Energized corers with powered conveying

A method of performing electrosurgery on soft tissue comprising,

• delivering electromagnetic energy to adjacent tissue using a coring electrode and an internal electrode of an electrosurgical device to cut a volume of the tissue, wherein the electrosurgical device comprises an elongated body extending from a proximal portion to a distal portion and defining an internal passageway configured to convey tissue from the distal portion to the proximal portion, the coring electrode at the distal portion of the elongated body, wherein the coring electrode is positioned at an opening to the internal passageway, the opening having a diameter generally equivalent to a diameter of the internal passageway, and a powered conveyance mechanism including an auger and a helical blade positioned within the internal passageway configured to further cut the volume of the tissue and convey the volume of the tissue proximally within the internal passageway, the internal electrode positioned within the internal passageway and distal to the powered conveyance mechanism, the internal electrode coupled to at least two points of the internal passageway so as to extend across the internal passageway transverse to a longitudinal axis of the elongated body;
• and
• mechanically cutting tissue using the powered conveyance mechanism such that the auger and helical blade rotate relative to each other in opposing directions to create a shearing force that further cuts the volume of the tissue into two or more pieces.

An electrosurgical device comprising:

• an elongated body extending from a proximal portion to a distal portion and defining an internal passageway configured to convey tissue from the distal portion to the proximal portion;
• a coring electrode at the distal portion of the elongated body, wherein the coring electrode is positioned at an opening to the internal passageway, the opening having a diameter generally equivalent to a diameter of the internal passageway, and wherein the coring electrode is configured to deliver electromagnetic energy to adjacent tissue to cut a volume of the tissue as the tissue is conveyed into the internal passageway;
• an internal electrode positioned within the internal passageway and configured to deliver electromagnetic energy to the volume of the tissue to further cut or reduce a size of the volume of the tissue;
• and
• a powered conveyance mechanism including an auger and a helical blade configured to rotate relative to each other in opposing directions within the internal passageway to create a shearing force so as to further cut the volume of the tissue and convey the volume of the tissue proximally within the internal passageway,
• wherein the internal electrode is distal to the powered conveyance mechanism, and coupled to at least two points of the internal passageway so as to extend across the internal passageway transverse to a longitudinal axis of the elongated body.