CPC A61B 18/0206 (2013.01) [A61B 5/4893 (2013.01); A61N 1/32 (2013.01); A61N 1/403 (2013.01); A61B 5/053 (2013.01); A61B 5/4848 (2013.01); A61B 2018/00434 (2013.01); A61B 2018/00791 (2013.01); A61B 2018/00875 (2013.01); A61B 2018/0212 (2013.01); A61B 2018/0231 (2013.01); A61B 2018/0293 (2013.01); A61B 2090/0463 (2016.02); A61B 2090/065 (2016.02); A61B 2218/002 (2013.01); A61B 2505/05 (2013.01); A61B 2560/0418 (2013.01); A61B 2562/0257 (2013.01); A61N 1/36017 (2013.01)] | 18 Claims |
1. A method of locating and treating a nerve with a cryo-stimulation treatment device, the method comprising:
releasably coupling an electrical port on a handle housing or a needle assembly of a cryo-stimulation treatment device to an external nerve stimulation generator;
inserting the needle assembly into a tissue of a patient, the needle assembly having at least one needle having a proximal end, a distal end, and a length therebetween and an electrically insulated coating disposed about the length of the needle, the needle configured to produce a cold zone for focused cold therapy and having a cooling center along the length of the needle that is associated with a center of the cold zone produced by the needle, wherein the needle is electrically conductive and configured to generate an electrical field about the distal end of the needle for electrically stimulating and locating a target nerve;
electrically stimulating the target nerve with the needle assembly to localize the target nerve within the tissue, wherein the cooling center associated with the center of the cold zone is uninsulated such that the electrical field is co-incident with the center of the cold zone produced by the needle; and
after localizing of the target nerve, delivering a focused cold therapy to the target nerve with the needle assembly,
wherein the target nerve comprises intercostal nerves.
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