgical probe for treating a target tissue of a patient, comprising:
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a probe proximal end and a probe distal end;
an elongate body including a first shaft, the first shaft located at the probe distal end, and the first shaft bifurcated to provide a first arm and a second arm;a first electrically insulating electrode support disposed on the first arm distal end, and a second electrically insulating electrode support disposed on the second arm distal end; an active electrode disposed between the first and second electrode supports wherein the active electrode is configured to promote high electric field intensities at a surface of the active electrode when a high frequency voltage is applied to the active electrode; and a wire return electrode disposed between the first and second electrode supports at a location distal to the active electrode wherein the return electrode has a larger effective surface area than said active electrode and is configured to promote low electric field intensities at a surface of the return electrode, said low electric field intensities less than said high electric field intensities and wherein a ratio of said effective surface area of the return electrode to that of the active electrode is in the range of 1.1 to 4. - 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)
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33. An electrosurgical probe for treating a target tissue of a patient, comprising:
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a probe proximal end and a probe distal end; an elongate body including a first shaft, the first shaft located at the probe distal end, and the first shaft bifurcated to provide a first arm and a second arm; a first electrically insulating electrode support disposed on the first arm distal end, and a second electrically insulating electrode support disposed on the second arm distal end wherein each of the first and second electrode supports comprises a curved portion wherein each of the curved portions comprises a proximal curved portion and a distal curved portion; an active electrode disposed between the first and second electrode supports; a return electrode disposed between the first and second electrode supports at a location distal to the active electrode; and the active electrode emanating from the proximal curved portion, and the return electrode emanating from the distal curved portion, and wherein the proximal curved portion is longer than the distal curved portion. - View Dependent Claims (34)
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Specification