Claims
- 1. A method of delivering energy to an intervertebral disc, comprising:
positioning an energy delivery device adjacent an inner wall of the disc, and shrinking the nucleus pulposus.
- 2. The method of claim 1 wherein positioning the energy delivery device further comprises positioning an energy delivery element of the device adjacent a bulge in the intervertebral disc.
- 3. The method of claim 1 further comprising monitoring temperature.
- 4. The method of claim 3 further comprising controlling energy delivery based on the monitored temperature.
- 5. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a catheter including the energy delivery device.
- 6. The method of claim 5 further comprising introducing the catheter into the intervertebral disc and advancing the catheter along the inner wall of the disc.
- 7. A device for delivering energy, comprising:
a catheter including a distal portion configured to be inserted into a patient and to follow a natural boundary of a patient tissue, the distal portion including a braided polymeric material, and an energy delivery element located at the distal portion for treating tissue.
- 8. The device of claim 7 wherein the catheter further comprises a proximal portion including a tube for transmitted torque to the distal portion.
- 9. The device of claim 8 wherein the tube is attached to the braided polymeric material by a bonding agent.
- 10. The device of claim 7 wherein the energy delivery element comprises a resistive heating coil.
- 11. The device of claim 10 wherein the coil has a length of about 1.5 cm.
- 12. The device of claim 7 wherein the braided polymeric material is in the form of a tube defining a lumen.
- 13. The device of claim 12 wherein the energy delivery element is located within the lumen.
- 14. The device of claim 12 further comprising a pair of wires located within the lumen.
- 15. The device of claim 14 further comprising a sleeve around which the pair of wires are spirally wound.
- 16. The device of claim 14 wherein the wires are joined in the distal portion to form a thermocouple.
- 17. The device of claim 16 wherein the thermocouple is peripherally located.
- 18. The device of claim 7 wherein the distal portion includes an atraumatic tip.
- 19. The device of claim 18 wherein the atraumatic tip is formed of a heat/UV cured polymer.
Parent Case Info
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/388,609, filed Mar. 17, 2003, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/707,627, filed Nov. 6, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,547,810, U.S. application Ser. No. 09/236,816, filed Jan. 25, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,290,715, and a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. Nos. 09/776,186 and 09/776,231, filed Feb. 1, 2001, which are continuations of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/272,806, filed Mar. 19, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,258,086, and claim priority to U.S. application Ser. No. 09/162,704, filed Sep. 29, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,099,514, U.S. application Ser. No. 09/153,552, filed Sep. 15, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,126,682, and U.S. application Ser. Nos. 08/881,525, 08/881,692 (now U.S. Pat. No. 6,073,051), Ser. No. 08/881,527 (now U.S. Pat. No. 5,980,504), Ser. No. 08/881,693 (now U.S. Pat. No. 6,007,570), Ser. No. 08/881,694 (now U.S. Pat. No. 6,095,149) each filed Jun. 24, 1997, and U.S. Provisional Application Nos. 60/047,820, 60/047,841, 60/047,818, 60/047,848 filed May 28, 1997, U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/045,941 filed May 8, 1997, and U.S. Provisional Application Nos. 60/029,734, 60/029,735, 60/029,600, 60/029,602 filed Oct. 23, 1996, a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/876,831 filed Jun. 6, 2001, and a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. Nos. 09/792,628 filed Feb. 22, 2001 and 09/884,859 filed Jun. 18, 2001, which claim priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/185,221 filed Feb. 25, 2000, each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
Continuations (2)
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Parent |
09707627 |
Nov 2000 |
US |
Child |
10388609 |
Mar 2003 |
US |
Parent |
09236816 |
Jan 1999 |
US |
Child |
09707627 |
Nov 2000 |
US |
Continuation in Parts (2)
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Date |
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10388609 |
Mar 2003 |
US |
Child |
10650928 |
Aug 2003 |
US |
Parent |
09776186 |
Feb 2001 |
US |
Child |
10650928 |
Aug 2003 |
US |