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:
Mar. 06, 2012
Filed:
Oct. 30, 2007
Hugh R. Sharkey, Woodside, CA (US);
John Ashley, San Francisco, CA (US);
Joel Saal, Portola Valley, CA (US);
Jeffrey A. Saal, Portola Valley, CA (US);
Le Trong Le, San Jose, CA (US);
Hugh R. Sharkey, Woodside, CA (US);
John Ashley, San Francisco, CA (US);
Joel Saal, Portola Valley, CA (US);
Jeffrey A. Saal, Portola Valley, CA (US);
Le Trong Le, San Jose, CA (US);
Neurotherm, Inc., Wilmington, MA (US);
Abstract
A method of treating an intervertebral disc includes inserting an introducer into an intervertebral disc, inserting a catheter through the introducer and into the intervertebral disc, advancing a distal region of the catheter through a nucleus pulposus of the intervertebral disc to an annular wall of an annulus fibrosus, delivering energy to material of the intervertebral disc using an electrode disposed at the distal region of the catheter, and removing the material with the delivered energy, wherein removing material with the delivered energy reduces pressure in the intervertebral disc.