Patent ID: 7294127
Filing Date: 2007-11-13
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. A method of treating spinal tissue of a patient's body, the method comprising: providing a system comprising an energy source and first and second internally-cooled probe assemblies, wherein each of the probe assemblies comprises an electrically conductive energy delivery device electrically coupled to said energy source; inserting the energy delivery devices of said first and second internally-cooled probe assemblies into spaced-apart treatment sites for said spinal tissue; delivering stimulating energy through said energy delivery devices for determining proximity of at least one of said energy delivery devices to a neural structure; and delivering energy from said energy source to said spinal tissue through said energy delivery devices to treat said spinal tissue; wherein said stimulating energy is capable of eliciting a response from said neural structure without damaging said neural structure and wherein delivering stimulating energy comprises delivering said stimulating energy preferentially between said energy delivery devices in a bipolar manner.