US 11,672,593 B2
Arthroscopic devices and methods
Aaron Germain, San Jose, CA (US); Jacob Tonkel, San Jose, CA (US); and Jan Echeverry, San Jose, CA (US)
Assigned to Relign Corporation, Campbell, CA (US)
Filed by RELIGN Corporation, Campbell, CA (US)
Filed on Apr. 17, 2019, as Appl. No. 16/387,215.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/661,537, filed on Apr. 23, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2019/0321095 A1, Oct. 24, 2019
Int. Cl. A61B 18/14 (2006.01); A61B 18/16 (2006.01); A61B 17/32 (2006.01); A61B 18/00 (2006.01); A61B 18/12 (2006.01); A61B 17/00 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 18/1482 (2013.01) [A61B 17/32002 (2013.01); A61B 18/16 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00973 (2013.01); A61B 2018/00339 (2013.01); A61B 2018/00565 (2013.01); A61B 2018/00577 (2013.01); A61B 2018/00589 (2013.01); A61B 2018/00601 (2013.01); A61B 2018/00684 (2013.01); A61B 2018/00702 (2013.01); A61B 2018/1253 (2013.01); A61B 2018/1422 (2013.01); A61B 2018/162 (2013.01); A61B 2218/002 (2013.01); A61B 2218/007 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An arthroscopic cutting probe, comprising:
a proximal hub;
an elongated shaft assembly that has a longitudinal axis and extends distally from the proximal hub to a working end of the arthroscopic cutting probe, the elongated shaft assembly comprising an inner sleeve rotatably received in a longitudinal bore of an outer sleeve;
wherein the outer sleeve includes an outer cutting window in a distal metal region of the outer sleeve,
wherein the inner sleeve includes an inner cutting window in a distal metal region of the inner sleeve,
wherein the respective distal metal regions of the outer sleeve and the inner sleeve are electrically coupled together to form a common polarity active electrode,
wherein the elongated shaft assembly includes a return electrode that is electrically isolated from the common polarity active electrode,
wherein the distal metal region of the outer sleeve also includes a first opening therein that is separated from the outer cutting window along an outer surface of the distal metal region of the outer sleeve,
wherein a dielectric portion is formed over the outer surface of the distal metal region of the outer sleeve such that the dielectric portion extends over the first opening in the distal metal region of the outer sleeve while leaving the outer cutting window exposed, wherein the dielectric portion extending over the first opening in the distal metal region of the outer sleeve infills the first opening with a dielectric material to thereby form a first infilled cut-out region in the distal metal region of the outer sleeve, wherein dielectric material in the first opening provides an interior surface of the outer sleeve that interfaces with the inner sleeve,
wherein the dielectric portion is formed by over-molding the dielectric portion onto the outer surface of the distal metal region of the outer sleeve.