Methods and systems for spinal radio frequency neurotomy

Abstract

Methods and systems for spinal radio frequency neurotomy. Systems include needles capable of applying RF energy to target volumes within a patient. Such target volumes may contain target medial branch nerves along vertebrae or rami proximate the sacrum. Such procedures may be used to ablate or cauterize a portion of the targeted nerve, thus blocking the ability of the nerve to transmit signals to the central nervous system. Disclosed needles may be operable to asymmetrically, relative to a central longitudinal axis of the needle, apply RF energy. Such asymmetry facilitates procedures where a tip of the needle is placed proximate to anatomical structures for location verification. Then RF energy may be applied in a selectable direction relative to the needle tip to ablate volumes that include the targeted medial branch nerves or rami, thus denervating facet joints or the sacroiliac joint, respectively, to relieve pain in a patient.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61 / 280,557, filed Nov. 5, 2009, and U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61 / 347,351, filed May 21, 2010, both of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention relates to thermal ablation systems and methods and, more specifically, to improved systems and methods for performing Radio Frequency (RF) neurotomy. The invention is particularly apt for spinal RF neurotomy procedures.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]Thermal ablation involves the creation of temperature changes sufficient to produce necrosis in a specific volume of tissue within a patient. The target volume may be, for example, a nerve or tumor. A significant challenge in ablation therapy is to provide adequate treatment to the targeted tissue while sparing the surrounding structures from injury.[0004]RF ablation uses electrical energy transmitt...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0016]The described invention overcomes this obstacle and expands the effective area of RF energy delivery by increasing the overall active tip surface area from which the RF energy emanates. The use of multiple filaments provides additional conduits for RF energy creating a multipolar RF field effect. The size and specific conformation of the RF lesion may be dictated by the location and orientation of the filaments, and may be beneficially modified to suit a specific anatomical application by changing the size, placement, and number of filaments.

Problems solved by technology

A significant challenge in ablation therapy is to provide adequate treatment to the targeted tissue while sparing the surrounding structures from injury.

In various procedures, access to a target nerve may be limited (e.g., limited to a restricted angular range), thereby raising significant challenges to medical personnel to create sufficient lesions to provide optimal clinical outcomes.

Additionally, anatomical variations of the nerve location relative to anatomical landmarks provide additional challenges.

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