Tri-frequency electrosurgical instrument

• US 20090062786A1
• Filed: 08/30/2007
• Published: 03/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cynosure, LLC (Hologic Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Cynosure Incorporated
• Inventors: Garito, Jon C., Ellman, Alan G.
• Granted Patent: US 8,998,891 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/37
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/12 by passing a current through the tissue to be heated, e.g. high-frequency current
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1206 Generators therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/14 Probes or electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00178 Electrical connectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0066 without feedback, i.e. open loop control
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00732 Frequency
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1273 including multiple generators in one device
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/128 generating two or more frequencies

Abstract

An electrosurgical instrument that is capable of generating high-quality RF energy carriers at one of three different frequencies and combining any of the three carriers with any one of four electrosurgical mode waveform modulations and selectively supplying the modulated carriers to either a monopolar or a bipolar handpiece. In a preferred embodiment, the first carrier frequency is in the range of about 3.8-4.0 MHz, the second carrier frequency is in the range of about 1.7-2.0 MHz, and the third carrier frequency is in the range of about 400-600 KHz.

Claims

1. An electrosurgical instrument for selectively providing electrosurgical currents at various carrier frequencies and in different electrosurgical modes to operate a monopolar handpiece and a bipolar handpiece, comprising:

(a) an instrument console,

(b) RF power generating circuitry inside the console and capable of generating carriers at a first frequency, at a second frequency different from the first frequency, and at a third frequency different from the first and second frequencies,

(c) first electrical connectors at the console for receiving a monopolar handpiece,

(d) second electrical connectors at the console for receiving a bipolar handpiece,

(e) modulating circuit means for generating;

i) first modulating waveforms capable when combined with one of the carriers for performing a CUT operation on tissue,

ii) second modulating waveforms capable when combined with one of the carriers for performing a CUT/COAG operation on tissue,

iii) third modulating waveforms capable when combined with one of the carriers for performing a HEMO operation on tissue,

iv) fourth modulating waveforms capable when combined with one of the carriers for performing a FULGURATE operation,

f) first means for selectively combining the carrier at the first frequency with the first, second, third, and fourth modulating waveforms to form, respectively, first, second, third and fourth resultant electrosurgical mode currents and selectively supplying the resultant first, second, third and fourth electrosurgical mode currents at the first frequency to the first or second electrical connectors,

g) second means for selectively combining the carrier at the second frequency with the first, second, third, and fourth modulating waveforms to form, respectively, fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth resultant electrosurgical mode currents and selectively supplying the resultant fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth electrosurgical mode currents at the second frequency to the first or second electrical connectors,

h) third means for selectively combining the carrier at the third frequency with the first, second, third, and fourth modulating waveforms to form, respectively, ninth, tenth, eleventh, and twelfth resultant electrosurgical mode currents and selectively supplying the resultant ninth, tenth, eleventh, and twelfth electrosurgical mode currents at the third frequency to the first or second electrical connectors,

whereby a monopolar handpiece connected to the first electrical connectors can be selectively operated at three different carrier frequencies in four different electrosurgical modes, and a bipolar handpiece connected to the second electrical connectors can be selectively operated at three different carrier frequencies in four different electrosurgical modes.

2. An electrosurgical instrument according to claim 1, further comprising a footswitch connected to the console, said footswitch functioning to turn on and off the RF power generating circuitry.

3. An electrosurgical instrument according to claim 1, wherein the first carrier frequency is higher than that of the second carrier frequency, and the second carrier frequency is higher than that of the third carrier frequency.

4. An electrosurgical instrument according to claim 3, wherein the first and second frequencies are in the MHz range, and the third frequency is in the KHz range

5. An electrosurgical instrument according to claim 4, wherein the first frequency is in the range of about 3.8-4.0 MHz, the second frequency is in the range of about 1.7-2.0 MHz, and the third frequency is in the range of about 400-600 KHz.

6. An electrosurgical instrument according to claim 4, wherein the first frequency is about 4.0 MHz, the second frequency is about 1.7 MHz, and the third frequency is about 500 KHz.

7. An electrosurgical instrument according to claim 2, wherein said monopolar handpiece comprises three fingerswitches, said fingerswitches functioning to turn on and off the RF power generating circuitry.

8. An electrosurgical instrument according to claim 1, wherein the instrument console comprises a front panel with a first switch section controlling carrier frequency selection, a second switch section controlling mode selection, and a third switch section controlling to which handpiece connectors selected electrosurgical currents are delivered.

9. An electrosurgical instrument according to claim 8, further comprising a monopolar handpiece connected to the first electrical connectors, a bipolar handpiece connected to the second electrical connectors, and a footswitch connected to the console.

10. A method for treating patients with electrosurgical currents from an electrosurgical instrument having a monopolar handpiece and a bipolar handpiece, comprising the steps:

(a) operating the electrosurgical instrument to selectively generate first, second, third or fourth mode electrosurgical currents selectively combined with a first carrier frequency, or

(b) operating the electrosurgical instrument to selectively generate first, second, third or fourth mode electrosurgical currents combined with a second carrier frequency, or

(c) operating the electrosurgical instrument to selectively generate first, second, third or fourth mode electrosurgical currents combined with a third carrier frequency,

(d) selectively supplying the selected mode combined with the selected carrier frequency to the monopolar or bipolar handpiece,

(e) applying the selected handpiece to the patient.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first carrier frequency is in the range of about 3.8-4.0 MHz, the second carrier frequency is in the range of about 1.7-2.0 MHz, and the third carrier frequency is in the range of 400-600 KHz.