Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
169 words
An apparatus for treatment by radio frequency of a target tissue mass of a prostate of a human male having a bladder with a base and a penis with a urethra therein formed by a urethral wall extending into the base of the bladder along a longitudinal axis with the tissue of the prostate surrounding the urethra without exposing adjacent tissue mass to destructive temperatures comprising a catheter device sized for entrance into the urethra and including handle means and a stylet coupled to the handle means for delivering at least one stylet from the urethra through the urethral wall under the control of the handle means into said target tissue mass, radio frequency power delivery means connected to said at least one stylet for delivering radio frequency energy to said stylet, means for maintaining said radio frequency energy for a predetermined time sufficient to ablate said target tissue mass and means for automatically terminating the delivery of radio frequency energy when the target tissue mass has been ablated.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
169 words
An apparatus for treatment by radio frequency of a target tissue mass of a prostate of a human male having a bladder with a base and a penis with a urethra therein formed by a urethral wall extending into the base of the bladder along a longitudinal axis with the tissue of the prostate surrounding the urethra without exposing adjacent tissue mass to destructive temperatures comprising a catheter device sized for entrance into the urethra and including handle means and a stylet coupled to the handle means for delivering at least one stylet from the urethra through the urethral wall under the control of the handle means into said target tissue mass, radio frequency power delivery means connected to said at least one stylet for delivering radio frequency energy to said stylet, means for maintaining said radio frequency energy for a predetermined time sufficient to ablate said target tissue mass and means for automatically terminating the delivery of radio frequency energy when the target tissue mass has been ablated.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
33 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said radio frequency power delivery means includes a calibrated power supply calibrated based upon an impedance level normally associated with the prostate of a human male.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
75 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said means for automatically terminating the delivery of radio frequency energy includes a first temperature monitoring means connected to said radio frequency power delivery means and responsive to at least one temperature proximal to said target tissue mass during the time radio frequency power is delivered to said target tissue mass for the automatic termination of the delivery of radio frequency energy to said at least one stylet.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
52 words
An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said means for automatically terminating the delivery of radio frequency energy includes second temperature monitoring means inserted into the rectal area of the human male to monitor the temperature of a bowel of the human male during operation of said radio frequency power delivery means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
36 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said radio frequency power delivery means includes a crystal oscillator and transformer means for delivering a range of preset radio frequency power levels to said at least one stylet.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
55 words
An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said radio frequency power delivery means further includes temperature measurement circuitry connected to said first and second temperature monitoring means to cut off delivery of radio frequency energy to said at least one stylet when any one of said temperature monitoring means exceeds a respective predetermined temperature value.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
22 words
An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein each of said temperature measurement circuitry includes an isolation device and a cold junction compensator.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus according to claim 1, further including a repetition rate adjustment device connected to said radio frequency power delivery means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said power radio frequently delivery means includes means for supplying radio frequency energy at a substantially constant operator selectable energy level.