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:
Sep. 12, 2006
Filed:
May. 12, 2003
David C. Hovda, Mountain View, CA (US);
Brian Martini, Menlo Park, CA (US);
Zsuzsi Conforti, San Mateo, CA (US);
Jean Woloszko, Mountain View, CA (US);
David C. Hovda, Mountain View, CA (US);
Brian Martini, Menlo Park, CA (US);
Zsuzsi Conforti, San Mateo, CA (US);
Jean Woloszko, Mountain View, CA (US);
ArthroCare Corporation, Austin, TX (US);
Abstract
The present invention provides systems and methods for selectively applying electrical energy to a target location within a patient's body, particularly including tissue in the spine. The present invention applies high frequency (RF) electrical energy to one or more electrode terminals in the presence of electrically conductive fluid to contract collagen fibers within the tissue structures. In one aspect of the invention, a system and method is provided for removing a vertebral disc in preparation for implanting a prosthetic disc or removing a portion of the vertebral disc such as the nucleus pulposus in preparation for placing a prosthetic nucleus within the annulus of the disc. The present invention also teaches shrinking residual tissue in preparation for placing the implants.