Electromagnetic field surgical device and method

• US 20050215995A1
• Filed: 05/13/2005
• Published: 09/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Japan Medical Dynamic Marketing, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Japan Medical Dynamic Marketing, Inc.
• Inventors: Nakahira, Isamu
• Application Number:
  US11/129,720
• Publication Number:
  US 20050215995A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/45
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1402 Probes for open surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00589 Coagulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00601 Cutting
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00958 for switching between different working modes of the main function
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1213 creating an arc

Abstract

An electromagnetic field surgical device for cutting and vaporizing tissue, and coagulating fluids. The device may include a surgical tool or probe having an electrode forming a tip. An electromagnetic field may be radiated from the tip of the surgical tool. The surgical tool may be placed in close proximity to the tissue to be treated to form a gap between the electrode and the tissue. An arc of current may be discharged from the tip of the electrode through the tissue to cut and vaporize the tissue. The transfer of energy from the electrode to the tissue may be optimized by moving the electrode. An output unit in the device may include a high frequency isolation transformer, and low frequency cut-off circuit to protect the patient from low frequency energy. Current may be switched through different circuits having fixed impedances to perform different tissue treatments.

Claims

1-23. -23. (canceled)

24. A method for surgically treating tissue in a patient comprising the steps of:

(a) selecting one of a first impedance and a second impedance to couple between a high radio frequency power source and a surgical tool, the first impedance providing a first mode of-operation of the surgical tool and the second impedance providing a second mode of operation of the surgical tool,

(b) radiating an electromagnetic field from a tip of the surgical tool by coupling the high radio frequency power source through one of the first impedance and second impedance to the surgical tool; and

(c) placing the tip of the surgical tool in close proximity to the tissue that is to be surgically treated.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the surgical tool comprises a mono-polar probe.

26. The method of claim 24 wherein the surgical tool comprises a bi-polar probe.

27. The method of claim 24 wherein step (c) comprises the step of providing a gap between the surgical tool and the tissue.

28. The method of claim 27 further comprising discharging an arc of current from the tip of the surgical tool through the gap and into the tissue to thereby treat the tissue.

29. The method of claim 24 wherein step (c) comprises the step of contacting the tissue with the tip of the surgical tool.

30. The method of claim 24 wherein step (c) vaporizes and cuts the tissue and coagulates body fluids.

31. The method of claim 24 wherein the selection of one of the first impedance and second impedance in step (a) is performed with a foot pedal.

32. The method of claim 24 further comprising the step of providing a display of operational parameters of the tissue treatment process.

33. A method for surgically treating tissue in a patient comprising the steps of:

(a) selecting a surgical tool for treating the tissue;

(b) generating alternating current of a pre-selected frequency with a radio frequency generator;

(c) connecting the surgical tool to the radio frequency generator through a cable and one of a first circuit and a second circuit, each of the first circuit and the second circuit and the cable having predefined impedance characteristics;

(d) radiating an electromagnetic field from the surgical tool; and

(e) placing the surgical tool in close proximity to the tissue to thereby treat the tissue.

34. The method of claim 33 further comprising the step of switching between the first circuit and the second circuit to alter the treatment to the tissue.

35-45. -45. (canceled)

46. A method for generating an electromagnetic field at a tip of a surgical tool, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) generating a high radio frequency signal;

(b) passing the high radio frequency signal to an input of a high frequency isolation mechanism;

(c) passing an output of the high frequency isolation mechanism to an input of a low frequency cutoff circuit; and

(d) routing an output of the low frequency cutoff circuit to the tip of the surgical tool.

47. The method of claim 46 wherein step (c) comprises the steps of:

(c1) passing the output of the high frequency isolation mechanism to an input of an impedance circuit that provides first and second modes of operation for the surgical tool; and

(c2) passing an output of the impedance circuit to the low frequency cutoff circuit.

48. The method of claim 47 wherein the first mode of operation comprises a cutting mode.

49. The method of claim 47 wherein the second mode of operation comprises a coagulating mode.

50. The method of claim 46 wherein the surgical tool comprises a mono-polar probe.

51. The method of claim 46 wherein the surgical tool comprises a bi-polar probe.

52. A method for surgically treating tissue in a patient comprising the steps of:

(a) selecting a surgical tool for treating the tissue;

(b) generating alternating current of a pre-selected frequency with a radio frequency generator;

(c) passing the alternating current from an output of the radio frequency generator through a high frequency isolation mechanism;

(d) passing an output of the high frequency isolation mechanism through an impedance circuit that provides a cutting mode of operating and a coagulating mode of operation for the surgical tool;

(e) passing an output of the impedance circuit through a low-frequency cutoff circuit that attenuates frequencies below a threshold frequency value;

(f) passing an output of the low-frequency cutoff circuit to the surgical tool, thereby causing the surgical tool to radiate an electromagnetic field; and

(g) placing the surgical tool in close proximity to the tissue to thereby treat the tissue.

53. The method of claim 52 further comprising the step of switching between the cutting mode of operation and the coagulating mode of operation.

54. An electromagnetic field device for surgically treating tissue of a patient, the device comprising:

a high radio frequency power source;

a surgical tool connected to the high radio frequency power source for emitting an electromagnetic field to treat the tissue;

an output unit, the output unit comprising a high frequency isolation transformer to filter out low frequency energy such that the surgical tool can be placed in close proximity to the tissue to be treated without transferring low frequency energy to the tissue;

wherein the output unit further comprises a first circuit having a first impedance and a second circuit having a second impedance, wherein the first impedance and second impedance are adjustable by a user of the surgical tool;

wherein the first impedance is fixed to provide optimal cutting of the tissue;

wherein the second impedance is fixed to provide optimal coagulation of fluids in the tissue;

wherein the output unit further comprises a switch mechanism to control the flow of current in the first and second circuits, the switch mechanism performing a mutually exclusive switching function wherein the second circuit is disconnected when the first circuit is coupled between the high radio frequency power source and the tip of the surgical tool, and wherein the first circuit is disconnected when the second circuit is coupled between the high radio frequency power source and the tip of the surgical tool;

wherein the output unit further comprises a low frequency cut-off circuit to remove low frequency energy from the electromagnetic field device to prevent the patient from being exposed to low-frequency energy;

wherein the electromagnetic field device further comprises a cable connected to the output unit and the surgical tool;

wherein the cable has a first section having a first diameter, and a second section having a second diameter, and wherein the first diameter is larger than the second diameter, wherein the cable has a fixed impedance that modifies the first impedance when the first circuit is couple between the high radio frequency power source and the tip of the surgical tool, and that modifies the second impedance when the second circuit is coupled between the high radio frequency power source and the tip of the surgical tool;

wherein the first section of the cable has a length in a range of between 2 and 3 meters;

wherein the second section of the cable has a length in a range of between 0.5 and 1.5 meters; and

wherein the surgical tool includes an offset portion to allow grasping the surgical tool in a location out of a line of sight with the tip.