Thermal resecting loop

• US 10,213,247 B2
• Filed: 07/11/2015
• Issued: 02/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Domain Surgical, Inc (OmniGuide Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Domain Surgical, Inc (OmniGuide Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Manwaring, Kim, McNally, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Della, Jaymi E
• Application Number:
  US14/797,086
• Publication Number:
  US 20160030102A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,326 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/02 Instruments for taking cell samples or for biopsy A61B10/0038 and A61B10/0045 take precedence; needle locating or guiding means A61B17/3403; samplers for enzymology or microbiology C12M1/26; sampling or preparing biological specimens G01N33/48
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/0266 means for severing sample
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/082 Probes or electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/10 Power sources therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00107 Coatings on the energy applicator
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00601 Cutting
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00625 Vaporization
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0063 Sealing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00642 with feedback, i.e. closed loop control
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00815 measured by a thermistor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00821 measured by a thermocouple

Abstract

A thermal surgical instrument comprising a conductor having a ferromagnetic material in electrical communication with the conductor, such that passage of electrical energy through the conductor causes substantially uniform heating of the ferromagnetic material sufficient to produce a desired therapeutic tissue effect is provided. The conductor may be shaped to facilitate resection of tissue from a patient and include a support to provide increase rigidity to the loop so that the conductor better resists bending during use. The ferromagnetic material quickly heats and cools in response to a controllable power delivery source. The thermal surgical instrument can be used for substantially simultaneously resecting tissue with hemostasis.

Claims

1. A thermal resecting instrument, comprising:

a thermal element comprising;

a conductor loop having a curved portion; and

a ferromagnetic coating covering at least the curved portion of the conductor loop, the ferromagnetic coating extending directly from a first end to a second end and forming a ferromagnetic region disposed along the conductor loop, the ferromagnetic region having a curvature between the first end and the second end that defines at least a part of an opening for receiving tissue, the conductor loop extending from a first position spaced apart from the first end of the ferromagnetic coating, through the ferromagnetic region and to a second position spaced apart from the second end of the ferromagnetic coating;

wherein, in use, the ferromagnetic coating is responsive to passage of electrical energy through the conductor loop to produce heat.

2. The thermal resecting instrument of claim 1, wherein the ferromagnetic region extends along the conductor loop so as to form a generally semi-circular ferromagnetic region.

3. The thermal resecting instrument of claim 1, wherein the ferromagnetic region extends along substantially an entire length of the conductor loop.

4. The thermal resecting instrument of claim 1, wherein the conductor loop comprises a material having a Young'"'"'s Modulus of at least 118 GPa.

5. The thermal resecting instrument of claim 1, wherein the conductor loop comprises a material having a Young'"'"'s Modulus of at least 400 GPa.

6. The thermal resecting instrument of claim 1, wherein the conductor loop includes a support extending substantially a full length of the conductor loop.

7. The thermal resecting instrument of claim 6, wherein the conductor loop includes at least one intervening layer disposed between the support and the ferromagnetic layer.

8. The thermal resecting instrument of claim 1, further comprising a body, wherein the thermal element is connected to the body and disposed at an angle such that the thermal element is oriented in a non-parallel position with respect to the body.

9. A method of treating tissue comprising:

selecting a surgical tip having a continuous conductor loop having a first end, a second end, a curved section between the first end and the second end, and a ferromagnetic material coating the curved section of the continuous conductor loop to form a ferromagnetic region between the first end and the second end, the ferromagnetic region having an exterior surface having a curvature that is parallel to a curvature of the curved section of the continuous conductor loop;

providing oscillating electrical energy to the first end or the second end of the continuous conductor loop such that passage of the electrical energy from a conductor location prior to the ferromagnetic region to a conductor location beyond the ferromagnetic region causes the ferromagnetic material to heat; and

contacting the tissue with the heated ferromagnetic region to thereby treat the tissue.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the loop defines a void, wherein the method further comprising:

surrounding the tissue such that the tissue is located within the void and drawing the heated ferromagnetic region through the tissue to resect the tissue and thereby leave a three dimensional void.

11. The method according to claim 9, further comprising contacting the tissue with an outer surface of the heated ferromagnetic region to incising the tissue.

12. The method according to claim 10, further comprising resecting the tissue in one continuous motion.

13. The method according to claim 9, wherein the continuous conductor loop comprises a material having a Young'"'"'s Modulus of about 400 GPa so that the continuous conductor loop resists bending when used to treat the tissue.

14. The method according to claim 9, wherein the continuous conductor loop comprises tungsten.

15. The method according to claim 9, wherein the continuous conductor loop has at least one intervening layer disposed between the continuous conductor loop and the ferromagnetic material coating.

16. The method according to claim 9, wherein the ferromagnetic material coating is disposed circumferentially around the continuous conductor loop.

17. The method according to 9, wherein contacting the tissue with the heated ferromagnetic region to treat the tissue includes simultaneously resecting the tissue while causing hemostasis.

18. A thermal resecting system, comprising:

a handpiece, including;

a conductor loop having a first end, a second end, and a curved portion between the first end and the second end;

a ferromagnetic coating covering the curved portion of the conductor loop, the ferromagnetic coating having an exterior surface having a curvature that is parallel to a curvature of the curved portion of the conductor loop; and

electrical leads attached to the first end and the second end of the conductor loop for supplying electrical energy to the conductor loop;

a power supply in communication with the electrical leads for providing the electrical energy to the conductor loop.

19. The thermal resecting system of claim 18, wherein, in use, passage of the electrical energy at a predetermined frequency through the conductor loop and the ferromagnetic coating directly heats the ferromagnetic coating to a temperature sufficient to treat the tissue.

20. The thermal resecting system of claim 19, wherein the conductor loop has a generally loop-shaped portion and wherein the ferromagnetic coating covers about half of the loop-shaped portion.

21. The thermal resecting system claim 19, wherein the conductor loop has a generally loop-shaped portion and wherein the ferromagnetic coating covers substantially an entirety of the loop-shaped portion.

22. The thermal resecting system of claim 19, wherein in use, heating of the ferromagnetic coating is substantially uniform.