Patent US5902272A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5902272A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Planar ablation probe and method for electrosurgical cutting and ablation
Assignee: Arthrocare Corp
•
Filing: 1996-07-16
•
Granted: 1999-05-11
•
Expires: 2016-07-16
Abstract
Abstract An electrosurgical ablation probe is provided having a shaft with a proximal end portion and a tongue-shaped distal end portion sized to fit within confined (e.g., narrow) spaces within the patient's body, such as the spaces around the articular cartilage between the femur and tibia and the spaces between adjacent vertebrae in the patient's spine. The probe includes at least one active electrode integral with or coupled to the tongue-shaped distal end portion and a connector on the proximal end portion for coupling the active electrode to an electrosurgical generator. The tongue-shaped distal end portion is substantially planar, and it offers a low profile, to allow access to confined spaces without risking iatrogenic injury to surrounding tissue, such as articular cartilage.
Inventors
- 👤 Philip E. Eggers
- 👤 Hira V. Thapliyal
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 17:58
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B18/00; A61B18/04; A61B18/12; A61B18/14; A61B18/1492; A61B18/1206; A61B18/1402; A61B18/148; A61B18/1482; A61B18/1485; A61B18/149; A61M; A61M25/00; A61M25/01; A61M25/0105; A61M25/0133; A61B17/00; A61B2017/00017; A61B2017/00022; A61B2017/00026; A61B2017/00084; A61B2017/00092; A61B2017/00097; A61B2017/00101; A61B17/00234; A61B2017/00238; A61B2017/00243; A61B2017/00247; A61B2017/00292; A61B2017/003; A61B17/22; A61B2017/22001; A61B2017/22038; A61B2018/00005; A61B2018/00011; A61B2018/00029; A61B2018/00053; A61B2018/00059; A61B2018/00071; A61B2018/00083; A61B2018/00107; A61B2018/00119; A61B2018/0016; A61B2018/00172; A61B2018/00178; A61B2018/00184; A61B2018/00196; A61B2018/00315; A61B2018/00321; A61B2018/00327; A61B2018/00345; A61B2018/00351; A61B2018/00392; A61B2018/00434; A61B2018/00505; A61B2018/00571; A61B2018/00577; A61B2018/00583; A61B2018/00636; A61B2018/00642; A61B2018/0066; A61B2018/00666; A61B2018/00678; A61B2018/00696; A61B2018/00702; A61B2018/00726; A61B2018/00761; A61B2018/00773; A61B2018/00791; A61B2018/00797; A61B2018/00821; A61B2018/00827; A61B2018/00875; A61B2018/00886; A61B2018/1213; A61B2018/124; A61B2018/1246; A61B2018/1253; A61B2018/126; A61B2018/1273; A61B2018/1467; A61B2018/1472; A61B2018/1497; A61B18/16; A61B2018/162; A61B2018/165; A61B90/00; A61B90/36; A61B90/37; A61B2090/378; A61B2218/00; A61B2218/001; A61B2218/002; A61B2218/007; A61F; A61F2/00; A61F2/02; A61F2/24; A61F2/2493; A61M25/0147; A61M25/0158
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
167 words
An electrosurgical system for use with a high frequency power supply, the system comprising: an electrosurgical probe comprising a shaft having inner and outer surfaces, a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, one or more active electrodes each having an elongate body disposed at the distal end portion of the shaft, and a connector near the proximal end of the shaft for electrically coupling the active electrodes to the electrosurgical power supply, the distal end portion having a substantially narrow body sized to fit within a confined space within the patient's body; a return electrode on the shaft proximally spaced from the distal end portion to generate a current flow path between the active electrodes and the return electrode; and an electrically conducting fluid supply, the shaft defining a fluid path coupled to the electrically conducting fluid supply and in electrical contact with and between the return electrode and the active electrodes for generating a current flow path between the return electrode and active electrodes.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
167 words
An electrosurgical system for use with a high frequency power supply, the system comprising: an electrosurgical probe comprising a shaft having inner and outer surfaces, a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, one or more active electrodes each having an elongate body disposed at the distal end portion of the shaft, and a connector near the proximal end of the shaft for electrically coupling the active electrodes to the electrosurgical power supply, the distal end portion having a substantially narrow body sized to fit within a confined space within the patient's body; a return electrode on the shaft proximally spaced from the distal end portion to generate a current flow path between the active electrodes and the return electrode; and an electrically conducting fluid supply, the shaft defining a fluid path coupled to the electrically conducting fluid supply and in electrical contact with and between the return electrode and the active electrodes for generating a current flow path between the return electrode and active electrodes.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
50 words
The system of claim 1 wherein the active electrodes each have an active portion with a surface geometry configured to promote substantially high electric field intensities and associated electric field intensities between the active portion and the target site when a high frequency voltage is applied to the active electrodes.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
43 words
The system of claim 1 wherein the distal end portion of the shaft has an active side and a substantially planar non-active side opposing the active side, the active electrodes being disposed on the active side and being insulated from the non-active side.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
The system of claim 1 wherein the distal end portion has a thickness from the active side to the non-active side of less than 2 mm.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
105 words
A method for applying electrical energy to a target site within a confined space in a patient's body, the method comprising: introducing one or more active electrodes into a narrow, confined space within the patient's body to at least close proximity with the target site in the presence of electrically conductive fluid, the space having a minimum dimension of about 0.5 to 5.0 mm; and applying a high frequency voltage difference between the active electrodes and a return electrode such that an electrical current flows from the active electrodes, through the body structure in the region of the target site, and to the return electrode.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
105 words
A method for applying electrical energy to a target site within a confined space in a patient's body, the method comprising: introducing one or more active electrodes into a narrow, confined space within the patient's body to at least close proximity with the target site in the presence of electrically conductive fluid, the space having a minimum dimension of about 0.5 to 5.0 mm; and applying a high frequency voltage difference between the active electrodes and a return electrode such that an electrical current flows from the active electrodes, through the body structure in the region of the target site, and to the return electrode.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 5 wherein the active electrodes are introduced into spaces between articular cartilage and the meniscus between the tibia and the femur to access meniscal tissue at the meniscus/tibial plateau interface.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 5 wherein the active electrodes are introduced into spaces between intervertebral disks in the spine.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method of claim 5 wherein the active electrodes are disposed on an active side of a distal end portion of a shaft, the method further comprising insulating the active electrodes from an opposing non-active side of the distal end portion of the shaft.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 8 further comprising supporting the active electrodes with a tongue-shaped support member on the distal end portion of the shaft and insulating the active electrodes from the support member.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 5 further comprising positioning the return electrode within the electrically conducting fluid to generate a current flow path between the active electrodes and the return electrode.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 10 wherein the return electrode is on the shaft proximal to the active electrodes.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method of claim 5 wherein the active electrodes comprise an array of independent, isolated electrodes, the method further comprising independently controlling current flow from at least two of the electrodes based on impedance between the electrode and the return electrode.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 5 further comprising promoting substantially high, localized electric field intensities between an active portion of the active electrodes and the tissue.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 13 wherein the active portion of each active electrode has one or more edges for promoting localized electric fields around the edges.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 14 wherein the active portion of each active electrode defines a semi-circular transverse cross-sectional shape with first and second ends and an inner slot therebetween.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 10 further comprising vaporizing the electrically conducting fluid in a thin layer over at least a portion of the active electrode and inducing the discharge of energy from the vapor layer.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 16 further comprising imparting sufficient energy into the target site to ablate several cell layers of the body structure without causing substantial tissue necrosis beyond the several cell layers.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4033351A
Cited
US4043342A
Cited
US4116198A
Cited
US4184492A
Cited
US4040426A
Cited
US4092986A
Cited
US4202337A
Cited
US4228800A
Cited
US4326529A
Cited
US4240441A
Cited
US4248231A
Cited
US4532924A
Cited
US4674499A
Cited
US4476862A
Cited
US4381007A
Cited
US4548207A
Cited
US4593691A
Cited
US4567890A
Cited
US4682596A
Cited
US4706667A
Cited
US5334183A
Cited
US5057106A
Cited
US4813429A
Cited
US4823791A
Cited
US4936301A
Cited
US4943290A
Cited
US4931047A
Cited
US4969885A
Cited
US4860752A
Cited
US5108391A
Cited
US4998933A
Cited
US4967765A
Cited
US5249585A
Cited
US4896671A
Cited
US5112330A
Cited
US4979948A
Cited
US4976711A
Cited
US5078717A
Cited
US5125928A
Cited
US5098431A
Cited
US5009656A
Cited
US5007908A
Cited
US5035696A
Cited
US5217457A
Cited
US5080660A
Cited
US5380277A
Cited
US5334140A
Cited
US5324254A
Cited
US5122138A
Cited
US5267997A
Cited
US5195959A
Cited
US5190517A
Cited
US5330470A
Cited
US5273524A
Cited
US5697281A
Cited
US5395312A
Cited
US5290286A
Cited
US5192280A
Cited
US5197963A
Cited
US5423882A
Cited
US5681282A
Cited
US5683366A
Cited
US5697536A
Cited
US5697909A
Cited
US5697882A
Cited
US5267994A
Cited
US5281216A
Cited
WO1993020747A1
Cited
US5318564A
Cited
US5277201A
Cited
US5281218A
Cited
US5176528A
Cited
US5290282A
Cited
US5500012A
Cited
US5300069A
Cited
WO1994004220A1
Cited
US5470309A
Cited
US5370675A
Cited
US5336220A
Cited
WO1994008654A2
Cited
US5314406A
Cited
US5312400A
Cited
US5383876A
Cited
US5342357A
Cited
US5417687A
Cited
US5766153A
Cited
WO1994026228A1
Cited
US5441499A
Cited
US5487385A
Cited
US5569242A
Cited
WO1995034259A1
Cited
US5647869A
Cited
US5609151A
Cited
US5725524A
Cited
EP0703461A2
Cited
WO1996023449A1
Cited
EP0740926A2
Cited
EP0754437A2
Cited
WO1997000646A1
Cited
WO1997000647A1
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-05-10 | 2002-11-09 | 2003-05-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-05-10 | 2006-11-09 | 2007-05-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-05-10 | 2010-11-09 | 2011-05-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |