Patent ID: 8668687

Claim:
A method for removing a medical implant, the method comprising the steps of: guiding a plasma device to an implantation site, the plasma device including: a steerable catheter including a catheter shaft, the catheter shaft having a proximal portion and a flexible distal portion and a lumen defined therein terminating in an opening which is formed proximate a distal end thereof, the lumen being in fluid communication with an ionizable media source; and an active electrode and a return electrode disposed over the flexible distal portion and adapted to couple to a power source; positioning the catheter such that the opening is proximate a medical implant; encompassing the medical implant such that at least a portion of the medical implant is disposed within the lumen; supplying ionizable media to the opening; energizing the active electrode and the return electrode to capacitively couple to the ionizable media and to ignite the ionizable media to form a plasma plume emanating from the opening; and manipulating the plasma plume relative to the medical implant to remove tissue surrounding the medical implant.