Electrosurgical method and apparatus for removing tissue within a bone body

• US 8,801,705 B2
• Filed: 04/20/2010
• Issued: 08/12/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ArthroCare Corporation (Smith & Nephew PLC)
• Original Assignee: ArthroCare Corporation (Smith & Nephew PLC)
• Inventors: Sanders, Norman R., Crawford, Darren, Woloszko, Jean, Hovda, David C.
• Primary Examiner(s): PEFFLEY, MICHAEL F
• Application Number:
  US12/763,630
• Publication Number:
  US 20100204693A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,575 Days
• Field of Search: 606/41, 606 45- 50, 607101-102
• US Class Current: 606/41
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/14 Probes or electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1402 Probes for open surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/148 having a short, rigid shaft for accessing the inner body transcutaneously, e.g. for neurosurgery or arthroscopy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1482 having a long rigid shaft for accessing the inner body transcutaneously in minimal invasive surgery, e.g. laparoscopy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0016 Energy applicators arranged in a two- or three dimensional array
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00178 Electrical connectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00565 Bone
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00577 Ablation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00583 Coblation, i.e. ablation using a cold plasma
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2218/007 Aspiration

Abstract

A method for treating a bone body comprises inserting a probe having at least one active electrode into the target tissue and applying a voltage difference between an active electrode and return electrode to ablate the tissue. The method is particularly directed to removing tumors in a bone body and or removing cancellous bone in a bone body. The bone body may be a vertebral body. An apparatus includes a plurality of active electrodes and a distal section including two bends. The bends serve to prevent the active electrodes from impinging upon the shaft of an introducer needle. Also, a kit includes an electrosurgical probe, an electrosurgical generator, an introducer needle, and a fluid connector to connect the introducer needle to a fluid source such that liquid may be supplied to the target site during an application.

Claims

1. An apparatus for removing tissue within a bone body comprising:

an elongate shaft having a distal end;

at least two active electrodes arranged at or near said distal end;

a wire bundle having at least two wire conductors, said wire conductors extending at least partially through said shaft and connected to said at least two active electrodes in a one to one correspondence;

a return electrode spaced proximal to said active electrodes; and

a helically wrapped wire member around a distal section of said wire bundle to prevent a proximal section of the at least two active electrodes from spreading apart from one another in an application while allowing a degree of radial spread of a distal section of the at least two active electrodes.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said helically wrapped wire member comprises a polymeric coated metal wire.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising a polymeric tubular member arranged concentrically with said wire bundle, said polymeric tubular member being between said wire bundle and said helically wrapped wire member.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said apparatus comprises at least two bends, each bend being between 5 and 30 degrees.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of said at least two active electrodes has a cusp and an apical tip.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said at least two active electrodes form a bouquet arrangement.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a fluid connector, said fluid connector comprising a fluid ingress port configured to fluidly communicate with a fluid source, and a fluid egress port configured to fluidly communicate with an introducer needle assembly, said fluid connector also adapted to axially slide along said shaft.

8. A kit comprising:

an introducer needle for penetrating a vertebrae;

an apparatus as recited in claim 1; and

a high frequency controller in electrical communication with said apparatus.

9. The kit of claim 8 further comprising a fluid valve adapted to couple to a fluid source and to a proximal end of said introducer needle, and said valve further being slideable along said shaft.

10. The kit of claim 9 wherein said apparatus further comprises a suction lumen for aspirating materials from the target site.

11. The kit of claim 8 wherein the degree of radial spread of the at least two active electrodes is limited to not confine the at least two active electrodes by the introducer needle.