Patent ID: 8398629
Filing Date: 2013-03-19
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. A method for ablating tissue using an ablation probe comprising an inner probe shaft, an outer probe shaft having a distal portion fixably mounted to the inner probe shaft and a proximal portion rotatably mounted to the inner probe shaft, and a coiled ablation electrode disposed between the outer probe shaft distal end and the outer probe shaft proximal end, the coiled ablation electrode comprising a plurality of windings, each winding having a sharpened leading edge and a flat width extending between the leading edge and a trailing edge, wherein the flat width is pitched relative to a longitudinal axis of the electrode, wherein the method comprises: percutaneously introducing the ablation probe into contact with tissue; cutting through the tissue with the sharpened leading edge by radially expanding the coiled ablation electrode from a radially collapsed geometry to a radially expanded geometry; ablating the tissue by conveying ablation energy from the expanded electrode; collapsing the coiled ablation electrode from the radially expanded geometry to the radially collapsed geometry; and removing the ablation probe from the tissue.