System and method for electrosurgical tissue canalization
AssigneeArthroCare Corporation
InventorsPhilip E. Eggers, Hira V. Thapliyal
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Abstract
A method for transmyocardial revascularization of the heart of a patient comprises introducing a probe (10) into the thoracic cavity through a percutaneous penetration, a thoracotomy or a sternotomy. An active electrode surface (58) is then positioned adjacent a wall of the patient's heart, e.g., the ventricular wall. Electrically conducting liquid (50) is directed to the heart wall to provide a current flow path and high frequency voltage is applied to ablate or disintegrate tissue at the heart wall. The probe is then axially translated towards the ventricular wall to form a revascularizing channel or artificial vessel from the ventricle to the myocardium to increase blood flow therethrough.
Claims32
A method for canalizing through tissue on a target site within a patient's body comprising:
- providing a return electrode and an active electrode electrically coupled to a high frequency voltage source;
- positioning the active electrode in close proximity to the a target site on the patient's body;
- providing a current flow path between the target site and the return electrode;
- applying high frequency voltage between the active electrode and the return electrode to ablate the tissue;
- and
- axially translating the active electrode towards the tissue to form a channel through the tissue.
A method of transmyocardial revascularization of the heart of a patient comprising:
- providing a return electrode and an active electrode electrically coupled to a high frequency voltage source;
- positioning the active electrode in close proximity to the a target site on a wall of the patient's heart;
- providing a current flow path between the target site and the return electrode;
- applying high frequency voltage between the active electrode surface and return electrode to ablate tissue at the heart wall;
- and
- axially translating the active electrode towards the heart wall to form a revascularizing channel through at least a portion of the heart.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.