We claim:
1. A content-coded syringe for medical use, comprising:
a generally tubular body having an open end adapted to receive a plunger, a partially closed end adapted to receive a needle assembly, and a central barrel portion extending between said open end and said partially closed end, said barrel portion defining a fluid chamber adapted to act as a reservoir to receive and hold syringe content, and said open end, said partially enclosed end and said barrel portion being arranged in substantially coaxial alignment;
a plunger slidably disposed in said syringe body, said plunger having a tip end adapted to displace syringe content relative to said partially closed end of said body, a base end adapted to be actuated during use of said syringe, and a stem extending between said tip end and said base end; and
a content code corresponding to a syringe content type to be introduced into said syringe, said content code being permanently and directly formed on said body, said plunger or both, and selected from a set of content codes used on other syringes of like design that are adapted to receive other syringe content types.
2. A content-coded syringe in accordance with claim 1, wherein said content code comprises a color code marking.
3. A content-coded syringe in accordance with claim 1, wherein said content code comprises text code marking.
4. A content-coded syringe in accordance with claim 1, wherein said content code comprises a color code marking and a text code marking.
5. A content-coded syringe in accordance with claim 1, wherein said content code comprises a color-coded text marking.
6. A content-coded syringe in accordance with claim 1, wherein said content code comprises a human-readable code.
7. A content-coded syringe in accordance with claim 1, wherein said content code comprises a machine-readable code.
8. A content-coded syringe in accordance with claim 1, wherein a content code is formed on both of said plunger and said body.
9. A content-coded syringe in accordance with claim 8, wherein said content code formed on said plunger comprises a color code marking and said content code formed on said body comprises a text code marking.
10. A content-coded syringe in accordance with claim 8, wherein said content code formed on said plunger comprises a color code marking and said content code formed on said body comprises a color-coded text marking of a color that matches said color code marking on said plunger.
11. A content-coded syringe set for medical procedure use, comprising:
a plurality of syringes, each syringe including:
a generally tubular body having an open end adapted to receive a plunger, a partially closed end adapted to receive a needle assembly, and a central barrel portion extending between said open end and said partially closed end, said barrel portion defining a fluid chamber adapted to act as a reservoir to receive and hold syringe content, and said open end, said partially enclosed end and said barrel portion being arranged in substantially coaxial alignment; and
a plunger slidably disposed in said syringe body, said plunger having a tip end adapted to displace syringe content relative to said partially closed end of said body, a base end adapted to be actuated during use of said syringe, and a stem extending between said tip end and said base end;
a plurality of needle assemblies each of which is adapted to be mounted on one of said bodies on said partially closed end thereof; and
a plurality of content codes each of which is unique and permanently and directly formed on one of said syringes or one of said needle assemblies or both to identify a syringe content type; and
whereby said syringes may be combined with said needle assemblies and arrayed in a syringeneedle assembly arrangement for use in a medical procedure, with each syringeneedle assembly being pre-charged with syringe content type and bearing one of said content codes to uniquely identify said syringe content and differentiate said syringeneedle assembly from other syringeneedle assemblies in said arrangement.
12. A content-coded syringe set in accordance with claim 11, wherein said content codes comprise color code markings.
13. A content-coded syringe set in accordance with claim 11, wherein said content codes comprise text code markings.
14. A content-coded syringe set in accordance with claim 11, wherein said content codes comprise color code markings and text code markings.
15. A content-coded syringe set in accordance with claim 11, wherein said content codes comprise color-coded text markings.
16. A content-coded syringe set in accordance with claim 11, wherein said content codes comprise human-readable codes.
17. A content-coded syringe set in accordance with claim 11, wherein said content codes comprise machine-readable codes.
18. A content-coded syringe set in accordance with claim 11, wherein said content codes are formed on said syringe bodies.
19. A content-coded syringe set in accordance with claim 11, wherein said content codes are formed on said syringe plungers.
20. A content-coded syringe set in accordance with claim 11, wherein said content codes are formed on said needle assemblies.
21. A method for identifying syringe content in a set of syringes to be arrayed for deployment in a medical procedure, comprising:
selecting a plurality of syringes, each syringe including:
a generally tubular body having an open end adapted to receive a plunger, a partially closed end adapted to receive a needle assembly, and a central barrel portion extending between said open end and said partially closed end, said barrel portion defining a fluid chamber adapted to act as a reservoir to receive and hold syringe content, and said open end, said partially enclosed end and said barrel portion being arranged in substantially coaxial alignment; and
a plunger slidably disposed in said syringe body, said plunger having a tip end adapted to displace syringe content relative to said partially closed end of said body, a base end adapted to be actuated during use of said syringe, and a stem extending between said tip end and said base end;
selecting a plurality of needle assemblies each of which is adapted to be mounted on one of said bodies on said partially closed end thereof;
said syringes or said needle assemblies or both each having a unique content code permanently and directly formed thereon to identify a syringe content type;
mounting said needle assemblies on said syringes to form syringeneedle assembly pairs, as necessary;
introducing syringe content types into said syringes according to said unique content codes such that a correlation exists between said content codes and said syringe content types; and
arraying said syringeneedle assembly pairs in a syringeneedle assembly pair arrangement for use in a medical procedure;
whereby each syringeneedle assembly pair is pre-charged with syringe content and bears one of said content codes to uniquely identify said syringe content and differentiate said syringeneedle assembly pair from other syringeneedle assembly pairs in said arrangement.
22. A method in accordance with claim 21, wherein said content codes comprise color code markings.
23. A method in accordance with claim 21, wherein said content codes comprise text code markings.
24. A method in accordance with claim 21, wherein said content codes comprise color code markings and text code markings.
25. A method in accordance with claim 21, wherein said content codes comprise colored text code markings.
26. A method in accordance with claim 21, wherein said content codes comprise human-readable codes.
27. A method in accordance with claim 21, wherein said content codes comprise machine-readable codes.
28. A method in accordance with claim 21, wherein said content codes are formed on said syringe bodies.
29. A method in accordance with claim 21, wherein said content codes are formed on said syringe plungers.
30. A content-coded syringe set in accordance with claim 21, wherein said content codes are formed on said needle assemblies.
31. A content-coded syringe and needle assembly for medical use, comprising:
a syringe having generally tubular body having an open end adapted to receive a plunger, a partially closed end adapted to receive a needle assembly, and a central barrel portion extending between said open end and said partially closed end, said barrel portion defining a fluid chamber adapted to act as a reservoir to receive and hold syringe content, and said open end, said partially enclosed end and said barrel portion being arranged in substantially coaxial alignment;
a plunger slidably disposed in said syringe body, said plunger having a tip end adapted to displace syringe content relative to said partially closed end of said body, a base end adapted to be actuated during use of said syringe, and a stem extending between said tip end and said base end;
a needle assembly adapted to mount on said partially closed end of said syringe body; and
a content code corresponding to a syringe content type to be introduced into said syringe, said content code being permanently and directly formed on one or more of said body, said plunger or said needle assembly, and selected from a set of content codes used on other syringeneedle assemblies of like design that are adapted to receive other syringe content types.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
What is claimed is:
1. An electrode instrument used for thermal ablation therapy, comprising an electrode head having at least a first and second electrode for emitting RF energy, said first and second electrodes being movable between a collapsed configuration, in which said first and second electrodes are proximate to each other, and a deployed configuration, in which said first and second electrodes are remote from each other, and a first linkage mechanism connected between said first and second electrodes for maintaining said first and second electrodes in their deployed configuration.
2. The electrode instrument of claim 1, further comprising an actuator rod connected to said first linkage mechanism, said actuator rod cooperating with said first linkage mechanism to move said first and second electrodes between their collapsed and deployed configurations.
3. The electrode instrument of claim 2, wherein said first linkage mechanism is movable between a first position, in which said first linkage mechanism is substantially parallel to said first and second electrodes when said first and second electrodes are in their collapsed configuration, and a second position, in which said linkage mechanism is at an acute angle relative to said first and second electrodes when said first and second electrodes are in their deployed configuration.
4. The electrode instrument of claim 3, wherein said first linkage mechanism includes a first arm electrically connected to said first electrode and a second arm connected to said first arm, said second arm being electrically connected to said second electrode.
5. The electrode instrument of claim 4, wherein said electrode head assumes a substantially cylindrical shape when said first and second electrodes are in their said collapsed configuration, and wherein said electrode head assumes a substantially triangular shape when said first and second electrodes are in their said deployed configuration.
6. The electrode instrument of claim 5, wherein one of said first and second electrodes is an active electrode and the other of said first and second electrodes is a return electrode.
7. The electrode instrument of claim 6, wherein said electrode head further includes a third and fourth electrode for emitting RF energy, said third and fourth electrodes being movable between a collapsed configuration, in which said third and fourth electrodes are proximate to each other, and a deployed configuration, in which said third and fourth electrodes are remote from each other, and a second linkage mechanism connected between said third and fourth electrodes, for maintaining said third and fourth electrodes in their deployed configuration.
8. The electrode instrument of claim 7, wherein said third electrode is positioned adjacent said first electrode and said fourth electrode is positioned adjacent to said second electrode.
9. The electrode instrument of claim 8, wherein the polarity of said first, second, third, and fourth electrodes can be selectively varied.
10. The electrode instrument of claim 9, wherein one of said first, second, third, and fourth electrodes can be an active electrode for a first predetermined time period and can be a return electrode for a second predetermined time period.
11. The electrode instrument of claim 10, wherein said first and third electrodes emit RF energy between each other, and said second and fourth electrodes emit RF energy between each other.
12. The electrode instrument of claim 11, wherein said first and second electrodes emit RF energy between each other, and said third and fourth electrodes emit RF energy between each other.
13. The electrode instrument of claim 12, wherein said first, second, third, and fourth electrodes are sized and shaped to emit bipolar RF energy.
14. The electrode instrument of claim 1, wherein said first and second electrodes are sized and shaped to emit monopolar RF energy.
15. The electrode instrument of claim 1, wherein said electrode head further includes a tube sized and shaped so as to receive said first and second electrodes when said first and second electrodes are in their said collapsed configuration.
16. The electrode instrument of claim 15, wherein said first and second electrodes have spring memory characteristics.
17. The electrode instrument of claim 16, wherein said tube is moveable between a distal position, in which said first and second electrodes are substantially compressed within said tube, and a proximal position, in which said first and second electrodes are extended from said tube.
18. The electrode instrument of claim 17, wherein said first and second electrodes have a predetermined shape set therein.
19. The electrode instrument of claim 18, wherein said first and second electrodes assume a substantially triangular shape when said tube is in its said proximal position.
20. An electrode instrument used for thermal ablation therapy, comprising an electrode head having at least a first and second electrode, said first and second electrodes being movable between a collapsed configuration, in which said first and second electrodes are proximate to each other, and a deployed configuration, in which said first and second electrodes are remote from each other, and a linkage mechanism connected between said first and second electrodes; and an actuator rod connected to said linkage mechanism so as to cooperate with said linkage mechanism to move said first and second electrodes between their collapsed and deployed configurations.
21. The electrode instrument of claim 1, wherein said linkage mechanism includes a pair of jaws sized and shaped to move said first and second electrodes between their said collapsed and deployed configurations.
22. The electrode instrument of claim 21, wherein said electrode head further includes a sheath sized and shaped so as to receive said first and second electrodes when said first and second electrodes are in their said collapsed configuration.
23. The electrode instrument of claim 22, wherein said electrode head further includes an arm having one end connected to said first electrode and an opposite end connected to said second electrode.
24. The electrode instrument of claim 23, wherein the polarity of said first electrode, said second electrode, and said arm can be selectively varied.
25. The electrode instrument of claim 24, wherein one of said first electrode, said second electrode, and said arm can be an active electrode for a first predetermined time period and can be a return electrode for a second predetermined time period.
26. The electrode instrument of claim 25, wherein the tension of said first electrode, said second electrode, and said arm can be varied.
27. An electrode instrument used for thermal ablation therapy, comprising an effector strip for emitting RF energy and tensioning means for varying the tension of said effector strip.
28. The electrode instrument of claim 27, wherein said tensioning means includes a cam connected to said effector strip.
29. The electrode instrument of claim 27, wherein said effector strip includes a plurality of electrically conductive patches, wherein each of said patches can be selectively activated as an active electrode and as a return electrode.
30. The electrode instrument of claim 27, wherein said effector strip is sized and shaped to emit monopolar RF energy.