Appeal No. 2001-0550
Application No. 09/030,792
1. A method for liquefying solid tissue within a body
comprising the steps of:
heating a biocompatible fluid;
presenting said fluid to target tissue within a
surgical area so that said target tissue is liquefied when
contacted with said heated fluid while leaving non-target
tissue intact; and
aspirating said melted target tissue.
13. A liquefaction apparatus for liquefying solid
tissue within a body comprising:
a source of heated solution;
means for directing said heated solution to the tissue
in order to liquefy only the tissue;
means for irrigating the tissue while the heated
solution is being applied to the tissue; and
means for aspirating the liquefied portion of the
tissue.
The references applied in the final rejection are:
Spina et al. (Spina) 4,191,176 Mar. 4, 1980
Matsunaga et al. (Matsunaga) 4,436,722 Mar. 13, 1984
Dieras et al. (Dieras) 4,804,364 Feb. 14, 1989
Masterson et al. (Masterson) 5,653,692 Aug. 5, 1997
Claims 13 and 14 stand rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 102(b) as
being anticipated by Dieras.
Claims 1, 8 and 15 stand rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 102(e)
as being anticipated by Masterson.
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