Tissue extraction devices and methods
First Claim
1. A method for extracting tissue from the interior of a patient'"'"'s body, said method comprising:
- capturing a tissue volume in a distal portion of an interior passageway of an elongate probe; and
causing a phase transition in a fluid proximate to the captured tissue volume to expand the fluid to apply a proximally directed expelling force to the tissue volume.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Tissue may be cut and extracted from an interior location in a patient'"'"'s body using a probe or tool which both effects cutting and causes vaporization of a liquid or other fluid to propel the cut tissue through an extraction lumen of the cutting device. The cutting may be achieved using an electrosurgical electrode assembly, including a first electrode on a cutting member and a second electrode within a cutting probe or tool. Thus, over a first cutting portion, radio frequency current may help cut the tissue and over a second or over transition region, the RF current may initiate vaporization of the fluid or other liquid to propel the tissue from the cutting device.
81 Citations
19 Claims
-
1. A method for extracting tissue from the interior of a patient'"'"'s body, said method comprising:
-
capturing a tissue volume in a distal portion of an interior passageway of an elongate probe; and causing a phase transition in a fluid proximate to the captured tissue volume to expand the fluid to apply a proximally directed expelling force to the tissue volume. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
-
-
19. A method for extracting tissue from the interior of a patient'"'"'s body, said method comprising:
-
capturing a tissue volume in a distal portion of an interior passageway of a elongate probe; and causing a phase transition in a fluid proximate to the captured tissue volume to expand the fluid to apply a proximally directed expelling force to the tissue volume, wherein the fluid is provided from a fluid-filled space in the patient'"'"'s body.
-
Specification