Nerve and soft tissue ablation device having release instrument

1. An ablation device comprising:

a probe, the probe defining an axis and comprising an interior surface, the interior surface defining at least one internal passage, and an exterior surface, the exterior surface comprising a probe tip, wherein the at least one internal passage includes a filament, the filament being configured to release a pressurized material into the interior surface of the probe to cool the exterior surface of the probe to a selected temperature, the selected temperature forming an ice ball at the probe tip, the ice ball being adapted to ablate one of nerve and soft tissue, and wherein the at least one internal passage is configured to recirculate the pressurized material through the probe; and

a release instrument, the release instrument comprising a sheath, the sheath including an exterior surface, a proximal end, a distal end, the distal end including a distal edge, and an interior surface, the interior surface of the sheath being configured for engagement with at least a portion of the outer surface of the probe, the distal edge of the release instrument being configured to release the ice ball from the probe tip.

2. An ablation device of claim 1 , wherein the nerve and/or soft tissue comprises one of a facet and a sacroiliac joint.

3. An ablation device of claim 1 , wherein the pressurized material comprises one of a liquid and a gas, the one of the liquid and the gas comprising at least one of argon, liquid nitrogen, nitric oxide, helium, air, krypton, carbon dioxide, tetrafluoromethane and xenon, wherein the temperature of the pressurized material decreases at least proximate the probe tip, wherein the pressurized material is cooled at the probe tip to approximately −100° C. through −180° C. wherein the ice ball forms in about 2-8 minutes after the pressurized material is released, and wherein the one of the nerve and soft tissue is ablated in about 3 to 16 minutes after application of the ice ball to the one of the nerve and soft tissue.

4. An ablation device of claim 1 , further comprising a heating element disposed within the sheath.

5. An ablation device of claim 1 , wherein the proximal end of the release element comprises a handle and the distal edge of the release element comprises a cutting surface.

6. An ablation device of claim 5 , wherein the cutting surface comprises a cutting blade.

7. An ablation device of claim 6 , wherein the cutting blade comprises one of a regular and an irregular polygon shape, the one of a regular and an irregular polygon shape comprising one of a square, a rectangle, a circle, and an oval shape, wherein the shape further comprises one of a smooth edge, a beveled edge and a ridged edge.

8. An ablation device of claim 1 , wherein the sheath of the release instrument comprises a hollow sheath, the hollow sheath having a thickness, the thickness being about 18 gauge.

9. An ablation device of claim 1 , wherein the release instrument comprises a metal, the metal comprising one of stainless steel, copper, silver, gold, aluminum, brass, platinum, molybdenum, tungsten, titanium, metal alloys thereof, and a combination thereof.

10. An ablation device of claim 1 , wherein the filament comprises an opening, the opening being configured to release the pressurized material into the interior surface of the probe.

11. An ablation device comprising:

a probe comprising an interior surface defining at least one internal passage, and an exterior surface comprising a tip, wherein the at least one internal passage includes a filament, the filament comprising an opening configured to release a pressurized material into the interior surface of the probe to cool the exterior surface of the probe to a selected temperature, and wherein the at least one internal passage is configured to recirculate the pressurized material through the probe, and

a release instrument comprising a sheath, wherein the sheath comprises an exterior surface and an interior surface, the interior surface configured for engagement with the probe, wherein the probe tip is configured for ablating one of nerve and soft tissue by forming an ice ball; and

wherein the release instrument translates in an axial direction relative to the probe to separate the probe tip from the ice ball.

12. An ablation device comprising:

a probe comprising an interior surface defining at least one internal passage, and an exterior surface comprising a tip, wherein the at least one internal passage includes a filament, the filament comprising an open configured to release a pressurized material into the interior surface of the probe so as to cool the exterior surface of the probe to a selected temperature, and wherein the at least one internal passage is configured to recirculate the pressurized material through the probe, and

a release instrument comprising a sheath, wherein the sheath comprises an exterior surface and an interior surface, the interior surface configured for engagement with the probe, wherein the probe tip is configured for ablating one of nerve and soft tissue by forming an ice ball; and

wherein the interior surface of the release instrument is configured for slidable engagement with the exterior surface of the probe.

13. A cryoablation device comprising:

a probe comprising an interior surface defining at least one internal passage, and an exterior surface comprising a tip, wherein the at least one internal passage includes a filament, the filament comprising an opening configured to release a pressurized material into the interior surface of the probe to cool the exterior surface of the probe to a selected temperature, wherein the at least one internal passage is further configured to recirculate the pressurized material through the probe; and

a release instrument comprising a sheath, wherein the sheath comprises an exterior surface, and an interior surface configured for engagement with the probe, wherein the probe is configured for ablating one of nerve and soft tissue by forming an ice ball, and the release instrument is configured to release the ice ball from the probe tip.

14. A cryoablation device of claim 13 , wherein the probe is about a 20 gauge needle having one of a pointed tip and a blunt tip, wherein the probe comprises one of titanium, stainless steel, tungsten, molybdenum and alloys thereof, and the pressurized material comprises one of a liquid and a gas, the one of a liquid and a gas comprising one of argon, liquid nitrogen, nitric oxide, helium, air, krypton, carbon dioxide, tetrafluoromethane and xenon, wherein the temperature of the pressurized material decreases at or near the tip, and wherein the pressurized material is cooled at the tip to approximately −100° C. to approximately −180°, and the ice ball forms in about 2-8 minutes after the pressurized material is released, and wherein the nerve is ablated in about 3-16 minutes after application of the ice ball to the one of the nerve and the soft tissue.

15. A cryoablation device of claim 13 , wherein the release instrument further comprises a heating element the heating element having a coil, the coil being configured for applying heat to the sheath, the heat adapted to reduce a length of time required to release the ice ball from the probe tip.

16. A cryoablation device of claim 13 , wherein the interior surface of the sheath translates in an axial direction relative to the exterior surface of the probe to release the ice ball from the probe tip.

17. A cryoablation device of claim 13 , wherein the release instrument comprises a proximal end comprising a handle and a distal end comprising a cutting surface.

18. A cryoablation device of claim 13 , wherein the release instrument comprises a metal, the metal comprising at least one of copper, silver, gold, aluminum, brass, platinum, molybdenum and tungsten, wherein the release instrument further comprises a hollow sheath, the hollow sheath having a thickness, the thickness being about 18 gauge.

19. A method of ablating at least one of nerve and soft tissue, the method comprising:

inserting an ablation device the ablation device comprising:

a probe, the probe defining an axis, and comprising an interior surface the interior surface defining at least one internal passage, and an exterior surface, the exterior surface comprising a probe tip, wherein the at least one internal passage includes a filament, the filament being configured to release a pressurized material into the interior surface of the robe to cool the exterior surface of the probe to a selected temperature, the selected temperature forming an ice ball at the probe tip, wherein the ice ball is adapted to ablate one of nerve and soft tissue, and wherein the at least one internal passage is configured to recirculate the pressurized material through the probe; and

a release instrument, the release instrument comprising a sheath, the sheath including an exterior surface, a proximal end, a distal end, the distal end including a distal edge, and an interior surface, the interior surface being configured for engagement with at least a portion of the outer surface of the probe, the distal edge of the release instrument being configured to release the ice ball from the probe tip;

placing at least the ice ball adjacent to the one of the nerve and the soft tissue, thereby ablating the one of the nerve and the soft tissue; and

moving the release instrument, axially about the probe, wherein the release instrument releases the ice ball from the probe tip.

20. A method of claim 19 , wherein, the ice ball forms in about 2-8 minutes after the pressurized material is released and wherein the one of the nerve and the soft tissue is ablated in about 3 to 16 minutes after application of the ice ball thereto.

21. A method of claim 19 , wherein the release instrument comprises a proximal end comprising a handle and a distal end comprising a cutting surface.

22. A method of claim 19 , wherein the interior surface of the sheath translates in an axial direction relative to the exterior surface of the probe and a distal end of the release instrument comprises a cutting surface that engages with the ice ball to separate the ice ball from the probe tip.