Battery Powered Electrosurgical System

• US 20060241589A1
• Filed: 06/29/2006
• Published: 10/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microline Surgical, Inc. (Hoya Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Surginetics, LLC
• Inventors: Heim, Warren P., Brassell, James L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,896,875 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/48
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1402 Probes for open surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00734 battery operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0013 non-sticking
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1412 Blade

Abstract

An battery-powered electrosurgical instrument includes a blade having a conductor edge portion and insulation layer with geometric shapes and composition that concentrate electrosurgical energy and reduce or eliminate the production of smoke and eschar and reduce tissue damage, thereby providing more efficient application of electrosurgical energy. The more efficient use of electrosurgical energy permits configuring the system to be battery-powered. The system may be portable or configured as a battery-backup powered system.

Claims

1. An electrosurgical system for conveying electrosurgical power to tissue to achieve a predetermined electrosurgical effect, comprising:

an independent power source;

a radio frequency (RF) power source electrically coupled to the independent power source; and

an electrosurgical blade electrically coupled to the RF power source, the electrosurgical blade comprising;

an active electrode having a first section and a first tapered section terminating at a first conductor edge;

a first insulation layer having a second tapered section overlaying the active electrode which tapers on a side of the first tapered section to expose the first conductor edge;

a return electrode electrically isolated from the active electrode, the return electrode having a third section and a third taper section terminating at a second conductor edge;

a second insulation layer having a fourth tapered section overlaying the return electrode which tapers on a side of the third tapered section to expose the second conductor edge; and

a passive electrode electrically isolated from the active electrode and the return electrode.

2. The electrosurgical system as recited in claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the thickness of the first conductor edge is less than that of the first section.

3. The electrosurgical system as recited in claim 2, wherein at least a portion of the first conductor edge is flush with the first insulating layer near the first conductor edge.

4. The electrosurgical system as recited in claim 3, wherein at least a portion of the first tapered section includes a beveled surface.

5. The electrosurgical system as recited in claim 4, wherein at least a portion of the first tapered section includes two beveled surfaces.

6. The electrosurgical system as recited in claim 5, wherein at least a portion of the first tapered section has a concave shape.

7. The electrosurgical system as recited in claim 6, wherein at least a portion of the second tapered section has a concave shape.

8. The electrosurgical system as recited in claim 7, wherein at least a portion of the third tapered section has a concave shape.

9. The electrosurgical system as recited in claim 8, wherein at least a portion of the fourth tapered section has a concave shape.

10. The electrosurgical system as recited in claim 6, wherein at least a portion of the second tapered section insulation layer has a linear taper shape

11. The electrosurgical system as recited in claim 8, wherein at least a portion of the fourth taper region has a linear taper shape.

12. The electrosurgical system as recited in claim 1 having an insulation angle less than about 60 degrees.

13. The electrosurgical system as recited in claim 1, wherein each of the first and second conductor edges has a thermal conductivity characteristic of at least 0.0002 W/°

K at about 300°

K.

14. The electrosurgical system as recited in claim 1, wherein the first conductor edge has a transverse cross section that comes to approximately a point.

15. The electrosurgical system as recited in claim 14, wherein the second conductor edge has a transverse cross section that comes to approximately a point.

16. The electrosurgical system as recited in claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the first conductor edge has a transverse cross section that forms an acute angle.

17. The electrosurgical system as recited in claim 16, wherein at least a portion of the second conductor edge has a transverse cross section that forms an acute angle.

18. The electrosurgical system as recited in claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the first conductor edge has a thickness less than about 0.005 inches.

19. The electrosurgical system as recited in claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the first conductor edge has a thickness less than about 0.002 inches.

20. The electrosurgical system as recited in claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the first conductor edge has a thickness less than about 0.0005 inches.

21. The electrosurgical system as recited in claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the thickness of the insulation layer within a primary reaction region is at least one half the thickness of either the first or second conductor edge.

22. The electrosurgical system as recited in claim 2 wherein the ratio of width of a first section to at least a portion of the first conductor edge is at least 5:

1

23. The electrosurgical system as recited in claim 2 wherein the ratio of width of a first section to at least a portion of the first conductor edge is 20:

1.

24. The electrosurgical system as recited in claim 3, wherein at least one side of the first tapered section extends radially inward.

25. The electrosurgical system as recited in claim 24, wherein at least one side of the third tapered section extends radially inward.

26. The electrosurgical system as recited in claim 25 having an insulation angle less than about 60 degrees.

27. The electrosurgical system as recited in claim 1, further comprising a holder electrically and mechanically coupled as a unit to the electrosurgical blade and to the RF power source, the holder comprising an electrical connector configured to electrically couple the active electrode and return electrode to radio frequency power from the RF power source and a negative voltage source and couple the passive electrode to a positive voltage source.

28. The electrosurgical system as recited in claim 27, further comprising a connector for electrically connecting the holder to the RF power source.

29. The electrosurgical system as recited in claim 27, wherein the independent power source provides the negative voltage source and the positive voltage source.

30. The electrosurgical system as recited in claim 27, further comprising a rectifier circuit positioned within the holder and configured as the negative voltage source and the positive voltage source.

31. The electrosurgical system as recited in claim 1, further comprising an inverter electrically coupled between the independent power source and the RF power source.

32. The electrosurgical system as recited in claim 31, wherein the RF power source includes an electrical couple for connecting to an mains power source and the RF power source is configured to operate on AC power.

33. The electrosurgical system as recited in claim 32, wherein the independent power source and inverter are configured to operate as a backup power supply configured to provide AC power to the RF power supply when the mains power source fails.

34. The electrosurgical system as recited in claim 33, further comprising a rectifier configured to receive AC power from the external mains power source and charge the independent power source when external AC power is available

35. The electrosurgical system as recited in claim 1, wherein the independent power supply comprises a battery.

36. The electrosurgical system as recited in claim 1, wherein the independent power supply comprise a fuel cell.

37. The electrosurgical system as recited in claim 1, wherein the independent power supply comprise a photovoltaic array.

38. A electrosurgical system for conveying electrosurgical power to tissue to achieve a predetermined electrosurgical effect, comprising:

an independent power source;

an inverter electrically coupled to the independent power source power source;

an RF power source electrically coupled to the inverter; and

an electrosurgical instrument electrically coupled to the RF power source, the electrosurgical instrument comprising;

an electrosurgical blade, the electrosurgical blade comprising

an electrically conductive element having a first section and a first tapered section which tapers to a conductor edge; and

an insulation layer having a second tapered section overlaying the conductive element which tapers near the underlying conductor edge to expose the conductor edge; and

a handle coupled to the electrosurgical blade.

39. The electrosurgical system as recited in claim 38, further comprising an electrical couple unit which couples the electrosurgical instrument to the RF power source.

40. The electrosurgical system as recited in claim 39, wherein the handle houses a coupling mechanism to couple securely the electrosurgical blade to the handle.

41. The electrosurgical system as recited in claim 40, wherein the coupling mechanism selectively releases the electrosurgical blade.

42. The electrosurgical system as recited in claim 40, wherein:

the RF power source is configured to also operate on AC power provided by an external mains power source; and

the independent power source and inverter are configured as a backup power supply to supply power to the electrosurgical system if the external mains power source fails.

43. The electrosurgical system as recited in claim 42, further comprising a rectifier configured to receive AC power from the external mains power source and charge the independent power source when external AC power is available.

44. The electrosurgical system as recited in claim 38, wherein the independent power supply comprises a battery.

45. The electrosurgical system as recited in claim 38, wherein the independent power supply comprise a fuel cell.

46. The electrosurgical system as recited in claim 38, wherein the independent power supply comprise a photovoltaic array.

47. A portable electrosurgical system kit for use in performing an electrosurgical procedure, comprising:

an independent power source;

an RF power source configured to be electrically coupled to the independent power source; and

an electrosurgical instrument sealed within a sterile package, the electrosurgical instrument comprising;

an electrosurgical blade, the electrosurgical blade comprising

an electrically conductive element having a first section and a first tapered section which tapers to a conductor edge; and

an insulation layer having a second tapered section overlaying the conductive element which tapers near the underlying conductor edge to expose the conductor edge; and

a handle coupled to the electrosurgical blade.

48. The portable electrosurgical system kit according to claim 47, further comprising a rectifier circuit within the handle and configured to receive RF power from the RF power source and output a negative and a positive DC voltage, wherein:

the electrosurgical blade further comprises an active electrode, a return electrode and a passive electrode, and

the handle is configured to provide the negative DC voltage to the active and return electrodes and positive DC voltage to the passive electrode.

49. The portable electrosurgical system kit according to claim 47, further comprising printed instructions informing a user how to assemble and use the electrosurgical system.

50. The portable electrosurgical system kit according to claim 47, further comprising an electrical couple unit configured to couple the electrosurgical instrument to an external AC power source, wherein the RF power source is also configured to operate on external AC power.

51. The portable electrosurgical system kit according to claim 50, wherein the independent power source comprises a battery, and further comprising a battery charging circuit electrically coupled to the electrical couple unit and the battery that is configured to recharge the battery power source when the electrical couple unit couples the electrosurgical instrument to external mains power.

52. The electrosurgical system as recited in claim 47, wherein the independent power supply comprises a battery.

53. The electrosurgical system as recited in claim 47, wherein the independent power supply comprise a fuel cell.

54. The electrosurgical system as recited in claim 47, wherein the independent power supply comprise a photovoltaic array.