Hard tissue ablation system
First Claim
1. A method of treating a target structure in a body, comprising:
- inserting an active electrode in the vicinity of the target structure in the presence of a first electrically conductive fluid, the first electrically conductive fluid provided from outside of the body;
selectively supplying a second electrically conductive fluid distinct from the first electrically conductive fluid in the vicinity of the active electrode; and
applying electrical energy to the active electrode in the presence of the second conductive fluid sufficient to create a plasma that discharges in the second electrically conductive fluid and treat the target structure, while the first electrically conductive fluid provides a neutralizing barrier to sufficiently dilute the second electrically conductive fluid such that exposure of the second electrically conductive fluid to an untargeted tissue is not harmful.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An electrosurgical system and method for treating hard and soft tissues in the body comprises a shaft, a distal end section, an active electrode associated with the distal end section, a first fluid supply adapted to deliver a first electrically conductive fluid to the target site, and a second fluid supply adapted to deliver a second electrically conductive fluid to the active electrode. The system is adapted to treat a wide variety of hard tissues such as, for example, bones, calcified structures, calcified deposits, teeth, plaque, kidney-stones, gall-stones and other types of tissue by generating plasma in the vicinity of the active electrode, and applying the plasma to the tissue or structures.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method of treating a target structure in a body, comprising:
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inserting an active electrode in the vicinity of the target structure in the presence of a first electrically conductive fluid, the first electrically conductive fluid provided from outside of the body; selectively supplying a second electrically conductive fluid distinct from the first electrically conductive fluid in the vicinity of the active electrode; and applying electrical energy to the active electrode in the presence of the second conductive fluid sufficient to create a plasma that discharges in the second electrically conductive fluid and treat the target structure, while the first electrically conductive fluid provides a neutralizing barrier to sufficiently dilute the second electrically conductive fluid such that exposure of the second electrically conductive fluid to an untargeted tissue is not harmful. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of treating a target structure in a body, comprising:
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delivering to the target structure a first electrically conductive fluid supplied from outside of the body; forming plasma from a second electrically conductive fluid that is chemically distinct from the first electrically conductive fluid while the first electrically conductive fluid provides a neutralizing barrier to sufficiently dilute the second fluid such that exposure of the second electrically conductive fluid to an untargeted tissue is not harmful; and treating the structure with the plasma. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of modifying a structure in a body, comprising:
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identifying a body structure in a patient; delivering a first electrically conductive fluid from outside the body to the area surrounding and including the body structure; selecting a second electrically conductive fluid effective in treating said body structure and that is chemically distinct from the first electrically conductive fluid, directing the second electrically conductive fluid to an active electrode in the vicinity of the body structure; and applying a radio-frequency voltage to the active electrode in the presence of the second electrically conductive fluid sufficient to create a plasma that discharges in the second electrically conductive fluid and such that the body structure is modified while the first electrically conductive fluid provides a neutralizing barrier to sufficiently dilute the second electrically conductive fluid such that exposure of the second electrically conductive fluid to an untargeted tissue is not harmful. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification