Apparatus for Argon-Plasma Coagulation

• US 20070225700A1
• Filed: 05/19/2005
• Published: 09/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Erbe Elektromedizin GmbH (C. Erbe GmbH)
• Original Assignee: Erbe Elektromedizin GmbH (C. Erbe GmbH)
• Inventors: Kuhner, Ralf
• Granted Patent: US 7,993,339 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/40
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/042 using additional gas becoming plasma

Abstract

The invention relates to an apparatus for argon-plasma coagulation in which working gas is supplied to a tissue that is to be treated by passage through gas-supply devices (20) in a supply-flow direction, and the working gas flows out of a distal end of the gas-supply devices. This apparatus for argon-plasma coagulation is further developed with the aim of preventing contamination of the gas-supply devices by working gas, bodily gases and/or bodily liquids. For this purpose at least one obstructor (30) is provided, which is or can be connected to the gas-supply devices and serves to obstruct a flow of gas and/or liquid into the gas-supply devices, against a supply-flow direction.

Claims

1. Apparatus for argon-plasma coagulation adapted to supply a working gas to a tissue that is to be treated comprising

gas-supply devices through which the working gas flows in a supply-flow direction and from which the working gas flows out at a distal end of the gas-supply devices and,

at least one obstructor, which is adapted for attachment to the gas-supply devices and which obstructs a flow of at least one of gas and liquid into the gas-supply devices, against the supply-flow direction.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the obstructor is adapted for connection to at least one of a tube, a tubular probe and a similar surgical instrument of the gas-supply devices.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the surgical instrument comprises a connector piece and the obstructor is adapted for connection to the connector piece.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, comprising an argon-plasma-coagulation instrument and connector conduits that connect the surgical instrument to the argon-plasma-coagulation instrument, the obstructor being adapted for connection to the conductor conduits.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein a gas-connector piece is disposed at the argon-plasma-coagulation instrument and the obstructor is adapted for connection to the gas-connector piece.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the obstructor is adapted to be one of a mechanically actuatable device and an electrically actuatable device.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the obstructor comprises a shut-off valve.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the obstructor is constructed as a lip seal.

9. Apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a first element comprising the obstructor and an actuation means for opening the obstructor, the actuation means being connected to an element of the gas-supply devices that is disposed upstream of the obstructor relative to the supply-flow direction and adapted such that the opening of the obstructor is brought about by joining together the first element and the element of the gas supply devices together.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the obstructor is adapted such that is irreversibly opened by the actuation means.

11. Apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the irreversibly openable obstructor has the form of a membrane.

12. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the obstructor is adapted to be opened several times by the actuation means.

13. Apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the obstructor comprises a membrane with a specified opening site.

14. Apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the obstructor comprises a body that obstructs the flow of at least one of gas and liquid and that is linearly displaceable by the actuation means.

15. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the actuation means comprises one of a spike, cannula and a plunger.

16. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the obstructor comprises a guarantee closure.