Adapter and method for converting gas-enhanced electrosurgical coagulation instrument for cutting

• US 20080058801A1
• Filed: 09/01/2006
• Published: 03/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Conmed Corporation (Jefferies Financial Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Conmed Corporation (Jefferies Financial Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Donnigan, Stephen N., Taylor, Kenneth D., Lee, Alan R.
• Granted Patent: US 9,554,843 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/45
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/042 using additional gas becoming plasma
• 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 2018/00607 Coagulation and cutting with the same instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00916 with means for switching or controlling the main function of the instrument or device

Abstract

An adapter includes a coupling mechanism that mates with a protruding nozzle of a gas-enhanced electrosurgical coagulation handpiece to convert the coagulation handpiece into a gas-enhanced electrosurgical cutting instrument. An adapter electrode and flow passageways of the adapter conduct electrical energy and gas from the nozzle of the coagulation handpiece to a protruding cutting end portion of an adapter electrode.

Claims

1. An adapter to convert a gas-enhanced electrosurgical coagulation handpiece into a cutting instrument, the coagulation handpiece including a protruding hollow nozzle with an interior passageway through which a stream of gas flows from a distal end of the coagulation handpiece, the coagulation handpiece also including a handpiece electrode within the interior passageway of the nozzle and from which electrical energy is conducted into the gas stream flowing from the nozzle, the adapter comprising:

a main body having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end of the main body including a coupling mechanism to secure the main body to the protruding nozzle of the coagulation handpiece, the main body including at least one flow passageway for conducting substantially all of the gas stream from the interior passageway of the nozzle through the main body to the distal end of the main body when the main body is secured to the nozzle by the coupling mechanism; and

an adapter electrode supported by the main body, the adapter electrode extending longitudinally through the main body, the adapter electrode including a proximal end portion within the coupling mechanism and a distal cutting end portion which extends distally beyond the main body, the proximal end portion of the adapter electrode extending into the interior passageway of the nozzle to contact the handpiece electrode when the main body is secured to the nozzle by the coupling mechanism, the contact of the adapter electrode with the handpiece electrode conducting electrical energy from the handpiece electrode to the adapter electrode, the distal cutting end portion of the adapter electrode transferring the electrical energy conducted from the adapter and handpiece electrodes, and the distal cutting end portion of the adapter electrode located relative to each flow passageway to be surrounded by gas flowing from each flow passageway.

2. An adapter as defined in claim 1, wherein:

the proximal end of the main body is formed generally as a tube with a plurality of longitudinally extending slots dividing the tube into a plurality of longitudinally extending legs; and

the coupling mechanism includes the plurality of legs and a collar which surrounds at least some portion of the plurality of legs on the exterior of the proximal end of the main body.

3. An adapter as defined in claim 2, wherein:

the collar is longitudinally movable along the plurality of legs; and

longitudinal movement of the collar to a clamping position at the proximal end of the main body applies an inward transverse force against the legs to clamp the legs against the nozzle and secure the adapter to the nozzle.

4. An adapter as defined in claim 3, wherein:

the collar is rotationally movable around the plurality of legs; and

rotational movement of the collar around the proximal end of the main body from the clamping position to a locking position substantially prevents longitudinal movement by the collar to retain the transverse force from the legs against the nozzle.

5. An adapter as defined in claim 4, wherein:

the main body includes a rotational stop and a longitudinal stop which both extend transversely outward from the tube, the rotational stop is located closer to the proximal end of the main body than the longitudinal protrusion stop; and

the collar includes a groove formed adjacent to the legs which receives the rotational and longitudinal stops to confine the collar to longitudinal movement into the clamping position and to confine the collar into rotational movement from the clamping position to the locking position.

6. An adapter as defined in claim 2, further comprising:

an internal seal located within the tube to contact the distal end of the nozzle to confine the gas flow from the internal passageway of the nozzle into each flow passageway of the main body when the adapter is secured to the nozzle.

7. An adapter as defined in claim 6, wherein:

the internal seal is annular.

8. An adapter as defined in claim 7, wherein:

at least one of the slots includes a socket;

the internal seal includes at least one seal stop that protrudes outward from the internal seal; and

the seal stop is positioned within the socket to retain the internal seal within the tube.

9. An adapter as defined in claim 8, wherein:

the main body includes a continuous circumferential portion and a plurality of ribs that extend radially inward from the circumferential portion, the plurality of ribs position the adapter electrode near the center of the main body, the continuous circumferential portion and the plurality of ribs create the flow passageways within the main body.

10. An adapter as defined in claim 2, wherein:

the nozzle of the coagulation handpiece further includes a receiving retention structure; and

at least one of the legs includes a adapter retention structure which interconnects with the receiving retention structure of the nozzle when the coupling mechanism secures the adapter to the nozzle.

11. An adapter as defined in claim 10, wherein:

the receiving retention structure of the nozzle comprises an annular groove formed in the exterior of the nozzle; and

the adapter retention structure of the one leg comprises a lip which fits within the annular groove when the adapter is secured to the nozzle.

12. An adapter as defined in claim 11, wherein:

the collar is longitudinally movable along the plurality of legs; and

longitudinal movement of the collar to a clamping position at the proximal end of the main body applies an inward transverse force against the legs to hold each lip in the annular groove.

13. An electrosurgical cutting device as defined in claim 1, wherein:

the proximal end of the adapter electrode is of sufficient size to contact the nozzle at the flow passageway and the handpiece electrode.

14. A gas-enhanced electrosurgical coagulation handpiece for use with an adapter that converts the coagulation handpiece into a cutting instrument, the coagulation handpiece comprising a protruding hollow nozzle with an exterior surface and an interior flow passageway for conducting a stream of gas out of the nozzle, but coagulation handpiece further comprising a handpiece electrode within the flow passageway of the nozzle from which electrical energy is conducted to the stream of gas conducted out of the nozzle, the adapter comprising a main body supporting an adapter electrode which has a proximal end portion and a distal end cutting portion that extends distally beyond the main body, the main body also defining flow passageways for conducting a gas stream onto the distal end cutting portion of the adapter electrode, the main body also including an adapter retention structure to secure the adapter to the handpiece, and the coagulation handpiece further comprising:

a receiving retention structure formed on the nozzle to complement and mate with the adapter retention structure to secure the adapter to the coagulation handpiece with the proximal portion of the adapter electrode contacting the handpiece electrode and with the flow passageways conducting gas from the flow passageway of the nozzle.

15. A gas-enhanced electrosurgical coagulation handpiece as defined in claim 14, wherein:

the receiving retention structure is an annular groove located on the exterior of the nozzle;

the adapter retention structure comprises a lip for extending into the annular groove.

16. An electrosurgical cutting instrument for cutting tissue during an electrosurgical procedure, comprising:

a gas-enhanced electrosurgical coagulation handpiece which comprises a protruding nozzle that defines an interior passageway through which a stream of gas flows and a handpiece electrode within the interior passageway from which electrical energy is conducted into the gas stream flowing from the nozzle; and

an adapter which comprises a main body having a coupling mechanism to secure the main body to the protruding nozzle, the main body supporting an adapter electrode which extends longitudinally through the main body from a proximal end within the coupling mechanism to a distal end which extends beyond the main body, the main body including at least one flow passageway for conducting substantially all of the gas stream from the interior passageway of the nozzle through the main body to the distal end of the adapter electrode when the main body is secured to the nozzle by the coupling mechanism, the proximal end of the adapter electrode extending into the interior passageway of the nozzle to contact the handpiece electrode when the main body is secured to the nozzle by the coupling mechanism, the contact of the adapter electrode with the handpiece electrode conducting electrical energy from the handpiece electrode to the adapter electrode, the distal end of the adapter electrode extending beyond the main body and located relative to each flow passageway in the main body to be surrounded by gas flowing through each flow passageway.

17. A method of converting a gas-enhanced electrosurgical coagulation handpiece into a cutting instrument, the coagulation handpiece including a protruding nozzle that defines an interior passageway through which a stream of gas flows and within which a handpiece electrode is located to conduct electrical energy into the gas stream flowing from the nozzle, comprising:

connecting an adapter to the protruding nozzle, the adapter including an adapter electrode which extends longitudinally through the adapter to a distal cutting end and at least one flow passageway for conducting gas to the distal cutting end of the adapter electrode;

contacting the adapter electrode to the handpiece electrode within the interior passageway of the nozzle when the adapter is connected to the nozzle to conduct electrical energy from the handpiece electrode to the distal cutting end of the adapter electrode; and

conducting substantially all of the gas from within the interior passageway of the nozzle into the flow passageway of the adapter.

18. A method as defined in claim 17, further comprising:

performing electrosurgical cutting during a surgical procedure with the adapter connected to the nozzle;

disconnecting the adapter from the nozzle during the surgical procedure; and

performing electrosurgical coagulation during the surgical procedure with the handpiece when the adapter is disconnected from the nozzle.

19. A method as defined in claim 18, further comprising:

reconnecting the adapter to the nozzle during the surgical procedure; and

again performing electrosurgical cutting during the surgical procedure with the adapter re-connected to the nozzle.