Appeal 2007-0586
Application 10/387,812
FINDINGS OF FACT
Morrison discloses, in Figure 7, an elongated shaft with proximal and
distal ends. A needle electrode 32 is disposed extending from the distal end
of the shaft. A heat sink 58 is disposed within the distal end of the shaft in
thermal communication with the needle electrode. A coolant flow conduit,
54, 56, is disposed within the shaft in fluid communication with heat sink
58. Thus it readily can be seen that Morrison anticipates claims 1, 2, 6, and
7.
Turning to Laufer, the Examiner refers us to Figure 7a. Laufer is a
disclosure for surgical therapy for lung diseases of a type that Laufer
characterizes as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. Laufer’s goal is
providing holes in lung tissues to alter gaseous flow within the lungs to
improve breathing. Figure 7 shows a cutting tool with a heat sink member
702. The heat sink member is in fluid communication with a lumen 704 that
provides fluid such as saline which conduct heat away the surrounding
channel.
Gough discloses another surgical tool for the ablation of tissue.
Gough discloses a cooling system whereby cooling inlet 14 carries cooling
toward the tip and cooling exit 16 carries the warmed cooling fluid away
from the ablated tissue. Gough also discloses probes 24 and 26, which carry
sensor 30 and 28 into the surrounding tissues to provide temperature
readings for points in the tissue.
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