Apparatus and a method for the treatment of a prostatic disease

A prostatic treatment apparatus for treating a prostrate in a body of a patient, the prostrate generally surrounding a urethra which is connected to a bladder of the patient, the apparatus comprising:

• a urethral catheter including:
• a proximal portion having a first port and a second port each configured to be positioned external to the body of the patient;
• a distal portion having an inflatable balloon configured to be advanced via the urethra into the bladder and in fluid communication with the first port;
• and
• a lumen extending from the second port to proximate the distal portion, the lumen having a cross-sectional shape;
• an electrode assembly including:
• a shaft configured to be slidably received within lumen of the urethral catheter, the shaft having a cross-sectional shape that interlocks with the cross-sectional shape of the lumen to inhibit rotation of the shaft within the lumen, and a plurality of channels defined within the shaft, each channel having a corresponding extendable electrode disposed therein;
• a proximal portion having a collar at a proximal end of the shaft that is configured to interface with the second port when the electrode assembly is slidably received within the lumen, a flange structure protruding from the collar, and an electrode actuator proximal of the flange structure, the electrode actuator operably connected to a proximal portion of the extendable electrodes and configured to control linearly actuation of the extendable electrodes, wherein the collar and the electrode actuator are interfaced via a keyed structure to inhibit rotation of the electrode actuator relative to the collar;
• and
• an electrode tip at a distal end of the shaft and having a plurality of ports defined therein, each port interfacing with a corresponding channel in the lumen and configured to project a distal end of the corresponding extendable electrode outward through the urethral catheter and into the prostrate in response to linear actuation of the electrode actuator, the corresponding extendable electrode being extended in a predefined rotational orientation relative to the keyed structure;
• and
• a power source electrically coupled to the extendable electrodes and configured to deliver direct current to the prostrate when the extendable electrodes are extended into the prostrate to promote necrosis of the prostrate via an electrolytic reaction.