US5527331A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method for prostatic tissue resection
Assignee: FemRx Inc
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Filing: 1995-09-15
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Granted: 1996-06-18
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Expires: 2015-09-15
Abstract
Abstract A tissue resection device for preferred use in an organ inflated with non-conductive optically transparent fluid under pressure is disclosed. The instrument includes a rigid shaft having a proximal end, a distal end, and defining a perfusion lumen extending therebetween. At its distal end, the shaft is provided with a rounded blunt end having an elongate aperture exposing the lumen near the distal end. A drive tube is rotatably disposed within the shaft lumen and has a proximal end, a distal end, and a drive tube aspiration lumen extending therebetween. A cutting head is mounted on the distal end of the drive tube and has a laterally disposed cutting edge which can resection either by conventional cutting or electrocautery. This laterally disposed cutting edge is communicated to an internal passage between the cutting edge and the aspiration lumen of the drive tube so that tissue severed as the cutting head is rotated may be drawn directly into the aspiration lumen. A housing attached to the proximal end of the shaft. Preferably, a DC motor in the housing is connected to rotate the drive tube and thus the laterally disposed cutting head. Connection is provided on the housing for connecting the perfusion shaft lumen to a perfusion source and the aspiration lumen to an aspiration source. Preferably, an optic fiber provides an optical view of surgery while a proximally mounted and laterally exposed ultrasound transducer is disposed with a solid angle of interrogation including the surgical site.
Inventors
- 👤 Arnold J. Kresch
- 👤 Donald L. Alden
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-22 21:57
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B18/00; A61B18/04; A61B18/12; A61B18/14; A61B18/1485; A61B17/00; A61B17/32; A61B17/320016; A61B17/32002; A61B10/00; A61B10/02; A61B18/1482; A61B18/1487; A61B2017/00017; A61B2017/00022; A61B2017/00106; A61B17/42; A61B2017/4216; A61B2018/00053; A61B2018/00184; A61B2018/00202; A61B2018/00208; A61B2018/00315; A61B2018/00559; A61B18/1206; A61B2018/1246; A61B2018/1253; A61B2018/1472; A61B18/18; A61B18/1815; A61B2018/1861; A61B90/00; A61B90/06; A61B2090/062; A61B2090/064; A61B90/30; A61B2090/306; A61B90/36; A61B90/37; A61B2090/378; A61B2090/3782; A61B2090/3784; A61B2217/00; A61B2217/002; A61B2217/005; A61B2217/007; A61M; A61M1/00; A61M1/84; A61M1/85
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 26
Claim 1
Independent Claim
173 words
A method for resecting prostatic tissue, said method comprising: providing a probe defining a lumen and having a distal end open at an elongate slot; providing a rotatable cutting head having laterally disposed cutting edges relative to an axis along the lumen of the probe, the cutting head having a dimension sufficient to fit into and through said lumen of said probe, said cutting head having means for directing tissue resected by said cutting edges into said lumen; providing a tube attached to said rotatable cutting head so that said cutting head is disposed at said elongate aperture; inserting said probe within a urethra with said elongate slot confronted to a surgical site; rotating the tube to rotate said cutting head in contact with prostatic tissue to be resected; perfusing the surgical site with perfusion fluid and aspirating the surgical site through said lumen to draw resected prostatic tissue from said surgical site; and applying radio frequency energy to the cutting head as it is rotated at a frequency selected to enhance cutting.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
173 words
A method for resecting prostatic tissue, said method comprising: providing a probe defining a lumen and having a distal end open at an elongate slot; providing a rotatable cutting head having laterally disposed cutting edges relative to an axis along the lumen of the probe, the cutting head having a dimension sufficient to fit into and through said lumen of said probe, said cutting head having means for directing tissue resected by said cutting edges into said lumen; providing a tube attached to said rotatable cutting head so that said cutting head is disposed at said elongate aperture; inserting said probe within a urethra with said elongate slot confronted to a surgical site; rotating the tube to rotate said cutting head in contact with prostatic tissue to be resected; perfusing the surgical site with perfusion fluid and aspirating the surgical site through said lumen to draw resected prostatic tissue from said surgical site; and applying radio frequency energy to the cutting head as it is rotated at a frequency selected to enhance cutting.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method as in claim 1, including the step of applying radio frequency energy to the cutting head at a frequency selected to enhance coagulation.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method as in claim 1, including the steps of reversing the rotation of the cutting head while the radio frequency energy is applied to cauterize with said cutting head.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method as in claim 1, further comprising optically viewing the prostatic tissue to be resected while contacting with the cutting head.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
35 words
A method as in claim 1, further comprising providing a sound transducer on said cutting head; and, ultrasonically viewing the prostatic tissue through said sound transducer to determine depth of prostatic tissue to be resected.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method as in claim 1, further comprising the steps of: aspirating a perfusion fluid from said surgical site through a tube attached to said cutting head.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method as in claim 1, including the steps of: perfusing said surgical site through said probe.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
261 words
A method of inserting for surgery a resectoscope for operating on prostatic tissue at a surgical site in a perfused urethra of a human comprising the steps of: providing a probe having a distal and proximal end and defining a lumen therebetween, said distal end of said probe including an elongate slot adjacent a blunt end; providing an obturator for occupying said probe at said slot for enabling insertion of said probe to said urethra in said human; placing said obturator in said probe from said proximal end to occupy said elongate slot and inserting said probe to said urethra in said human body; withdrawing said obturator from said probe through the proximal end of said inserted probe; perfusing said urethra with fluid through said lumen in said probe; providing a rotatable member having a cutting head mounted on the distal end thereof and a proximal end adapted to be rotated, said cutting head and rotating member having a dimension less than the lumen of said probe; inserting said cutting head and said rotating member to said lumen at said proximal end of said probe to protrude said cutting head from said probe at said slot at said distal end of said probe; providing an optical fiber for visualizing said cutting head; inserting said fiber along said lumen to visualize said cutting head in said probe at said slot at said distal end of said probe; and, rotating said cutting head from said rotatable member at the distal end of said probe during said visualization for operating at said surgical site.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
261 words
A method of inserting for surgery a resectoscope for operating on prostatic tissue at a surgical site in a perfused urethra of a human comprising the steps of: providing a probe having a distal and proximal end and defining a lumen therebetween, said distal end of said probe including an elongate slot adjacent a blunt end; providing an obturator for occupying said probe at said slot for enabling insertion of said probe to said urethra in said human; placing said obturator in said probe from said proximal end to occupy said elongate slot and inserting said probe to said urethra in said human body; withdrawing said obturator from said probe through the proximal end of said inserted probe; perfusing said urethra with fluid through said lumen in said probe; providing a rotatable member having a cutting head mounted on the distal end thereof and a proximal end adapted to be rotated, said cutting head and rotating member having a dimension less than the lumen of said probe; inserting said cutting head and said rotating member to said lumen at said proximal end of said probe to protrude said cutting head from said probe at said slot at said distal end of said probe; providing an optical fiber for visualizing said cutting head; inserting said fiber along said lumen to visualize said cutting head in said probe at said slot at said distal end of said probe; and, rotating said cutting head from said rotatable member at the distal end of said probe during said visualization for operating at said surgical site.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
52 words
A method of inserting for surgery a resectoscope according to claim 8 further comprising: providing a lumen in said rotatable member between the distal end of said member adjacent said cutting head and the proximal end of said member; and, aspirating said perfused surgical site through said lumen in said rotatable member.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
45 words
A method of inserting for surgery a resectoscope according to claim 8 further comprising: perfusing said cavity with a substantially non-conductive fluid; providing an electrical path in said rotatable member to said cutting head; and, supplying electrical energy sufficient for cautery to said cutting head.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
65 words
A method of inserting for surgery a resectoscope according to claim 8 and further including: providing an acoustical transducer in said cutting head having sufficient dimension to fit within said lumen of said probe from said proximal end to said distal end; and, sending and receiving sound at said acoustical transducer during said rotation of said cutting head for acoustical examination of said surgical site.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
51 words
A method for resecting prostatic tissue from the urethra, the method comprising: removing prostatic tissue from the urethra by applying a cutter or radio frequency to the prostatic tissue; viewing depth of tissue resection in the urethra while removing the prostatic tissue; and evacuating the removed prostatic tissue from the urethra.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
51 words
A method for resecting prostatic tissue from the urethra, the method comprising: removing prostatic tissue from the urethra by applying a cutter or radio frequency to the prostatic tissue; viewing depth of tissue resection in the urethra while removing the prostatic tissue; and evacuating the removed prostatic tissue from the urethra.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
168 words
A method for resecting prostatic tissue, said method comprising: providing a probe defining a lumen and having a distal end open at an elongate slot; providing a rotatable cutting head having laterally disposed cutting edges relative to an axis along the lumen of the probe, the cutting head having a dimension sufficient to fit into and through said lumen of said probe, said cutting head having means for directing tissue resected by said cutting edges into said lumen; providing a tube attached to said rotatable cutting head so that said cutting head is disposed at said elongate aperture; inserting said probe within a urethra with said elongate slot confronted to a surgical site; rotating the tube to rotate said cutting head in contact with prostatic tissue to be resected; perfusing the surgical site with perfusion fluid and aspirating the surgical site through said lumen to draw resected tissue from said surgical site; and applying radio frequency energy to the cutting head at a frequency selected to enhance coagulation.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
168 words
A method for resecting prostatic tissue, said method comprising: providing a probe defining a lumen and having a distal end open at an elongate slot; providing a rotatable cutting head having laterally disposed cutting edges relative to an axis along the lumen of the probe, the cutting head having a dimension sufficient to fit into and through said lumen of said probe, said cutting head having means for directing tissue resected by said cutting edges into said lumen; providing a tube attached to said rotatable cutting head so that said cutting head is disposed at said elongate aperture; inserting said probe within a urethra with said elongate slot confronted to a surgical site; rotating the tube to rotate said cutting head in contact with prostatic tissue to be resected; perfusing the surgical site with perfusion fluid and aspirating the surgical site through said lumen to draw resected tissue from said surgical site; and applying radio frequency energy to the cutting head at a frequency selected to enhance coagulation.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
166 words
A method for resecting prostatic tissue, said method comprising: providing a probe defining a lumen and having a distal end open at an elongate slot; providing a rotatable cutting head having laterally disposed cutting edges relative to an axis along the lumen of the probe, the cutting head having a dimension sufficient to fit into and through said lumen of said probe, said cutting head having means for directing tissue resected by said cutting edges into said lumen; providing a tube attached to said rotatable cutting head so that said cutting head is disposed at said elongate aperture; inserting said probe within a urethra with said elongate slot confronted to a surgical site; rotating the tube to rotate said cutting head in contact with prostatic tissue to be resected; perfusing the surgical site with perfusion fluid and aspirating the surgical site through said lumen to draw resected tissue from said surgical site; and optically viewing the tissue to be resected while contacting with the cutting head.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
166 words
A method for resecting prostatic tissue, said method comprising: providing a probe defining a lumen and having a distal end open at an elongate slot; providing a rotatable cutting head having laterally disposed cutting edges relative to an axis along the lumen of the probe, the cutting head having a dimension sufficient to fit into and through said lumen of said probe, said cutting head having means for directing tissue resected by said cutting edges into said lumen; providing a tube attached to said rotatable cutting head so that said cutting head is disposed at said elongate aperture; inserting said probe within a urethra with said elongate slot confronted to a surgical site; rotating the tube to rotate said cutting head in contact with prostatic tissue to be resected; perfusing the surgical site with perfusion fluid and aspirating the surgical site through said lumen to draw resected tissue from said surgical site; and optically viewing the tissue to be resected while contacting with the cutting head.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method as in claim 12, wherein the removing step comprises translating a cutting member through prostatic tissue to form a strip of tissue.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method as in claim 15, wherein the evacuating step comprises chopping the strip of tissue into morsels and aspirating the morsels from the urethra.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method as in claim 16, wherein the cutting member is translated longitudinally within the urethra.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method as in claim 17, wherein the chopping step comprises rotating a cutting head having a laterally disposed cutting edge.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
91 words
A method for resecting prostatic tissue from the urethra, the method comprising: removing prostatic tissue from the urethra by longitudinally translating an electrosurgical cutting member through the prostatic tissue to form a strip of tissue, the cutting member being disposed on a probe; monitoring depth of tissue resection from the probe while removing the prostatic tissue; and evacuating the removed prostatic tissue by rotating a cutting head of the probe to chop the strip of tissue into morsels and aspirating the morsels from the urethra through a lumen of the probe.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
91 words
A method for resecting prostatic tissue from the urethra, the method comprising: removing prostatic tissue from the urethra by longitudinally translating an electrosurgical cutting member through the prostatic tissue to form a strip of tissue, the cutting member being disposed on a probe; monitoring depth of tissue resection from the probe while removing the prostatic tissue; and evacuating the removed prostatic tissue by rotating a cutting head of the probe to chop the strip of tissue into morsels and aspirating the morsels from the urethra through a lumen of the probe.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method as in claim 19, further comprising directing the strips of tissue toward the cutting head with an at least partially electrically conductive structure, and electrically energizing the structure for electrocautery.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1999-06-18 | 1999-12-18 | 2000-06-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2003-06-18 | 2003-12-18 | 2004-06-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2007-06-18 | 2007-12-18 | 2008-06-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |