Patent ID: 6960209
Filing Date: 2005-11-01
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. An electrosurgical vessel wall cutting device adapted to be placed in contact with the body of a patient and coupled to a source of RF energy for making an elongated slit through a vessel wall and into a lumen of a body vessel, having a vessel axis, of a patient that is surgically accessed in a surgical operating field comprising: a ground electrode adapted to be coupled with the source of RF energy; an elongated tool body extending between a tool body proximal end and a tool body distal end; a connector element supported by the tool body adapted to be coupled with the source of RF energy; an elongated electrosurgical cutting electrode supported at the tool body distal end, the elongated electrosurgical cutting electrode having a predetermined cutting electrode length exceeding the cutting electrode width; and an electrical conductor within the tool body extending between and coupled with the connector element and the elongated electrosurgical cutting electrode, whereby the elongated tool body is adapted to be manipulated to align and apply the cutting electrode length of the elongated electrosurgical cutting electrode against a surface of the vessel wall in substantially parallel alignment with the vessel axis so as to apply RF energy between the electrosurgical cutting electrode and the ground electrode at an energy level and for a duration sufficient to cut an elongated slit through the vessel wall where the elongated electrosurgical cutting electrode is applied to the surface of the vessel wall, wherein the ground electrode further comprises an exposed conductive ground electrode of an electrically insulated ground wire extending between a ground wire proximal end and a ground wire distal end adapted to be introduced into the lumen of the body vessel to dispose the ground electrode in proximity with the elongated electrosurgical cutting electrode applied to an outer surface of the vessel wall.