Electrosurgical working end for controlled energy delivery
AssigneeSurgRx, Inc.
InventorsCsaba Truckai, John Shadduck
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An electrosurgical working end for automatic modulation of active Rf density in a targeted tissue volume. The working end of the probe of the present invention defines a tissue-engagement surface of an elastomeric material with conductive elements that extend therethrough. In one embodiment, the expansion of the elastomeric material can de-couple the conductive elements from an interior electrode based temperature to modulate current flow. In another embodiment, the elastomeric material can couple and de-couple the conductive elements from an interior electrode based on engagement pressure to modulate current flow
Claims19
A method for controlled energy delivery to tissue, the method comprising:
- providing an electrosurgical probe having a working end comprising an internal conductor, an insulative layer and a conducive element extending through the insulative layer with one end of the element in electrical contact with the internal conductor and the other end exposed on the probe surface;
- engaging tissue at a tissue site with the working end;
- delivering Rf energy to the tissue site through the conductive element;
- and
- modulating the delivery of Rf energy to the tissue site by thermally altering a dimension of the insulative layer to move the conductive element out of or into electrical contact with the internal conductor.
A method for controlled energy delivery to tissue, the method comprising:
- providing an electrosurgical probe having a working end comprising an internal conductor, an insulative layer and a conductive element extending through the insulative layer with one end of the element in electrical contact with the internal conductor and the other end exposed on the probe surface;
- engaging tissue at a tissue site with the working end;
- delivering Rf energy to the tissue site through the conductive element;
- and
- modulating the delivery of Rf energy to the tissue site by thermally expanding and contracting the insulative layer to move the conductive element out of or into electrical contact with the internal conductor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.