BIPOLAR ELECTROSURGICAL PROBE HAVING INSULATED OVERLAPPING CONDUCTIVE ELEMENTS

• US 20090118731A1
• Filed: 10/30/2008
• Published: 05/07/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: McCallister, Rollie E., Young, Kimbolt
• Granted Patent: US 8,241,281 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/48
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1206 Generators therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1477 Needle-like probes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00083 low, i.e. electrically insulating

Abstract

A bipolar electrosurgical probe includes electrodes separated by an insulation member. One end of an electrode is inserted into an aperture of the other electrode. An insulation material is disposed between e.g., injected into, a space between a bottom surface of one electrode and a top surface of another electrode so that at least a portion of the insulation member is disposed between overlapping ends of the electrodes.

Claims

1. A bipolar electrosurgical probe including an elongated probe shaft, the probe being configured or applying electrical energy to tissue, the probe comprising:

a first tubular electrode carried by the probe shaft and having a distal end;

a second tubular electrode carried by the probe shaft and having a proximal end; and

an insulation member, wherein at least a portion of the insulation member is disposed between overlapping ends of the first and second tubular electrodes.

2. The probe of claim 1, wherein a thickness of a wall of the distal end of the first electrode is less than a thickness of the wall of a proximal end of the first electrode.

3. The probe of claim 2, wherein the thickness of the wall of the distal end of the first electrode is about 0.003″

to about 0.006″

, and the thickness of the wall of the proximal end of the first electrode is about 0.013″

.

4. The probe of claim 1, wherein a thickness of the wall of the proximal end of the second electrode is less than a thickness of the wall of a distal end of the second electrode.

5. The probe of claim 4, wherein the thickness of the wall of the proximal end of the second electrode is about 0.003″

to about 0.006″

, and the thickness of the wall of the distal end of the second electrode is about 0.013″

.

6. The probe of claim 1, wherein the distal end of the first electrode is disposed inside a lumen defined by a wall of the proximal end of the second electrode.

7. The probe of claim 1, wherein a width of a lumen defined by a wall of the distal end of the first electrode is less than a width of a lumen defined by a wall of a proximal end of the first electrode.

8. The probe of claim 1, wherein a width of a lumen defined by a wall of the proximal end of the second electrode is greater than a width of a lumen defined by a wall of a distal end of the second electrode.

9. The probe of claim 8, wherein the width of the lumen defined by the wall of the proximal end of the second electrode is about 0.051″

to about 0.057″

, and the width of the lumen defined by the wall of the distal end of the second electrode is about 0.045″

.

10. The probe of claim 1, wherein outer surfaces of proximal and distal ends of the second electrode are visible, and an outer surface of the distal end of the first electrode is not visible.

11. The probe of claim 1, wherein the distal end of the first electrode and the proximal end of the second electrode have a non-orthogonal shape, and the insulation member has a corresponding non-orthogonal shape.

12. The probe of claim 1, wherein the insulation member is a resin.

13. The probe of claim 1, wherein the insulation member can assume a shape of a space between a surface of the distal end of the first electrode and a surface of the proximal end of the second electrode.

14. The probe of claim 1, wherein portions of the insulation member form an outer surface of the electrode.

15. The probe of claim 1, the overlapping ends comprising the distal end of the first electrode and the proximal end of the second electrode.

16. The probe of claim 15, the overlapping ends comprising a distal cylindrical wall of the first electrode and a proximal cylindrical wall of the second electrode.

17. The probe of claim 16, wherein the cylindrical walls are concentric.

18. The probe of claim 1, wherein the distal end of the first electrode defines at least one aperture extending through a wall of the first electrode.

19. The probe of claim 18, wherein the distal end of the first electrode defines multiple apertures.

20. The probe of claim 18, wherein the insulation member extends into the at least one aperture of the first electrode.

21. The probe of claim 1, wherein the proximal end of the second electrode defines at least one aperture extending through a wall of the second electrode.

22. The probe of claim 21, wherein the proximal end of the second electrode defines multiple apertures.

23. The probe of claim 21, wherein the insulation member extends into the at least one aperture of the second electrode.

24. The probe of claim 1, wherein the distal end of the first electrode defines at least one aperture extending through a wall of the first electrode, and the proximal end of the second electrode defines at least one aperture extending through a wall of the second electrode, wherein the insulation member extends into the at least one aperture of the first electrode and the at least one aperture of the second electrode.

25. The probe of claim 1, further comprising a non-conductive sleeve disposed between an inner surface of the distal end of the first electrode and an outer surface of the proximal end of the second electrode.

26-57. -57. (canceled)