Patent US3169528A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6283961B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Apparatus for electrosurgical spine surgery
Assignee: Arthrocare Corp
•
Filing: 1999-06-03
•
Granted: 2001-09-04
•
Expires: 2019-06-03
Abstract
Abstract The present invention provides systems and methods for selectively applying electrical energy to a target location within of a patient's body, particularly including tissue in the spine. The present invention applies high frequency (RF) electrical energy to one or more electrode terminals in the presence of electrically conductive fluid to remove, contract or otherwise modify the structure of tissue structures. In one aspect of the invention, a method is provided for treating herniated discs within a patient's spine by applying sufficient electrical energy to the disc tissue to reduce a volume of the disc, thereby relieving pressure on a spinal nerve. In one embodiment, the high frequency voltage is sufficient to ablate a portion of the nucleus pulposis, either the extruded portion outside of the annulus or a portion or all of the pulposis within the annulus. In another embodiment, the electrode terminal is advanced into the annulus and sufficient high frequency voltage is applied to contract or shrink the collagen fibers within the nucleus pulposis. This causes the pulposis to shrink and withdraw from its impingement on the spinal nerve.
Inventors
- 👤 Ronald A. Underwood
- 👤 Terry S. Davison
- 👤 Hira V. Thapliyal
- 👤 Philip E. Eggers
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 03:51
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B18/00; A61B18/04; A61B18/12; A61B18/14; A61B18/148; A61B18/1206; A61B18/1402; A61B18/1482; A61B18/1485; A61B18/149; A61B18/1492; 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: 39
Claim 1
Independent Claim
135 words
An electrosurgical apparatus for treating tissue within a patient's spine comprising: a shaft having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion sized to fit within an intervertebral disc in the patient's spine; an electrode terminal on the distal end portion of the shaft; a return electrode; an insulating member positioned between the return electrode and the electrode terminal, the return electrode being sufficiently spaced from the electrode terminal to minimize direct contact between the return electrode and a body structure in or on the disc when the electrode terminal is positioned in close proximity or in partial contact with the body structure; and means for applying a high frequency voltage difference between the electrode terminal and the return electrode to reduce a volume of the disc to relieve pressure on a spinal nerve.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
135 words
An electrosurgical apparatus for treating tissue within a patient's spine comprising: a shaft having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion sized to fit within an intervertebral disc in the patient's spine; an electrode terminal on the distal end portion of the shaft; a return electrode; an insulating member positioned between the return electrode and the electrode terminal, the return electrode being sufficiently spaced from the electrode terminal to minimize direct contact between the return electrode and a body structure in or on the disc when the electrode terminal is positioned in close proximity or in partial contact with the body structure; and means for applying a high frequency voltage difference between the electrode terminal and the return electrode to reduce a volume of the disc to relieve pressure on a spinal nerve.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
33 words
The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising means for applying sufficient high frequency voltage between the electrode terminal and the return electrode to ablate a portion of the nucleus pulposis within the disc.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
33 words
The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising means for applying sufficient high frequency voltage between the electrode terminal and the return electrode to contract collagen fibers within the nucleus pulposis within the disc.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
40 words
The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a fluid delivery element defining a fluid path in electrical contact with the return electrode and the electrode terminal to generate a current flow path between the return electrode and the electrode terminal.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
44 words
The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the fluid delivery element comprises a fluid tube extending along an outer surface of the shaft, the tube having an inlet positioned proximal to the return electrode, wherein the return electrode is spaced proximally from the electrode terminal.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the fluid delivery element comprises a fluid supply instrument separate from the shaft.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the distal end portion of the shaft has a diameter less than about 2.0 mm.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the return electrode forms a portion of the shaft.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
37 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the electrode terminal comprises an electrode array disposed near the distal end portion of the shaft, the array including a plurality of electrically isolated electrode terminals disposed over a contact surface.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the electrode terminal comprises a single active electrode disposed near the distal end portion of the shaft.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a fluid aspiration element for aspirating fluid from a region around the electrode terminal.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
35 words
The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the fluid aspiration element comprises a suction lumen extending through the shaft, the suction lumen having an inlet at a distal tip of the shaft adjacent the electrode terminal.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising an aspiration electrode at or near the inlet of the suction lumen for ablating tissue fragments aspirated into the suction lumen.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
26 words
The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the aspiration electrode comprises a mesh electrode having one or more openings positioned across the inlet of the suction lumen.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the mesh electrode and the electrode terminal are electrically coupled to each other to form a single electrode.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the mesh electrode comprises a material having a different voltage potential than the electrode terminal.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
43 words
The apparatus 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 electrode terminal being disposed on the active side and being insulated from the non-active side.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the distal end portion of the shaft has a thickness from the active side to the non-active side of less than 2 mm.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an electrically insulating support member extending from the distal end portion of the shaft, the electrode terminal being mounted to the support member.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
71 words
The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the support member is an insulating wafer having a tissue treatment surface disposed at or near the distal end portion of the shaft, the insulating wafer having at least one conductive strip forming the electrode terminal, the apparatus further comprising an electrical connector extending from the conductive strip to the proximal end portion of the shaft for coupling the electrode terminal to the applying means.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus of claim 20 further comprising a plurality of conductive strips on the insulating wafer forming an array of electrically isolated terminals on the tissue treatment surface.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
39 words
The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the conductive strips are substantially linear and parallel to each other, the wafer including a plurality of ridges extending from the tissue treatment surface, and the conductive strips being formed on the ridges.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the insulating wafer comprises ceramic and the conductive strip comprises tungsten.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
152 words
An electrosurgical apparatus for treating tissue within a patient's spine comprising: a shaft having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion sized to fit within an intervertebral disc in the patient's spine; an electrode terminal on the distal end portion of the shaft; a return electrode; a fluid delivery element defining a fluid path in electrical contact with the return electrode and the electrode terminal to generate a current flow path between the return electrode and the electrode terminal, wherein the fluid delivery element comprises a fluid tube extending a long an outer surface of the shaft, the tube having an inlet positioned proximal to the return electrode, wherein the return electrode is spaced proximally from the electrode terminal; and means for applying a high frequency voltage difference between the electrode terminal and the return electrode to reduce a volume of the disc to relieve pressure on a spinal nerve.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
152 words
An electrosurgical apparatus for treating tissue within a patient's spine comprising: a shaft having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion sized to fit within an intervertebral disc in the patient's spine; an electrode terminal on the distal end portion of the shaft; a return electrode; a fluid delivery element defining a fluid path in electrical contact with the return electrode and the electrode terminal to generate a current flow path between the return electrode and the electrode terminal, wherein the fluid delivery element comprises a fluid tube extending a long an outer surface of the shaft, the tube having an inlet positioned proximal to the return electrode, wherein the return electrode is spaced proximally from the electrode terminal; and means for applying a high frequency voltage difference between the electrode terminal and the return electrode to reduce a volume of the disc to relieve pressure on a spinal nerve.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
33 words
The apparatus of claim 24 further comprising means for applying sufficient high frequency voltage between the electrode terminal and the return electrode to ablate a portion of the nucleus pulposis within the disc.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
33 words
The apparatus of claim 24 further comprising means for applying sufficient high frequency voltage between the electrode terminal and the return electrode to contract collagen fibers within the nucleus pulposis within the disc.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the distal end portion of the shaft has a diameter less than about 2.0 mm.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the return electrode forms a portion of the shaft.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
63 words
The apparatus of claim 24 further including an insulating member positioned between the return electrode and the electrode terminal, the return electrode being sufficiently spaced from the electrode terminal to minimize direct contact between the return electrode and a body structure on or in the disc when the electrode terminal is positioned in close proximity or in partial contact with the body structure.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
37 words
The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the electrode terminal comprises an electrode array disposed near the distal end portion of the shaft, the array including a plurality of electrically isolated electrode terminals disposed over a contact surface.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the electrode terminal comprises a single active electrode disposed near the distal end portion of the shaft.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus of claim 24 further comprising a fluid aspiration element for aspirating fluid from a region around the electrode terminal.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
35 words
The apparatus of claim 32 wherein the fluid aspiration element comprises a suction lumen extending through the shaft, the suction lumen having an inlet at a distal tip of the shaft adjacent the electrode terminal.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus of claim 32 further comprising an aspiration electrode at or near the inlet of the suction lumen for ablating tissue fragments aspirated into the suction lumen.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
26 words
The apparatus of claim 34 wherein the aspiration electrode comprises a mesh electrode having one or more openings positioned across the inlet of the suction lumen.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus of claim 35 wherein the mesh electrode and the electrode terminal are electrically coupled to each other to form a single electrode.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus of claim 35 wherein the mesh electrode comprises a material having a different voltage potential than the electrode terminal.
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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) | 2004-09-03 | 2005-03-05 | 2005-09-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2008-09-03 | 2009-03-05 | 2009-09-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2012-09-03 | 2013-03-05 | 2013-09-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |