ELECTROSURGICAL APPARATUS HAVING A TEMPERATURE SENSOR

• US 20080167646A1
• Filed: 12/10/2007
• Published: 07/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avanos Medical Sales, LLC (Avanos Medical, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Baylis Medical Company Inc. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: ROZA, Abraham, HILLIER, Taylor, GODARA, Neil
• Granted Patent: US 8,187,268 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/41
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1206 Generators therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1477 Needle-like probes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00084 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00434 Neural system
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00642 with feedback, i.e. closed loop control
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00702 Power or energy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00791 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00821 measured by a thermocouple
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1472 for use with liquid electrolyte, e.g. virtual electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/06 for high-frequency therapy
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/40 Applying electric fields by inductive or capacitive coupling microwave apparatus A61N5/00; Applying radio-frequency signals

Abstract

An electrosurgical apparatus is provided. The electrosurgical apparatus comprises an elongate shaft having a proximal region, a distal region comprising an electrically conductive region and one or more lumens therethrough; a stylet occluding at least a portion of an opening defined by a distal end of the elongate shaft; and a temperature sensor associated with the distal region, the stylet being a component of the temperature sensor.

Claims

1. An electrosurgical apparatus for treating tissue comprising:

an elongate shaft having a proximal region, a distal region comprising an electrically conductive region and one or more lumens therethrough;

a stylet occluding at least a portion of an opening defined by a distal end of said elongate shaft; and

a temperature sensor associated with said distal region, said stylet being a component of said temperature sensor.

2. The electrosurgical apparatus of claim 1, wherein said temperature sensor comprises a thermocouple.

3. The electrosurgical apparatus of claim 2, wherein said thermocouple comprises a thermocouple junction formed by a wire attached to said stylet.

4. The electrosurgical apparatus of claim 2, wherein said conductive region is a component of said thermocouple.

5. The electrosurgical apparatus of claim 4, wherein said thermocouple comprises a thermocouple junction formed by electrically coupling said stylet to said conductive region.

6. The electrosurgical apparatus of claim 5, wherein said stylet is attached to said conductive region.

7. The electrosurgical apparatus of claim 6, wherein said stylet is attached to said conductive region with an attachment means selected from the group consisting of a weld joint, a solder joint and a mechanical crimp.

8. The electrosurgical apparatus of claim 1, wherein said stylet is attached to said shaft.

9. The electrosurgical apparatus of claim 8, wherein said stylet is attached to said shaft with an attachment means selected from the group consisting of a weld joint, a solder joint and a mechanical crimp.

10. The electrosurgical apparatus of claim 1, wherein said portion of an opening comprises a majority of an opening defined by said distal end of said shaft and wherein a distal end of said stylet is flush with said distal end of said shaft.

11. The electrosurgical apparatus of claim 10, wherein a remaining portion of said opening is not occluded by said stylet, whereby at least one of said one or more lumens is in fluid communication with an environment external to said distal end of said shaft via said remaining portion of said opening.

12. The electrosurgical apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of said stylet substantially radially fills at least one of said one or more lumens.

13. The electrosurgical apparatus of claim 12, wherein said stylet substantially longitudinally fills at least one of said one or more lumens.

14. The electrosurgical apparatus of claim 12, wherein said portion of said stylet comprises a distal portion of said stylet, and wherein a proximal portion of said stylet partially fills said at least one lumen, thereby defining a non-occluded space between said proximal portion of said stylet and a wall defining said at least one lumen.

15. The electrosurgical apparatus of claim 1, wherein said stylet is electrically coupled to an electrical connector for connecting said stylet to an energy source.

16. The electrosurgical apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of said stylet protrudes from said distal end of said shaft.