Patent ID: 7192430

Claim:
A tissue ablation device comprising: a shaft having a proximal end, a distal end, and a lumen therethrough; at least one flexible energy conductive element disposed near the distal end of the shaft, the conductive element being repositionable to vaporize tissue; an aspiration connector coupled to the lumen near the proximal end of the shaft and configured to connect to an aspiration source to withdraw vaporized tissue from the distal end of the shaft to the aspiration connector; and a drive mechanism electrically coupled to the conductive element, the drive mechanism configured to bow the conductive element between a substantially linear profile where the element lies directly over the shaft and a series of arcuate profiles continuously spaced progressively away from the shaft, thereby providing a continuous series of arcuate tissue removal paths and further configured to rotate the conductive element about the shaft, wherein the drive mechanism rotates the conductive element while bowing the conductive element between the continuously spaced arcuate profiles while energy is applied to the conductive element thereby vaporizing all tissue in the path of the conductive element such that intact tissue is not withdrawn from the distal end of the shaft.