Granted Patent B2

US 12,465,373 · App. 18/451,539 · Granted Nov 11, 2025

Inventors: Richard C. Pellegrino (Leesburg, VA); Samit Patel (Palo Alto, CA); Harold Carrison (Pleasanton, CA)

Assignee: Relievant Medsystems, Inc.

A61B17/1642A61B17/1671A61B17/3403A61B17/3421A61B17/3468A61B17/3472A61B18/148A61B18/1487A61B2017/00314A61B2017/00323A61B2017/00331A61B2017/3405A61B17/3423A61B2018/00339A61B2018/0044A61B2018/00565A61B2018/00577A61B18/1206A61B2018/126

Abstract

Claims (51)

1 . A system for channeling a path into bone, comprising:

a trocar having a central channel and an opening at a distal tip;

a curved cannula sized to be received in said central channel and delivered to said opening at the distal tip; and

a curved stylet sized and configured to be introduced within the curved cannula;

the curved cannula comprising a deflectable distal end portion with a preformed curve such that the deflectable distal end portion straightens while being delivered through the trocar and regains its preformed curve upon exiting and extending past the opening at the distal tip of the trocar to generate a curved path in the bone;

wherein the curved cannula comprises a central passageway having a diameter configured to allow a treatment device to be delivered through the central passageway to a location beyond the curved path;

wherein the curved cannula further comprises a locking mechanism disposed at a proximal end, the locking mechanism configured to engage with the trocar to limit advancement of the curved cannula; and

wherein the deflectable distal end portion of the curved cannula comprises a plurality of discrete, interconnected links configured to articulate relative to one another to allow deflection of the distal end portion along the preformed curve;

wherein the curved stylet comprises a shaft disposed within a tube, wherein the tube is movable relative to the shaft and slidable along the shaft from a proximal end of the shaft to a distal end of the shaft; and

wherein a distal end portion of the shaft of the curved stylet has a preformed curve corresponding to the preformed curve of the curved cannula and is configured to straighten when fully retracted into the tube by sliding of the tube to the distal end of the shaft of the curved stylet.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the discrete, interconnected links comprise mating surfaces that allow the distal end portion of the cannula to curve in one direction.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the deflectable distal end portion of the curved cannula terminates at an angle between 5° and 110° with respect to a longitudinal axis of the trocar.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the curved stylet is configured to be inserted into the curved cannula with the distal end portion of the shaft of the curved stylet fully retracted inside the tube, and wherein the tube is configured to be met by a stop in the curved cannula as the curved stylet is advanced into the curved cannula to enable the curve of the curved stylet to be exposed inside the curved cannula.

5 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a straight stylet configured to be installed in the trocar, the straight stylet comprising a sharp distal tip configured to extend beyond the opening at the distal tip of the trocar to pierce bone.

6 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a channeling stylet adapted to be delivered through the curved cannula and advanced out of a distal opening of the curved cannula to form a linear path beyond the curved path prior to delivery of the treatment device.

7 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising the treatment device with an energy-emitting element configured to modulate nerve function at a target site within the bone.

8 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising the treatment device having one or more fluid delivery channels, the channels configured for introducing materials or fluid.

9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the locking mechanism comprises a locking nut configured to be rotated to allow the curved cannula to be advanced or retracted.

10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the curved stylet and the curved cannula have mating proximal ends that facilitate alignment of their respective preformed curves.

11 . A system for channeling paths into bone, comprising:

a trocar having a central channel and an opening at a distal tip;

a set of curved cannulas, each curved cannula sized to be received in said central channel and comprising a deflectable distal end portion with a different preformed curvature;

a set of curved stylets, each curved stylet sized and configured to be introduced within a matching one of the set of curved cannulas;

each curved cannula comprising:

a central passageway configured to allow advancement of a treatment device after removal of the respective curved stylet;

an adjustable locking mechanism disposed at a proximal end, configured to engage with the trocar; and

a plurality of discrete, interconnected links at the deflectable distal end portion;

wherein the deflectable distal end portion of each curved cannula is configured to straighten while being delivered through the trocar and to regain its preformed curvature upon exiting the trocar;

wherein each curved stylet comprises a shaft disposed within a tube, wherein the tube is movable relative to the shaft and slideable along the shaft of the curved stylet from a proximal end of the shaft of the curved stylet to a distal end of the shaft of the curved stylet; and

wherein a distal end portion of the shaft of each curved stylet has a preformed curve corresponding to the preformed curvature of the matching one of the set of curved cannulas and is configured to straighten when fully retracted into the tube by sliding of the tube to the distal end of the shaft of the curved stylet.

12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein each curved cannula in the set comprises:

a length;

an outer diameter;

a radius of curvature of the preformed curvature; and

an angle of curvature relative to a longitudinal axis of the trocar,

wherein the length, radius of curvature, and angle of curvature are different for each curved cannula in the set, enabling access to different anatomical regions within the bone.

13 . The system of claim 11 , wherein each curved stylet is configured to be inserted into the matching one of the set of curved cannulas with the distal end portion of the shaft of the curved stylet fully retracted inside the tube, and wherein the tube is configured to be met by a stop in the matching curved cannula as the curved stylet is advanced into the matching curved cannula to enable the curve of the curved stylet to be exposed inside the matching curved cannula.

14 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the locking mechanism comprises a locking nut configured to be rotated to allow the curved cannula to be advanced or retracted.

15 . The system of claim 11 , further comprising the treatment device with an energy-emitting element configured to modulate nerve function at a target site within the bone.

16 . A method for channeling a path into bone, the method comprising:

inserting a trocar having a central channel and an opening at its distal tip into the bone;

delivering a curved cannula through said central channel to said opening at the distal tip, the curved cannula having a deflectable distal end portion with a preformed curve and comprising a plurality of discrete, interconnected links;

introducing a curved stylet within the curved cannula, through a central passageway of the curved cannula, wherein the curved stylet comprises a shaft disposed within a tube, wherein the tube is movable relative to the shaft and slidable along the shaft of the curved stylet from a proximal end of the shaft of the curved stylet to a distal end of the shaft of the curved stylet and from the distal end of the shaft of the curved stylet to the proximal end of the shaft of the curved stylet; and wherein a distal end portion of the shaft of the curved stylet has a preformed curve corresponding to the preformed curve of the curved cannula and is configured to straighten when fully retracted into the tube as a result of sliding of the tube to the distal end of the shaft of the curved stylet;

deploying the curved cannula, in conjunction with the curved stylet within the curved cannula, by extending it past the opening at the distal tip of the trocar such that the deflectable distal end portion forms a curved path in the bone;

advancing a treatment device through the central passageway of the curved cannula to a location beyond the curved path after removal of the curved stylet;

engaging a locking mechanism disposed at a proximal end of the curved cannula with the trocar to limit advancement of the curved cannula; and

delivering therapy to a target site within the bone via the treatment device;

wherein the curved stylet is inserted into the curved cannula with the distal end portion of the shaft of the curved stylet straightened by sliding the tube to the distal end of the shaft of the curved stylet until the distal end portion of the curved stylet is fully retracted inside the tube.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the treatment device comprises a radiofrequency energy delivery probe.

18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the locking mechanism comprises a locking nut configured to be rotated to allow the curved cannula to be advanced or retracted.

19 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the discrete, interconnected links comprise mating surfaces that allow the distal end portion of the cannula to curve in one direction.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (11)

References Cited (400)