Patent ID: 6562033
Filing Date: 2003-05-13
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
An intradiscal lesioning device for percutaneous treatment of a patient's intervertebral disc, the disc including a nucleus pulposus bounded by an annulus fibrosus and cartilage endplates, an inner wall of the annulus being defined between the nucleus and the annulus, said device comprising:an elongate introducer, comprising a tube having an inner end, an outer end and a longitudinal hollow bore extending therebetween, for percutaneous surgical insertion into the annulus fibrosus thereby providing external surgical access to a target region of the disc; an elongate probe having a proximal portion and a distal portion, the probe slidably engaging in the bore when longitudinally inserted through the bore from the inner to the outer end of the introducer tube; wherein the distal portion is capable of conforming to the bore in a longitudinally slidably confined configuration therein and being deployed into a configuration when released within the nucleus pulposus in which the distal portion forms at least one loop of a dimension able to remain within the nucleus pulposus without depending on contact with said inner wall; and the distal portion comprising means for emitting energy at a desired location in the disc; wherein the distal portion includes active shape control means for controlling at least one of a trajectory, a position, a size, a shape and a deployment of the distal portion in three-dimensional space, as the distal portion is longitudinally slidably released from the outer end of the introducer tube into the nucleus pulposus; wherein a shape of the distal portion differs for a range of lengths of the distal portion being released within the nucleus pulposus; whereby the distal portion can be forced to take on a preferred shape and trajectory for the percutaneous treatment of the disc.