Patent ID: 7429262
Filing Date: 2008-09-30
Classification: A61B,A61F,A61M

Abstract:
1. An electrosurgical probe for treating a target tissue of a patient, comprising: a probe proximal end and a probe distal end; an elongate body including a first shaft, the first shaft located at the probe distal end, and the first shaft bifurcated to provide a first arm and a second arm; a first electrically insulating electrode support disposed on the first arm distal end, and a second electrically insulating electrode support disposed on the second arm distal end; an active electrode disposed between the first and second electrode supports wherein the active electrode is configured to promote high electric field intensities at a surface of the active electrode when a high frequency voltage is applied to the active electrode; and a wire return electrode disposed between the first and second electrode supports at a location distal to the active electrode wherein the return electrode has a larger effective surface area than said active electrode and is configured to promote low electric field intensities at a surface of the return electrode, said low electric field intensities less than said high electric field intensities and wherein a ratio of said effective surface area of the return electrode to that of the active electrode is in the range of 1.1 to 4.