Medical ablation system and method of use

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9795434-B2
Application number	US-201715418495-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 27, 2017
Priority date	Sep 28, 2011
Publication date	Oct 24, 2017
Grant date	Oct 24, 2017

Abstract

A probe for ablating tissue comprises an electrosurgical working end configured to provide a first plasma about a first surface location and a second plasma about a second surface location, the first plasma having first ablation parameters and the second plasma having second ablation parameters. The probe has a working end with a thickness below 3 mm and produces a low temperature plasma.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for ablating tissue, said method comprising:
providing an electrosurgical probe having a working end with an opening and a gap;
generating a plasma at at least one of said opening and said gap, wherein a plasma generated at the gap will have a temperature of 80° C. or below and a plasma generated at the opening will have a temperature of 100° C. or above;
generating the plasma at said gap and projecting the plasma generated at the gap outwardly through the gap; and
wherein the gap is sufficiently fluid-tight to prevent liquid flow therethrough but permit propagation of the plasma generated at the gap therethrough.

2. A method as in claim 1 wherein the gap is an annular gap formed in a dielectric body configured for the outflow of the plasma.

3. A method as in claim 2 wherein the opening is an aperture configured for the inflow of plasma.

4. A method as in claim 2 , further comprising positioning an electrode relative to the opening to control generation of plasma.

5. A method as in claim 1 wherein generating the plasma at said gap comprises producing RF current to gas flowing through the gap.

6. A method as in claim 5 wherein the RF current is generated by first and second electrodes disposed upstream of the gap.

7. A method as in claim 6 wherein the RF current is generated by a third electrode exposed to a surface near the gap.

8. A method as in claim 1 wherein the plasma generated at the gap will have a temperature of less than 70° C., 60° C., or 50° C.

9. A method as in claim 1 wherein a thickness of the working end is less than 3.0 mm, less than 2.5 mm, or less than 2.0 mm.

10. A method as in claim 1 wherein the electrosurgical probe comprises an interior chamber having the gap.

11. A method as in claim 10 further comprising coupling the interior chamber with one or more of a positive pressure source, a pressurized fluid source, or a negative pressure source.

12. A method as in claim 1 further comprising rotating the working end about an introducer of the electrosurgical probe, the introducer being coupled to the working end.

13. A method as in claim 1 further comprising flexing a distal flex portion of an introducer of the electrosurgical probe, the introducer being coupled to the working end.

14. A method as in claim 13 wherein the distal flex portion is flexed in at least one plane relative to an axis of the electrosurgical probe.

15. A method as in claim 1 further comprising locking a distal flex portion of an introducer of the electrosurgical probe from flexing.

16. A method as in claim 1 wherein the working end comprises a dielectric or non-conductive body, the dielectric or non-conductive body comprising a polymeric or ceramic material.

17. A method as in claim 1 further comprising providing an observable indicator to indicate a plasma-on or a plasma-off condition.

18. A method as in claim 17 wherein the observable indicator comprises one or more of a window exposed to the plasma at an interior of the working end or a thermochromic element exposed to the plasma at an interior of the working end.

Assignees

• Relign Corp

Inventors

• Germain Aaron
• Lesko Balazs
• Orczy-Timko Benedek

Classifications

• A61B18/042 Primary

  using additional gas becoming plasma · CPC title

• A61B18/148

  having a short, rigid shaft for accessing the inner body transcutaneously, e.g. for neurosurgery or arthroscopy · CPC title

• A61B2218/007

  Aspiration · CPC title

• A61B90/08

  Accessories or related features not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• A61B2090/064

  for measuring force, pressure or mechanical tension · CPC title