Apparatus and methods for minimally invasive dissection and modification of tissues
OwnerPaul Joseph Weberinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Tissue modification instruments. In some embodiments, the instrument may comprise a shaft extending along an axis. A tissue treatment tip may be positioned at a distal end of the shaft. The tissue treatment tip may comprise one or more energy delivery elements configured to deliver tissue-modification energy. The tissue treatment tip may comprise a non-branching tip that extends away from the axis to define a tissue treatment region that is wider than a width of the shaft. The tissue treatment tip may comprise a terminal end, which may be positioned at the distal end of the instrument in some embodiments or may be positioned proximal of the distal end of the instrument.
Claims20
A tissue modification instrument for delivery of tissue-modification energy during a surgical procedure, comprising:
- a shaft extending along an axis;
- a tissue treatment tip at a distal end of the shaft, the tissue treatment tip comprising one or more energy delivery elements, and the tissue treatment tip comprising at least one configuration to define a tissue treatment region that is wider than a width of the shaft selected from the group of:
- (a) one or more bends that extend the tissue treatment tip away from the axis and one or more bends that extend the tissue treatment tip toward the axis;
- and
- (b) one or more bends that extend the tissue treatment tip only away from the axis;
- wherein the tissue treatment tip comprises a terminal free end;
- wherein the instrument defines a treatment plane extending through the one or more bends of the tissue treatment tip, and the one or more energy delivery elements are configured to deliver energy in a direction substantially perpendicular to the treatment plane;
- and
- wherein a space is defined between said terminal free end and another portion of the tissue modification instrument, the space allowing the tissue treatment tip to be inserted into an incision that is narrower than the width of the tissue treatment region, and the space further allowing the tissue treatment tip to be snaked at different angles through the incision while the tissue treatment tip is advanced into the incision.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.