Patent ID: 9597149
Date: 2017-03-21
CPC Classifications: A61B

Claim:
1. A method of treating tissue in a targeted site in a space in a patient's body, comprising the steps of: positioning the working end of an RF probe in the space, the RF probe including an inner sleeve having an active electrode and an outer sleeve having an outer surface defining a return electrode, the inner sleeve movable relative to the outer sleeve to move the active electrode relative to the return electrode within the outer sleeve; applying RF current between the active electrode and the return electrode while moving the active electrode relative to the return electrode to electrosurgically resect tissue from a tissue volume at the site with the active electrode; extracting the resected tissue through the RF probe; thereafter, using a controller to stop the active electrode in a locked position relative to the return electrode such that the active electrode is exposed to remaining tissue of the tissue volume remaining at the site after the tissue has been resected and extracted; positioning the active electrode in direct contact with the remaining tissue of the tissue volume remaining at the site in the locked position; and thereafter, applying RF current between the active electrode and the return electrode while the active electrode is in the locked position to coagulate at least a portion of the remaining tissue of the tissue volume remaining at the site in direct contact with the active electrode with the active electrode.