The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 25, 1999
Filed:
Mar. 31, 1997
Todd Thompson, Pleasanton, CA (US);
FemRx, Inc., , CA (US);
Abstract
The present invention provides devices, systems, and methods for using a single electrode structure for both resection and ablation. Generally, the electrode structures of the present invention comprise fixed wire shapes which avoid the complexity and binding that often result when known rolling ablation elements are powered to the high electrosurgical potentials required for removal of tissues. Electrosurgical energy requirements are minimized by concentrating potential at narrow cutting surfaces, and physician effort is avoided by minimizing the total profile of the device along a selected cutting axis. In the exemplary embodiment, a serpentine wire has multiple electrosurgical elements which are aligned with a low cutting profile, and which provide a large lateral surface area for simultaneous ablation of uterine and other tissues.