An electrosurgical device may include a controller including an electrical generator, a surgical probe having a distal active electrode in electrical communication with an electrical source terminal of the electrical generator, and a return pad in electrical communication with an electrical return terminal of the electrical generator. The electrical generator may be configured to source an electrical current from the electrical source terminal, in which the electrical current combines characteristics of a therapeutic electrical signal and characteristics of an excitable tissue stimulating signal. The device may be configured to determine a distance from the electrode to an excitable tissue, based at least in part on an output signal generated by a sensing device in the pad. The device may also be configured to alter one or more characteristics of the therapeutic signal when the distance from the electrode to the tissue is less than a predetermined value.

The present disclosure provides systems and methods for detecting leakage currents in radio-frequency (RF) ablation systems. An RF generator may be configured to disable an electrical return path from a patient to a ground terminal. The RF generator may also be configured to apply an electrical signal to an electrode that is positioned to be in proximity to target tissue of the patient. The RF generator may be further configured to measure a leakage impedance while the electrical return path is disabled and the electrical signal is applied to the electrode. The RF generator may also be configured to control RF ablation therapy based, at least in part, on the measured leakage impedance. Other features are also claimed and described.

Systems, devices, and methods for electroporation ablation therapy are disclosed, with the system including a pulse waveform signal generator for medical ablation therapy that may be coupled to an ablation device including at least one electrode for ablation pulse delivery to tissue. The signal generator may generate and deliver voltage pulses to the ablation device in the form of a pulse waveform in a predetermined sequence where the signal generator may independently configure a set of electrodes of an ablation device. The signal generator may further perform active monitoring of a set of electrode channels and discharge excess energy using the set of electrode channels.

Methods and surgical tools for treating back pain use a spinal facet debridement tool with cautery and denuding action and minimally invasive protocol that can denude and cauterize soft tissue associated with a synovial capsule of the spinal facet joint.

Method and devices for delivering pulsed RF ablation energy to enable the creation of lesions in tissue are disclosed. The delivery of RF energy is controlled such that the generator power setting remains sufficiently high to form adequate lesions while mitigating against overheating of tissue. An ablation catheter tip having high-thermal-sensitivity comprises a thermally-insulative ablation tip insert supporting at least one temperature sensor and encapsulated, or essentially encapsulated, by a conductive shell. A system for delivering pulsed RF energy to a catheter during catheter ablation comprises an RF generator and a pulse control box operatively connected to the generator and configured to control delivery of pulsatile RF energy to an ablation catheter comprising at least one temperature sensor mounted in its tip. Also disclose is a method of controlling the temperature of an ablation catheter tip while creating a desired lesion using pulsatile delivery of RF energy.

A cable assembly and methods for indicating an electrical measurement in an electrosurgical instrument are disclosed. The assembly has a circuit having a voltage sensor, a current sensor, and a processing device operatively coupled to the at least one active conductor. The assembly also has a substantially electrically non-conductive housing enclosing the circuit and a portion of at least one active conductor, and exposing a contact portion of the at least one active conductor, the at least one active conductor configured to conduct power to an electrosurgical instrument. The assembly also has an indicator operatively coupled to the processing device.

An energy module is disclosed. The energy module includes a control circuit and a two wire interface coupled to the control circuit. The two wire interface is configured as a power source and as a communication interface between the energy module and a neutral electrode.

The disclosure provides a method of manufacturing a flexible circuit electrode assembly and an apparatus manufactured by said method. According to the method, an electrically conductive sheet is laminated to an electrically insulative sheet. An electrode is formed on the electrically conductive sheet. An electrically insulative layer is formed on a tissue contacting surface of the electrode. The individual electrodes are separated from the laminated electrically insulative sheet and the electrically conductive sheet. In another method, a flexible circuit is vacuum formed to create a desired profile. The vacuum formed flexible circuit is trimmed. The trimmed vacuum formed flexible circuit is attached to a jaw member of a clamp jaw assembly.

Performing an initial ablation of tissue using an electrode in a probe distal end to apply a first power and estimating an overall thickness of the tissue based on measurements during the ablation of parameters of a change of temperature of the probe distal end, the first power, an irrigation rate for irrigating the tissue and a contact force applied by the probe distal end to the tissue. The method also includes in response to the estimated thickness, computing at least one of a second power required and a second time period for ablation to complete ablation of the tissue. The method further includes performing a subsequent ablation of the tissue using the computed at least one of the second power and the time period for ablation.

A dental treatment apparatus includes a holder, a power supply, root canal length measurement circuitry, and control circuitry. The holder holds an electrode placed in a root canal. The power supply energizes file with a high-frequency current. The root canal length measurement circuitry electrically measures a position of a distal end of electrode in the root canal. The control circuitry causes, in accordance with information on the position of the distal end of the electrode measured by root canal length measurement circuitry, the power supply to control a current value of the high-frequency current which energizes the electrode.