Medical instrument including an end effector having a medical-treatment electrode

• US 20060167451A1
• Filed: 01/26/2005
• Published: 07/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cilag Gmbh International (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Cropper, Michael S.
• Granted Patent: US 7,481,225 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/50
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1492 having a flexible, catheter-like structure, e.g. for heart ablation A61B18/1477 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00291 using suction
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00482 Digestive system
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00982 combined with or comprising means for visual or photographic inspections inside the body, e.g. endoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1495 Electrodes being detachable from a support structure

Abstract

A medical instrument includes a flexible sheath and an end effector. The sheath has a distal end. The end effector is attached to the sheath proximate the distal end and is insertable into a patient. The end effector includes opposing and retroflexed first and second jaws and includes at least one medical-treatment electrode supported by the second jaw. At least one of the first and second jaws is rotatable. In one implementation, the at-least-one medical-treatment electrode is operatively connectable to a medical radio-frequency (RF) generator. In one application, the end effector is insertable into the esophagus of a patient. In one employment, the first and second jaws are adapted to grasp a working end of a flexible tube of an endoscope.

Claims

1. A medical instrument comprising:

a) a flexible sheath having a distal end; and

b) an end effector attached to the sheath proximate the distal end and insertable into a patient, wherein the end effector includes opposing and retroflexed first and second jaws and includes at least one medical-treatment electrode supported by the second jaw, and wherein at least one of the first and second jaws is rotatable.

2. The medical instrument of claim 1, wherein the at-least-one medical-treatment electrode includes two medical-treatment electrodes operatively connectable to a medical radio-frequency (RF) generator.

3. The medical instrument of claim 1, wherein the sheath has a substantially straight centerline when the sheath is disposed substantially straight, wherein the first jaw has a longitudinally-extending first centerline and the second jaw has a longitudinally-extending second centerline, and wherein, when the at-least-one of the first and second jaws is rotated to a position with the second jaw proximate the first jaw, the first and second centerlines are substantially parallel to the substantially straight centerline with the first centerline disposed between the second centerline and the substantially straight centerline.

4. The medical instrument of claim 1, wherein the end effector is insertable into the esophagus of the patient.

5. The medical instrument of claim 1, wherein one of the sheath and the end effector is operatively attachable to a guide wire.

6. The medical instrument of claim 1, wherein the first and second jaws are adapted to grasp a working end of a flexible tube of an endoscope.

7. The medical instrument of claim 6, wherein the first jaw has a through hole adapted to receive therein patient tissue when the end effector is inserted into the patient, when the first and second jaws grasp the working end, and when the endoscope is used to apply suction to the working end.

8. The medical instrument of claim 1, wherein the second jaw is substantially transparent.

9. The medical instrument of claim 1, wherein the sheath includes a proximal end, and also including a handle attached to the proximal end, wherein the handle includes a user-controlled actuator operatively connected to the at-least-one of the first and second jaws to rotate the at-least-one of the first and second jaws.

10. A method for medically treating patient tissue using the medical instrument of claim 1 and including the steps of:

a) inserting the end effector into the mouth of a patient and translating the end effector to the esophagus or the stomach of the patient;

b) inserting a working end of a flexible tube of an endoscope into the mouth of the patient and translating the working end of the flexible tube to the esophagus or the stomach of the patient;

c) grasping the working end of the flexible tube with the first and second jaws;

d) using the endoscope to bend the working end of the flexible tube to move the second jaw against patient tissue of the esophagus or the stomach; and

e) medically treating the patient tissue using the at-least-one medical-treatment electrode.

12. The medical instrument of claim 11, wherein the at-least-one medical-treatment electrode includes two medical-treatment electrodes operatively connectable to a medical radio-frequency (RF) generator.

11. A medical instrument comprising:

a) a flexible sheath having a distal end; and

b) an end effector attached to the sheath proximate the distal end and insertable into a patient, wherein the end effector includes opposing and retroflexed first and second jaws and includes at least one medical-treatment electrode supported by the second jaw, and wherein the second jaw is rotatable.

13. The medical instrument of claim 11, wherein the sheath has a substantially straight centerline when the sheath is disposed substantially straight, wherein the first jaw has a longitudinally-extending first centerline and the second jaw has a longitudinally-extending second centerline, and wherein, when the second jaw is rotated to a position proximate the first jaw, the first and second centerlines are substantially parallel to the substantially straight centerline with the first centerline disposed between the second centerline and the substantially straight centerline.

14. The medical instrument of claim 11, wherein the end effector is insertable into the esophagus of a patient.

15. A method for medically treating patient tissue using the medical instrument of claim 11 and including the steps of:

a) inserting the end effector into the mouth of a patient and translating the end effector to the esophagus or the stomach of the patient;

b) rotating the second jaw against patient tissue of the esophagus or the stomach; and

c) medically treating the patient tissue using the at-least-one medical-treatment electrode.

16. A medical instrument comprising:

a) a flexible sheath having a distal end; and

b) an end effector attached to the sheath proximate the distal end and insertable into a patient, wherein the end effector includes opposing and retroflexed first and second jaws and includes at least one medical-treatment electrode supported by the second jaw, and wherein the first and second jaws are rotatable.

17. The medical instrument of claim 16, wherein the at-least-one medical-treatment electrode includes two medical-treatment electrodes operatively connectable to a medical radio-frequency (RF) generator.

18. The medical instrument of claim 16, wherein the sheath has a substantially straight centerline when the sheath is disposed substantially straight, wherein the first jaw has a longitudinally-extending first centerline and the second jaw has a longitudinally-extending second centerline, and wherein, when the first and second jaws are rotated to a position with the second jaw proximate the first jaw, the first and second centerlines are substantially parallel to the substantially straight centerline with the first centerline disposed between the second centerline and the substantially straight centerline.

19. The medical instrument of claim 16, wherein the end effector is insertable into the esophagus of a patient.

20. A method for medically treating patient tissue using the medical instrument of claim 16 and including the steps of:

a) inserting the end effector into the mouth of a patient and translating the end effector to the esophagus or the stomach of the patient;

b) inserting a working end of a flexible tube of an endoscope into the mouth of the patient and translating the working end of the flexible tube to the esophagus or the stomach of the patient;

c) grasping the working end of the flexible tube with the first and second jaws;

d) using the endoscope to bend the working end of the flexible tube to move the second jaw against patient tissue of the esophagus or the stomach; and

e) medically treating the patient tissue using the at-least-one medical-treatment electrode.