RF electrode array for low-rate collagen shrinkage in capsular shift procedures and methods of use
View Patent ↗Methods and apparatus are provided for an achieving low-rate collagen shrinkage using an electrode array comprising an elongated insulator strip having at least one pair of spaced-apart bi-polar RF electrodes, and a “channeling” disposed on the strip between the bi-polar electrodes to direct the flow of RF current therebetween. The channeling electrode is not directly coupled to the RF power source, but only indirectly through the tissue in contact with the channeling electrode. The apparatus enables low RF power levels (e.g., 0.5 watts to 25 watts) to be applied over time intervals of 5 seconds to 180 seconds to attain low-rate collagen shrinkage by directing or focusing the path of the RF current.
1. A method of delivering bi-polar RF current from a RF source to tissue in a medical procedure comprising
contacting a first tissue region with a first bi-polar electrode,
contacting with a second bi-polar electrode a second tissue region spaced apart from the first tissue region by a third tissue region, the first bi-polar electrode and the second bi-polar electrode forming a bi-polar pair of electrodes,
coupling the bi-polar pair of electrodes to a source of RF current,
applying the RF current between the bi-polar pair of electrodes at a power in a range of about 0.5 to 25 watts for a time period in a range from about 5 to 180 seconds, and
directing a path of RF current through the third tissue region by contacting the third tissue region with an electrically conductive material which is not coupled to the source of RF current, which includes an elongated axis spaced intermediate the bi-polar pair of electrodes, and which is electrically insulated from the bi-polar pair of electrodes.
2. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the RF current is applied between the bi-polar pair of electrodes at a power in a range of about 2 to 10 watts.
3. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the RF current is applied between the bi-polar pair of electrodes for a time period in a range from about 10 to 60 seconds.