Electrocautery rhizotomy using wanding of energized electrocautery probe
AssigneePanacea Spine, LLC
InventorAra Deukmedjian
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A cautery probe is provided for performing a rhizotomy through an incision in the body of a patient. The probe includes a rigid shaft that can be inserted through an incision, and a distal cutting tip that can be energized and wanded across a target nerve. In embodiments, the probe also includes connectors for attaching a syringe, drawing medication into the syringe, and dispensing medication from the syringe through the probe and adjacent the cutting tip.
Claims8
A cautery probe for coupling to a radiofrequency (RF) generator comprising:
- a rigid shaft having a proximal end, a tapered distal end, a central longitudinal axis extending between the proximal and distal ends, an electrode extending through the shaft parallel to the longitudinal axis, and a fluid lumen extending through a portion of the shaft axially offset from the electrode, the fluid lumen having a proximal opening and a distal exit in the tapered distal end of the rigid shaft, the distal end of the shaft adapted to form a fluid tight seal within a Luer connector,
- a first fluid connector coupled to the shaft and in fluid communication with the proximal opening, the first fluid connector having a central axis axially offset from the longitudinal axis;
- a solid metal tip longitudinally fixed at the distal end of the shaft and coupled to the electrode, the distal exit of the fluid lumen opening adjacent the metal tip,
- the proximal end of the shaft adapted to be coupled to the RF generator to deliver RF energy from the RF generator to the metal tip,
- the tapered distal end of the shaft facilitating percutaneous insertion through an incision and into a patient.
A cautery probe system for use with a radiofrequency (RF) generator for treatment of a patient, comprising:
- a) a cautery probe including,
- a rigid shaft having a proximal end, a distal end, a longitudinal axis extending from the proximal end to the distal end, an electrode extending through the shaft parallel to the longitudinal axis, and a fluid lumen extending through at least a portion of the shaft, the fluid lumen having a proximal opening and a distal exit, the proximal end of the shaft adapted to be coupled to the RF generator to deliver RF energy from the RF generator to the metal tip;
- a first fluid connector coupled to the shaft and in fluid communication with the proximal opening, the first fluid connector having a central axis axially offset from the longitudinal axis,
- a metal tip at the distal end of the shaft and coupled to the electrode, the distal exit of the fluid lumen opening at or adjacent the cutting tip;
- b) a vial adapter, including,
- a receiver adapted to be removably engaged to the distal end of the shaft, and
- a needle extending from in and fluid communication with the receiver;
- and
- c) a syringe having a second fluid connector that is adapted to mate with the first fluid connector.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.