Patent ID: 8682426
Filing Date: 2014-03-25
Classification: A61N

Abstract:
1. A medical instrument for delivering electrotherapy to tissue, comprising: an outer support member having a conductive plate at a distal end of the outer support member, wherein the conductive plate comprises a plurality of electrically isolated plate segments; and a plurality of protrusive elements, each having a tip that extends beyond the conductive plate, wherein each protrusive element comprises an electrically conductive material, wherein each protrusive element has a cylindrical, needle shape, wherein a first portion of each protrusive element proximate the conductive plate is coated with an electrical insulator and a second portion of each protrusive element proximate a distal end of each protrusive element comprises an electrode, wherein each electrode has a diameter of about 1 mm or less, wherein each electrode is from about 2 cm to about 4 cm in length, wherein each electrode comprises a plurality of parallel, adjacent, elongated electrode segments electrically isolated from one another along the lengths thereof, and wherein each protrusive element is designed to penetrate into tissue below a tissue surface while a tissue contacting surface of the conductive plate rests against the tissue surface, wherein each electrode segment and each plate segment is wired with a separate electrically conductive wire so that each electrode segment and each plate segment can be energized simultaneously or separately at the same or different voltages.