US6312408B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electrosurgical probe for treating tissue in electrically conductive fluid
Assignee: Arthrocare Corp
•
Filing: 1996-12-05
•
Granted: 2001-11-06
•
Expires: 2016-12-05
Abstract
Abstract An electrosurgical probe includes a shaft having an electrode array at its distal end and a connector at its proximal end. The array includes a plurality of isolated electrode terminals, and an electrosurgical power supply is provided with a multiplicity of independently limited or controlled current sources and a connector. The electrosurgical probe and the power supply may be connected through their respective connectors so that the independent current sources are connected to individual electrode terminals. By applying very high frequency electrical energy to the electrode array, target tissue may be cut or ablated while heat dissipation through low impedence paths, such as blood and normal saline, will be minimized.
Inventors
- 👤 Philip E. Eggers
- 👤 Hira V Thapliyal
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 01:32
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B18/00; A61B18/04; A61B18/12; A61B18/1206; A61B18/14; A61B18/1402; A61B18/1482; A61B18/1485; A61B18/149; A61B18/1492; A61M; A61M25/00; A61M25/01; A61M25/0105; A61M25/0133; A61N; A61N1/00; A61N1/02; A61N1/04; A61N1/05; A61N1/40; A61N1/403; A61B18/148; 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; A61B2018/0016; A61B2018/00172; A61B2018/00178; A61B2018/00184; A61B2018/00196; A61B2018/00315; A61B2018/00345; A61B2018/00351; A61B2018/00392; A61B2018/00571; A61B2018/00577; A61B2018/00583; A61B2018/00601; A61B2018/00636; A61B2018/00642; A61B2018/0066; A61B2018/00666; A61B2018/00678; A61B2018/00696; A61B2018/00726; A61B2018/00761; A61B2018/00773; A61B2018/00791; A61B2018/00797; A61B2018/00821; A61B2018/00827; A61B2018/00875; A61B2018/00886; A61B2018/1213; A61B2018/124; A61B2018/1246; A61B2018/126; A61B2018/1273; A61B2018/1405; A61B2018/1407; A61B2018/1467; A61B2018/1472; A61B18/16; A61B2018/162; 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: 38
Claim 1
Independent Claim
157 words
An electrosurgical probe for applying electrical energy to a tissue structure at a target site, the probe comprising: a shaft having a proximal end and a distal end; an electrode terminal having a tissue treatment portion disposed at or near the distal end of the shaft; a return electrode coupled to the shaft and having an exposed fluid contact surface; at least one connector disposed near the proximal end of the shaft for electrically coupling the electrode terminal to a high frequency voltage source; and wherein the return electrode is spaced from the electrode terminal such that when the tissue treatment portion of the electrode terminal is brought adjacent a tissue structure immersed in electrically conductive fluid, the tissue treatment portion of the electrode terminal is positioned between the fluid contact surface of the return electrode and the tissue structure and the electrically conductive fluid completes a conduction path between the electrode terminal and the return electrode.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
157 words
An electrosurgical probe for applying electrical energy to a tissue structure at a target site, the probe comprising: a shaft having a proximal end and a distal end; an electrode terminal having a tissue treatment portion disposed at or near the distal end of the shaft; a return electrode coupled to the shaft and having an exposed fluid contact surface; at least one connector disposed near the proximal end of the shaft for electrically coupling the electrode terminal to a high frequency voltage source; and wherein the return electrode is spaced from the electrode terminal such that when the tissue treatment portion of the electrode terminal is brought adjacent a tissue structure immersed in electrically conductive fluid, the tissue treatment portion of the electrode terminal is positioned between the fluid contact surface of the return electrode and the tissue structure and the electrically conductive fluid completes a conduction path between the electrode terminal and the return electrode.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
38 words
The probe of claim 1 wherein the return electrode is spaced about 0.5 to 25 mm from the electrode terminal in a direction away from the tissue structure when the electrode terminal is brought adjacent a tissue structure.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
The probe of claim 1 wherein the return electrode is positioned on the shaft proximal to the electrode terminal.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
36 words
The probe of claim 1 further comprising a power limiting element coupled to the electrode terminal for limiting power to the electrode terminal based on the electrical impedance between the electrode terminal and the return electrode.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
The probe of claim 1 wherein the electrode terminal extends a distance of about 0.05 to about 1.0 mm from the shaft.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
116 words
An electrosurgical system for applying electrical energy to a tissue structure at a target site, the system comprising: a shaft having a proximal end and a distal end; an electrode terminal disposed at or near the distal end of the shaft; at least one connector disposed near the proximal end of the shaft for electrically coupling the electrode terminal to a high frequency voltage source; and means for applying high frequency voltage to the electrode terminal and a return electrode in the presence of electrically conducting fluid such that an electrical current flows from the electrode terminal, and through the target site, to the return electrode through a current flow path in the electrically conducting fluid.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
116 words
An electrosurgical system for applying electrical energy to a tissue structure at a target site, the system comprising: a shaft having a proximal end and a distal end; an electrode terminal disposed at or near the distal end of the shaft; at least one connector disposed near the proximal end of the shaft for electrically coupling the electrode terminal to a high frequency voltage source; and means for applying high frequency voltage to the electrode terminal and a return electrode in the presence of electrically conducting fluid such that an electrical current flows from the electrode terminal, and through the target site, to the return electrode through a current flow path in the electrically conducting fluid.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
The system of claim 6 wherein said applying means comprises a power supply, and a return electrode on the shaft spaced from the electrode terminal.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
The system of claim 7 wherein the electrode terminal comprises tungsten, and further comprising a ceramic insulating member between the electrode terminal and the return electrode.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
19 words
The system of claim 7 wherein the return electrode has a larger exposed surface area than the electrode terminal.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
21 words
The system of claim 7 wherein the return electrode is axially spaced about 1 to 5 mm from the electrode terminal.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
31 words
The probe of claim 1 , further comprising a temperature sensor located adjacent the electrode terminal wherein the connector also electrically couples the temperature sensor to the high frequency voltage source.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
27 words
The probe of claim 1 , wherein the electrode terminal is spaced from the shaft by a distance in the range from 0.00 mm to 3.0 mm.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
27 words
The probe of claim 1 further comprising an electrode array disposed at the distal end of the shaft, the electrode array comprising a plurality of electrode terminals.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
33 words
The probe of claim 1 , further comprising an insulating support positioned near the distal end of the probe between the return electrode and the electrode terminal and comprising an inorganic matrix material.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
22 words
The probe of claim 14 wherein the inorganic matrix material is selected from the group consisting essentially of glass, ceramic and glass/ceramic.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
22 words
The probe of claim 13 wherein the electrode array includes at least three electrically isolated terminals having substantially the same applied potential.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
22 words
The probe of claim 13 wherein the electrode array includes at least five electrically isolated terminals having substantially the same applied potential.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
60 words
The probe of claim 1 further comprising a single active electrode terminal, wherein the single active electrode terminal and the return electrode are configured to effect the electrical breakdown of tissue in the immediate vicinity of the electrode terminal when high frequency voltage is applied between the electrode terminal and the return electrode in the presence of electrically conducting fluid.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
26 words
The probe of claim 4 wherein current or voltage is limited to the electrode terminal based on impedance between the electrode terminal and the return electrode.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
31 words
The probe of claim 1 further comprising an active current limiting element coupled to the electrode terminal and comprising an impedance sensor adapted for coupling to a high frequency voltage source.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
20 words
The probe of claim 20 wherein the impedance sensor comprises means for measuring current flow for a given applied voltage.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
27 words
The probe of claim 20 wherein the impedance sensor comprises a resonant series output circuit having a resonant frequency that changes with the capacitance of the load.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
34 words
The probe of claim 1 further comprising a passive current limiting element for limiting or interrupting current flow to the electrode terminal based on the impedance between the electrode terminal and the return electrode.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
25 words
The probe of claim 23 wherein the passive current limiting element is selected from the group consisting essentially of inductors, capacitors, resistors and combinations thereof.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
33 words
The probe of claim 1 wherein the return electrode and the electrode terminal are positioned relative to each other such that the conduction path passes through the tissue structure at the target site.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
39 words
The probe of claim 1 wherein the return electrode and the electrode terminal are positioned relative to each other such that the conduction path passes directly from the electrode terminal through the electrically conductive fluid to the return electrode.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
20 words
The system of claim 7 wherein the return electrode is spaced about 0.5 to 10 mm from the electrode terminal.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
25 words
The system of claim 7 wherein the power supply applies a high frequency voltage difference in the range of about 500 to 900 volts peak-to-peak.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
20 words
The system of claim 6 wherein the electrode terminal has a contact area less than about 5 mm 2 .
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
27 words
The system of claim 6 , wherein the electrode terminal is spaced from the shaft by a distance in the range from 0.00 mm to 3.0 mm.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
27 words
The system of claim 6 further comprising an electrode array disposed at the distal end of the shaft, the electrode array comprising a plurality of electrode terminals.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
51 words
The system of claim 7 , further comprising an insulating support positioned near the distal end of the probe between the return electrode and the electrode terminal and comprising an inorganic matrix material, and wherein the inorganic matrix material is selected from the group consisting essentially of glass, ceramic and glass/ceramic.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
60 words
The system of claim 7 further comprising a single active electrode terminal, wherein the single active electrode terminal and the return electrode are configured to effect the electrical breakdown of tissue in the immediate vicinity of the electrode terminal when high frequency voltage is applied between the electrode terminal and the return electrode in the presence of electrically conducting fluid.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
28 words
The system of claim 6 wherein current or voltage is limited to the electrode terminal based on impedance between the electrode terminal and a return electrode spaced therefrom.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
33 words
The system of claim 7 wherein the return electrode and the electrode terminal are positioned relative to each other such that the conduction path passes through the tissue structure at the target site.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
39 words
The system of claim 7 wherein the return electrode and the electrode terminal are positioned relative to each other such that the conduction path passes directly from the electrode terminal through the electrically conductive fluid to the return electrode.
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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) | 2004-11-05 | 2005-05-07 | 2005-11-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2008-11-05 | 2009-05-07 | 2009-11-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2012-11-05 | 2013-05-07 | 2013-11-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |