Electrosurgical Device and Methods

• US 20130041369A1
• Filed: 04/15/2011
• Published: 02/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyphon SARL (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Baylis Medical Company
• Inventors: Godara, Neil, Woo, Jason, Won, Emily
• Granted Patent: US 9,173,700 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/34
• 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 18/1485 having a short rigid shaft for accessing the inner body through natural openings
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00005 Cooling or heating of the probe or tissue immediately surrounding the probe
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00023 closed, i.e. without wound contact by the fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0044 Spinal cord
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00565 Bone
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00577 Ablation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00791 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00797 measured by multiple temperature sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/126 bipolar

Abstract

An electrosurgical probe with internal cooling for use in systems and methods for lesioning in bone and other tissue is disclosed. The probe includes tubular electrodes configured such that the inner surface of the lesioning electrodes are cooled, directly or indirectly, while keeping the electrodes electrically isolated. One embodiment includes an electrosurgical probe having at least two electrically isolated electrical conductors, including an inner electrical conductor and an outer electrical conductor. The inner electrical conductor defines a lumen for the circulation of a cooling fluid therein. An inner electrical insulator is disposed between the electrical conductors to electrically isolate the electrical conductors. The electrical insulator has sufficient thermal conductivity to allow for cooling of the inner and outer electrical conductors when the cooling fluid is circulating within the lumen of the inner electrical conductor. In this way, cooling of both electrodes is achieved while avoiding direct contact of the cooling fluid with one of the electrodes.

Claims

1. An electrosurgical probe comprising at least two electrically isolated electrical conductors and a lumen for circulating a cooling fluid within only one of said at least two electrically isolated electrical conductors.

2. The probe of claim 1, wherein the at least two electrically isolated electrical conductors comprise an inner electrical conductor and an outer electrical conductor, the inner electrical conductor defining a lumen for circulation of a cooling fluid therein;

and the probe further comprising an inner electrical insulator disposed substantially between the electrical conductors for electrically isolating the electrical conductors, the electrical insulator having sufficient thermal conductivity to allow for cooling of the outer electrical conductor when the cooling fluid is circulating within the lumen of the inner electrical conductor.

3. The probe of claim 2, further comprising an outer electrical insulator disposed on the outer electrical conductor wherein a distal portion of the inner conductor is exposed to define a distal electrode and a distal portion of the outer conductor is exposed to define a proximal electrode and wherein the inner electrical insulator is exposed beyond a distal edge of the proximal electrode to define an exposed inner electrical insulator.

5. The probe of claim 3, wherein the inner electrical conductor is disposed coaxially within the outer electrical conductor.

6. The probe of claim 5, wherein the inner electrical conductor comprises a closed distal end and a fluid inlet tube in fluid communication with the inner electrical conductor lumen for supplying the cooling fluid and a fluid outlet tube in fluid communication with the inner electrical conductor lumen to allow the cooling fluid to exit the inner electrical conductor lumen.

9. The probe of claim 3 further comprising a first temperature sensor protruding from a surface of the distal electrode for enhancing isolation of the first temperature sensor from the cooling fluid circulating within the inner conductor lumen.

13. The probe of claim 9 further comprising a second temperature sensor, wherein the first temperature sensor is proximate the distal electrode and the second temperature sensor is proximate the proximal electrode.

15. The probe of claim 3 wherein, in use, the cooling fluid circulating within the inner electrical conductor lumen contacts a portion of an inner surface of the inner electrical conductor for direct cooling of the inner electrical conductor and wherein the cooling fluid circulating within the inner electrical conductor lumen indirectly cools the outer electrical conductor via the inner electrical insulator.

20. The probe of claim 15 wherein an inner surface of the outer electrical conductor that is indirectly cooled by the cooling fluid has a surface area larger than an outer surface of the proximal electrode.

23. The probe of claim 3 wherein a fluid outlet tube extends along a majority of a length of the inner electrical conductor lumen and wherein a distal end of a fluid inlet tube is substantially longitudinally aligned with the proximal electrode.

27. The probe of claim 3 wherein the distal electrode, the exposed inner electrical insulator, and the proximal electrode have a length ratio of about 1:

1;

1.

29. The probe of claim 3 wherein the distal electrode, the exposed inner electrical insulator, and the proximal electrode have a length ratio of about 2:

1;

2.

31. The probe of claim 3 wherein the distal electrode, the exposed inner electrical insulator, and the proximal electrode have a length ratio of about 7:

6;

7.

4. (canceled)

7-8. -8. (canceled)

10-12. -12. (canceled)

14. (canceled)

16-19. -19. (canceled)

21-22. -22. (canceled)

24-26. -26. (canceled)

28. (canceled)

30. (canceled)

32. (canceled)

33. An electrosurgical probe comprising:

a distal electrical conductor defining a distal electrode with a closed distal end and a proximal electrical conductor defining a proximal electrode, the distal electrode longitudinally spaced apart and electrically isolated from the proximal electrode by a distal electrical insulator;

the distal electrode having a closed proximal end formed by a distal face of the distal electrical insulator to thereby define a closed distal lumen for circulating a cooling fluid; and

the proximal electrode having a closed distal end formed by a proximal face of the distal electrical insulator and a closed proximal end formed by a distal face of a proximal electrical insulator to thereby define a closed proximal lumen for circulating a cooling fluid.

34. The probe of claim 33 further comprising a first fluid inlet tube for supplying the distal lumen and a first fluid outlet tube for exit of fluid therefrom and a second fluid inlet tube for supplying the proximal lumen and a second fluid outlet tube for exit of fluid therefrom.

35. The probe of claim 33 wherein the distal and proximal electrical conductors are elongated and wherein diameters of the distal electrode and the proximal electrode are substantially equal.

37. The probe of claim 33 further comprising a first temperature sensor protruding from a surface of the distal electrode for enhancing isolation of the first temperature sensor from the cooling fluid circulating within the distal lumen.

41. The probe of claim 37 further comprising a second temperature sensor, wherein the first temperature sensor is proximate the distal electrode and the second temperature sensor is proximate the proximal electrode.

43. The probe of claim 34 wherein, in use, the cooling fluid circulating within the distal lumen contacts a portion of an inner surface of the distal electrical conductor for direct cooling of the distal electrical conductor and wherein the cooling fluid circulating within the proximal lumen contacts a portion of an inner surface of the proximal electrical conductor for direct cooling of the proximal electrical conductor.

36. (canceled)

38-40. -40. (canceled)

42. (canceled)

44-49. -49. (canceled)

50. An electrosurgical system comprising:

an electrosurgical generator;

a source of cooling fluid; and

at least one electrosurgical probe comprising;

at least two electrically isolated electrical conductors, comprising an inner electrical conductor and an outer electrical conductor, an inner one of the electrical conductors defining a lumen for circulation of a cooling fluid therein; and

an inner electrical insulator disposed between the inner and outer electrical conductors for electrically isolating the electrical conductors;

the inner electrical insulator having sufficient thermal conductivity to allow for cooling of the outer electrical conductor when the cooling fluid is circulating within the lumen of the inner electrical conductor;

wherein the at least one electrosurgical probe is operable to be connected to the generator for delivering energy between the inner electrical conductor and the outer electrical conductor in a bipolar manner; and

wherein the source of cooling fluid is operably coupled to the at least one electrosurgical probe for delivering fluid into the lumen for cooling the inner and outer electrical conductors.

51. The system of claim 50 wherein a distal portion of the inner electrical conductor is exposed to define a distal electrode and wherein a distal portion of the outer electrical conductor is exposed to define a proximal electrode.

52. The system of claim 51, wherein the at least one electrosurgical probe further comprises a first temperature sensor and a second temperature sensor, the first temperature sensor being located proximate the distal electrode and the second temperature sensor being located proximate the proximal electrode, and wherein the electrosurgical generator comprises a controller for monitoring at least one of the first and second temperature sensors and adjusting the energy delivered based on one or more of the sensed temperatures.

55. The system of claim 50 wherein the electrosurgical generator is operable to deliver radiofrequency energy.

53-54. -54. (canceled)

56-118. -118. (canceled)