Portable argon system

• US 20060200122A1
• Filed: 05/04/2006
• Published: 09/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien AG (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Sherwood Services AG
• Inventors: Podhajsky, Ronald J., Arts, Gene H., Sartor, Joe D., Reschke, Arlan J., Hogan, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 8,157,795 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/41
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/042 using additional gas becoming plasma

Abstract

A ionizable gas system is provided and includes a surgical accessory and a corona start patient connector. The surgical accessory is adapted to receive electrosurgical energy from an electrosurgical energy source and is adapted to receive ionizable gas (e.g., argon gas) from a portable ionizable gas source. The corona start patient connector is operatively connected to the electrosurgical energy source and the surgical accessory. The corona start patient connector includes an electrical interface that is configured to verify if the ionizable gas system is functioning properly prior to use on a patient.

Claims

1. An ionizable gas system, comprising:

a surgical accessory adapted to receive electrosurgical energy from an electrosurgical energy source and adapted to receive ionizable gas from a portable ionizable gas source;

a corona start patient connector operatively connected to the electrosurgical energy source and the surgical accessory, the corona start patient connector including an electrical interface which is configured to verify if the ionizable gas system is functioning properly prior to use on a patient.

2. The ionizable gas system according to claim 1, wherein the ionizable gas is argon.

3. The ionizable gas system according to claim 1, further comprising at least one additional supply of ionizable gas.

4. The ionizable gas system according to claim 1, further comprising a return electrode configured to return the electrosurgical energy back to the electrosurgical energy source.

5. The ionizable gas system according to claim 1, wherein the portable ionizable gas source is operatively disposed within the surgical accessory.

6. The ionizable gas system according to claim 1, further comprising a footswitch which controls the amount of gas released from the portable ionizable gas source.

7. The ionizable gas system according to claim 1, further comprising a footswitch which controls the amount of gas released from the portable ionizable gas source and which controls the flow of electrosurgical energy.

8. The ionizable gas system according to claim 6, wherein the portable ionizable gas source is at least partially disposed within the footswitch.

9. The ionizable gas system according to claim 1, wherein the corona start patient connector includes a conductive portion in operative communication with the surgical accessory for verifying if the ionizable gas system is functioning properly prior to use.

10. The ionizable gas system according to claim 9, further comprising a resistor in series between the conductive portion and a generator patient connection.

11. The ionizable gas system according to claim 1, wherein the surgical accessory is a surgical pencil.

12. The ionizable gas system according to claim 1, wherein the surgical accessory includes at least one of a valve, regulator and microcontroller to regulate the flow of ionizable gas.

13. The ionizable gas system according to claim 1, wherein the portable ionizable gas source operatively associates with the electrosurgical energy source.

14. An argon system, comprising:

an electrosurgical generator;

a surgical accessory adapted to receive electrosurgical energy from the electrosurgical generator;

a portable gas supply operatively connected to the surgical accessory;

a patient return pad configured to return electrosurgical energy back to the electrosurgical generator via a cable; and

a corona start patient connector operatively connected between the electrosurgical generator and the surgical accessory configured to receive a test arc from the surgical accessory to verify if the argon system is properly functioning.

15. A method for verifying if an ionizable gas system is functioning properly prior to use on a patient, comprising the steps of:

providing an ionizable gas system including;

a surgical accessory adapted to receive electrosurgical energy from an electrosurgical energy source and adapted to receive ionizable gas from a portable ionizable gas source; and

a corona start patient connector operatively connected to the electrosurgical accessory and including an electrical interface that is configured to verify if the ionizable gas system is functioning properly; and

emitting a test arc of ionizable gas from the surgical accessory towards the corona start patient connector which verifies if the ionizable gas system is functioning properly.