Electrosurgical system and method for treating chronic wound tissue

摘要

An electrosurgical method for treating chronic wound tissue, comprising: positioning an active electrode in close proximity to the chronic wound, the active electrode being disposed on a distal end of an electrosurgical shaft; applying a high-frequency voltage potential difference across the active electrode and a return electrode sufficient to develop a high electric field intensity associated with a vapor layer proximate the active electrode and in close proximity to the wound tissue; and stimulating an expression of at least one healing mediator.

主权项

1. An electrosurgical method of treating a chronic wound tissue comprising:
positioning an active electrode in proximity to the chronic wound tissue and a wound bed; delivering an electrically conductive fluid proximate the active electrode; and applying a high frequency voltage between the active electrode and a return electrode in the presence of the electrically conductive liquid sufficient to generate an ionized vapor layer at the active electrode; and modifying the chronic wound tissue and the wound bed so as to stimulate healthy tissue growth and promote healing of the wound bed, comprising the steps of:
removing at least a substantial portion of the chronic wound tissue in a substantially non-thermal manner by application of the ionized vapor layer to the chronic wound tissue while leaving the wound bed intact, wherein the step of removing the chronic wound tissue while leaving the wound bed intact induces an altering of an inflammatory response in the wound bed; andsterilizing at least a portion of the intact wound bed while applying the ionized vapor layer; and thenremoving at least a discrete pattern area of the wound bed with the ionized vapor layer so as to induce blood flow from the tissue underlying the wound bed.