ELECTROSURGICAL TOOL WITH MOVEABLE ELECTRODE THAT CAN BE OPERATED IN A CUTTING MODE OR A COAGULATION MODE

• US 20090138013A1
• Filed: 01/07/2009
• Published: 05/28/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Jonathan O. Thorne, Kevin Morningstar
• Original Assignee: Jonathan O. Thorne, Kevin Morningstar
• Inventors: Morningstar, Kevin, Thorne, Jonathan O.
• Application Number:
  US12/350,078
• Publication Number:
  US 20090138013A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/48
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1402 Probes for open surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1477 Needle-like probes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/148 having a short, rigid shaft for accessing the inner body transcutaneously, e.g. for neurosurgery or arthroscopy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00005 Cooling or heating of the probe or tissue immediately surrounding the probe
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00101 low, i.e. thermally insulating
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1407 Loop
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1425 Needle

Abstract

An electrosurgical instrument is provided. The electrosurgical instrument includes an active electrode in close proximity to a return electrode. The active electrode has a first thermal diffusivity. The second electrode has a second thermal diffusivity greater than the first thermal diffusivity. The volume, shape, and thermal diffusivity of the second electrode facilitate the transport of heat.

Claims

1. (canceled)

2. An electrosurgical instrument, comprising:

a housing formed from an electrically insulating material, said housing having a distal end;

an insulating layer, said insulating layer extending distally from said distal end of said housing and comprising an exposed outer surface and a distal end;

a first electrode and a second electrode, said first and second electrodes positioned on said outer surface of said insulating layer so as to be spaced apart from each others; and

a third electrode having a distal tip, said third electrode movably mounted within said insulting layer so as to move between an extended position and a retracted position in which said distal tip is exposed (positioned outward/distally/forward of said distal end of said insulating layer) when in said extended position and is positioned within said insulating layer when in said retracted position;

wherein when said third electrode is in said extended position, said electrosurgical instrument functions as a cutting instrument, and wherein when said third electrode is in said retracted position, said electrosurgical instrument functions as a coagulation instrument.