Medical instruments and techniques for highly-localized thermally-mediated therapies

摘要

This invention relates a novel surgical device scalable to small dimensions for thermally-mediated treatments or thermoplasties of targeted tissue volumes. An exemplary embodiment is adapted for shrinking, sealing or welding tissue. The instruments and techniques utilize a thermal energy delivery means, for example an electrical energy source, to instantly elevate the temperature of a biocompatible fluid media within an electrically insulated instrument working end. The altered media which may then be a gas is characterized by a (i) a high heat content, and (ii) a high exit velocity from the working end both of which characteristics are controlled to hydrate tissue and at the same time denature proteins to shrink, seal, weld or cause any other thermally-mediated treatment of an engaged tissue volume-while causing limited collateral thermal damage and while totally eliminating electrical current flow the engaged tissue volume. The system can further utilize a piezoelectric material that carried fluid channels to apply compressive forces to the fluid eject the fluid media from the working end of allow a lesser electrical energy requirement to convert a liquid to a gas and to increase media exit pressure.