Patent ID: 7828797

Claim:
The method for carrying out an electrosurgical cutting procedure at the subcutaneous situs of a target tissue volume of given size situate within healthy tissue, comprising the steps of: (a) providing an electrosurgical probe having a cannula component with a wall having an outward surface and extending along a probe axis from a supportable proximal end to a working end region having an electrosurgically energizable cutting assembly, said step (a) provides said electrosurgical probe as further comprising an insulator sheath extending substantially over said cannula component wall and spaced an insulation distance from said wall outward surface an extent effective to define a space-based insulative tissue contacting surface exhibiting a surface temperature atraumatic to said healthy tissue; (b) providing an evacuation system having an intake port located at said working end region and having a transfer channel extending along and within said cannula component to an evacuation outlet; (c) interstitially positioning said electrosurgical probe working end region in an operative orientation with respect to said target tissue volume effective to carry out said procedure; (d) energizing said cutting assembly to effect formation of a cutting arc; (e) carrying out said procedure by maneuvering said energized cutting assembly, said arc evoking elevated temperature fluid; and (f) removing at least a portion of said elevated temperature fluid through said evacuation system intake port and said transfer channel to an extent effective to avoid substantial thermal damage to said healthy tissue.