Cartilage treatment probe
First Claim
1. A method of treating chondromalacia comprising:
- positioning an electrically conductive surface of a head of an instrument adjacent to a cartilage surface, the head being pivotable relative to a shaft of the instrument the head including a substantially planar, flat non-conductive tissue contact surface and a portion enclosing a part of a flexible portion;
moving the shaft relative to the cartilage surface, whereby the head pivots relative to the cartilage surface;
applying electrical energy to the electrically conductive surface to treat chondromalacia; and
biasing an electrically conductive surface of the head towards the cartilage surface using the flexible portion of the instrument;
wherein the part of the flexible portion enclosed by the head defines an axis substantially transverse to a longitudinal axis of the shaft and about which the head is free to pivot.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An electrosurgical instrument for ablating cartilage while limiting collateral damage includes a non-conducting head with a small electrically conductive surface. The head of the instrument is coupled to a shaft by a flexible portion. The flexible portion biases the electrically conductive surface towards a tissue surface. The head is pivotably coupled to the shaft such that the electrically conductive surface is oriented substantially parallel to the tissue surface as the head slides across the tissue surface. A method of performing electrosurgery includes positioning the electrically conductive surface adjacent to the tissue surface, and sliding the shaft across the tissue surface with the head pivoting such that the electrically conductive surface is oriented substantially parallel to the tissue surface.
194 Citations
12 Claims
-
1. A method of treating chondromalacia comprising:
-
positioning an electrically conductive surface of a head of an instrument adjacent to a cartilage surface, the head being pivotable relative to a shaft of the instrument the head including a substantially planar, flat non-conductive tissue contact surface and a portion enclosing a part of a flexible portion; moving the shaft relative to the cartilage surface, whereby the head pivots relative to the cartilage surface; applying electrical energy to the electrically conductive surface to treat chondromalacia; and biasing an electrically conductive surface of the head towards the cartilage surface using the flexible portion of the instrument; wherein the part of the flexible portion enclosed by the head defines an axis substantially transverse to a longitudinal axis of the shaft and about which the head is free to pivot. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
-
-
6. A method of treating chondromalacia, comprising:
-
positioning an electrically conductive surface of a head of an instrument adjacent to a cartilage surface, the head including a substantially planar, flat non-conductive cartilage contact surface and including a portion enclosing a part of a flexible member, the part of the flexible member enclosed by the portion of the head defining an axis substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis of a shaft and about which the head is free to pivot, the flexible member having a first end and a second end, the first and second ends of the flexible member directly attached to an end of the shaft, the electrically conductive surface having at least a portion recessed in or projecting from the flat, non-conductive surface; and sliding the head across the cartilage surface. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
-
Specification