Foam electrode and method of use thereof during tissue resection
First Claim
1. A method of resecting a portion of tissue to be removed from a portion of the tissue to be retained within a patient, comprising:
- absorbing a volume of an electrically conductive fluid into a hydrophilic electrode, the hydrophilic electrode comprising a porous electrically insulative material, wherein the volume of electrically conductive fluid is sufficient to provide an electrically conductive path through the porous electrically insulative material, wherein the electrically conductive path is broken when the volume of electrically conductive fluid drops below a threshold level;
conveying electrical energy to or from the hydrophilic electrode while being moved in proximity to the tissue along a resection line, whereby tissue adjacent to the resection line is coagulated;
separating the tissue along the resection line to resect the tissue portion to be removed from the tissue portion to be retained;
conveying electrical energy to or from the hydrophilic electrode to seal a blood vessel that traverses the resection line; and
transecting the sealed blood vessel.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Assemblies and methods are provided for resecting a portion of tissue to be removed (e.g., unhealthy tissue, such as cancerous tissue) from a portion of the tissue to be retained (e.g., healthy tissue) within a patient is provided. An electrically conductive fluid, such as saline, may be absorbed into a hydrophilic electrode. Electrical energy (e.g., radio frequency (RF) energy) is conveyed to or from the hydrophilic electrode while being moved in proximity to the tissue along a resection line, whereby tissue adjacent to the resection line is coagulated. A resection member, such as a blunt resection member or a resection electrode, which may be on the same device as the hydrophilic electrode, is used to separate the tissue along the resection line to resect the tissue portion to be removed from the tissue portion to be retained.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method of resecting a portion of tissue to be removed from a portion of the tissue to be retained within a patient, comprising:
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absorbing a volume of an electrically conductive fluid into a hydrophilic electrode, the hydrophilic electrode comprising a porous electrically insulative material, wherein the volume of electrically conductive fluid is sufficient to provide an electrically conductive path through the porous electrically insulative material, wherein the electrically conductive path is broken when the volume of electrically conductive fluid drops below a threshold level; conveying electrical energy to or from the hydrophilic electrode while being moved in proximity to the tissue along a resection line, whereby tissue adjacent to the resection line is coagulated; separating the tissue along the resection line to resect the tissue portion to be removed from the tissue portion to be retained; conveying electrical energy to or from the hydrophilic electrode to seal a blood vessel that traverses the resection line; and transecting the sealed blood vessel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification