Tissue ablation systems and method
View Patent ↗Tissue is treated using a radiofrequency power supply connected to an applicator having a chamber filled with an electrically non-conductive gas surrounded by a thin dielectric wall. A radiofrequency voltage is applied at a level sufficient to ionize the gas into a plasma and to capacitively couple the ionized plasma with the tissue to deliver radiofrequency current to ablate or otherwise treat the tissue.
1. A method of delivering electrosurgical energy to targeted tissue, said method comprising:
providing a gas-filled chamber surrounded by a thin-walled dielectric barrier;
engaging an exterior of the gas-filled chamber against the targeted tissue;
coupling an RF current source between an electrode within the gas-filled chamber and the targeted tissue to initiate high-voltage, alternating current, gaseous discharges within the gas-filled chamber to deliver the current from the current source to the targeted tissue.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the chamber is filled with a near-atmospheric pressure range gas.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the chamber is filled with a noble gas or mixture of noble gases in the interior chamber.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the voltage of the high-voltage discharges is selected to reduce spatiotemporal chaos of the discharges.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the voltage of the high-voltage discharges is selected to eliminate spatiotemporal chaos of the discharges.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the voltage is a least 100V.
7. A method of applying electrosurgical energy to tissue comprising:
providing an energy delivery surface surrounding a gas-filled chamber having an electrode therein;
engaging tissue with the energy delivery surface; and
coupling the electrode to an RF current source to create a substantially stable, large-scale pattern of plasma filaments within the gas-filled chamber, wherein the filaments deliver RF current from the current source through the electrode and across the energy deliver surface to the engaged tissue.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the energy delivery surface is a dielectric.
9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the pattern of plasma filaments are created between a length of the electrode and adjacent length of the energy delivery surface.
10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the pattern of plasma filaments are created in a noble gas between an electrode and an inner surface of the energy delivery surface.