RETRACTABLE ELECTROSURGICAL ELECTRODE

• US 20070049922A1
• Filed: 08/23/2006
• Published: 03/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Daniel Rontal
• Original Assignee: Daniel Rontal
• Inventors: Rontal, Daniel
• Granted Patent: US 7,749,221 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/41
• 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 2018/00916 with means for switching or controlling the main function of the instrument or device
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1475 Electrodes retractable in or deployable from a housing

Abstract

A manually supported electrosurgical device comprises an elongated electrode supported for motion within an insulated housing so that in one position its operating end extends from the housing into a surgically useful position and in another position its operating end is retracted within the housing. A spring has one end connected to the housing and the other end connected to the spring so as to normally urge it to the retracted position. A manually actuable trigger supported on the housing may be depressed to force the electrode against the spring force so that its operating end extends out of the housing. When the pressure on the trigger is removed, the spring forces the electrode back into the housing. When depressed, the trigger connects the electrode to a radio frequency generator.

Claims

1. A retractable electrosurgical device comprising:

an elongated electrode having a tip at its distal end;

an elongated housing for the electrode having an opening at one end;

a spring having one end connected to the housing and the other end connected to the electrode to urge the electrode tip to a first position wherein the tip is disposed within the housing;

a radio frequency current generator; and

a manually depressible trigger, operative, when depressed, to impose a force on the electrode to force it to move against the spring force to a second position wherein the tip is extended from the housing.

2. The retractable electrosurgical device of claim 1 wherein the trigger, in the depressed position, connects the electrode to the radio frequency generator.

3. The retractable electrosurgical device of claim 1 wherein the radio frequency generator is adapted to provide either electrocautery currents or electrocutting currents and further comprising a second manually depressible trigger supported for motion with respect to the housing and adapted to abut the electrode when depressed to force the electrode to a position in which its tip extends from the housing to an operating position, the first trigger, when depressed, being operative to connect the electrode to receive electrocautery currents from the radio frequency generator, and the second button, when depressed, being operative to connect the electrode to receive electrocutting currents from the radio frequency generator.

4. The retractable electrosurgical device of claim 1 including cam means fixed to the electrode and operative to be contacted by the trigger, when depressed, to force the electrode to move so as to extend the spring.

5. The retractable electrosurgical device of claim 1 wherein a single radio frequency generator is capable of providing either electrocautery or electrocutting currents.

6. The retractable electrosurgical device of claim 2, wherein separate radio frequency generators are provided to generate either the electrocautery currents or the electrocutting currents.

7. An electrosurgical device comprising:

an elongated electrode having a distal operating end;

an insulated housing having an opening at one end;

spring means supported within the housing having one end connected to the housing and the other end connected to the electrode for normally retracting the electrode within the housing so that the distal end is supported within the housing; and

a manually actuated trigger, supported with respect to the housing, for motion between a depressed position wherein it contacts the electrode and forces the operating end out of the opening in the housing, into operating position, and a second nondepressed position, in which it allows the operating end of the electrode to retract within the housing under the spring force.

8. The electrosurgical device of claim 7 in which the spring is a tension spring.

9. A retractable electrosurgical device comprising:

an elongated electrode member having a tip at one end;

an elongated insulating housing for the electrode member having an opening at one end;

a spring having one end connected to the housing and the other end connected to the electrode to normally retract the electrode within the housing;

a radiofrequency generator having a cutting current output and a coagulating current output;

a first manually depressible trigger pivotably supported with respect to the housing, adapted, when depressed, to abut the electrode and move it against the force imposed by the spring so that the tip extends from the opening in the housing, and simultaneously connects the electrode to the cutting terminal of the radiofrequency generator; and

a second manually depressible trigger pivotably supported with respect to the housing, and adapted to abut the electrode when depressed to force the electrode forward so the tip extends from the opening in the housing and simultaneously connects the electrode to the coagulating terminal of the radiofrequency generator.

10. An electrosurgical device comprising:

an elongated electrode having a tip at its distal end;

an elongated insulating housing for the electrode having an opening at its distal end;

a radio frequency generator of currents; and

a manually actuable trigger supported on the housing, having a first, manually depressed position in which the electrode tip extends out of the housing opening into operating position and the electrode is connected to receive current from the radio frequency generator, and a second, nondepressed position, in which the electrode tip is covered by the housing and the electrode does not receive current from the generator.

11. The electrosurgical device of claim 10, wherein the housing has a pair of telescoping proximal and distal sections with the proximal end of the electrode fixed to the proximal section, with the telescoping sections normally extended relative to one another so that the distal section of the housing covers the electrode tip and manual actuation of the trigger retracts the distal housing section relative to the proximal housing section so that the electrode tip extends from the opening, in operating position.

12. The electrosurgical device of claim 11 further comprising a spring disposed between the two housing sections biasing the sections toward extended position and manual actuation of the trigger forces the two sections to move to retracted position against the spring bias.