Fluid-Assisted Medical Devices, Systems and Methods

• US 20090264879A1
• Filed: 04/24/2009
• Published: 10/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Advanced Energy LLC (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Salient Surgical Technologies Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: LIPSON, David, OYOLA, Arnold E., MAURER, Christopher W., WILSON, Jonathan E., MCCLURKEN, Michael E., GREELEY, Roger D., LUZZI, Robert
• Application Number:
  US12/429,920
• Publication Number:
  US 20090264879A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/33
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/32 Surgical cutting instruments A61B18/042 takes precedence; suture cutters A61B17/0467; instruments for ligaturing or cutting A61B17/128; instruments for rupturing the amniotic membrane A61B17/4208; specially adapted knives for eye surgery A61F9/0133
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1206 Generators therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1442 Probes having pivoting end effectors, e.g. forceps
• 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 2018/00011 with fluids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00029 open
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00035 with return means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00065 porous
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00404 Blood vessels other than those in or around the heart
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00589 Coagulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00595 Cauterization
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00601 Cutting
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0063 Sealing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00702 Power or energy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00744 Fluid flow
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00779 Power or energy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00791 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00809 measured thermochromatically
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00875 Resistance or impedance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/126 bipolar
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1412 : Blade
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1417 : Ball
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1422 : Hook
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1455 : having a moving blade for cutting tissue grasped by the jaws
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1861 : with an instrument inserted into a body lumen or cavity, e.g. a catheter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2218/002 : Irrigation

Abstract

Surgical devices, systems and methods for treating tissue are provided. Also provided are systems for treating tissue and methods of treating tissue. An exemplary surgical device comprises a handle (20a) having a proximal end and a distal end; a shaft extending distally beyond the distal end of the handle, the shaft having a proximal end and a distal end; an electrode tip (45), at least a portion of the electrode tip extending distally beyond the distal end of the shaft, the electrode tip extending distally beyond the distal end of the shaft comprising a spherical end surface portion (25) and a cylindrical side surface portion, the spherical end surface portion located distal to the cylindrical side surface portion and comprising at least a portion of the distal end surface of the surgical device; and a fluid passage directed to provide a fluid towards the cylindrical side portion of the electrode tip.

Claims

1-137. -137. (canceled)

138. An electrosurgical device comprising:

a shaft having a proximal end and a distal end;

at least one fluid lumen longitudinally extending through the shaft; and

a plurality of electrodes carried by the distal end of the shaft, each of the electrodes including a porous structure in fluid communication with the at least one fluid lumen, the plurality of electrodes having a substantially co-extensive surface.

139. The device of claim 138 wherein:

the shaft comprises a plurality of tubes on which the electrodes are respectively mounted, and wherein the at least one lumen comprises a plurality of lumens longitudinally extending through the plurality of tubes.

140. The device of claim 138 wherein:

the substantially co-extensive surface is a distal end surface.

141. The device of claim 138 wherein:

the substantially co-extensive surface is a curved surface.

142. The device of claim 140 further comprising:

the distal end surface is an angle A relative to a longitudinal axis of the shaft, the angle is between 5 degrees and 90 degrees.

143. The device of claim 138 wherein:

the plurality of electrodes are configured in a bipolar arrangement.

144. The device of claim 138 wherein:

the shaft is rigid.

145. The device of claim 138 wherein:

the porous structure of each electrode comprises an electrically conductive material.

146. The device of claim 138 wherein:

the porous structure of each electrode comprises porous metal.

147. The device of claim 138 wherein:

the porous structure of each electrode comprises a plurality of bonded metal particles.

148. The device of claim 138 wherein:

the porous structure of each electrode comprises sintered metal.

149. The device of claim 138 wherein:

the porous structure of each electrode comprises pores having a pore size in the range of 2.5 micrometers to 500 micrometers.

150. The device of claim 138 wherein:

the porous structure of each of the electrodes comprises a plurality of interconnected tortuous pathways.

151. The device of claim 138 further comprising:

at least one connector in fluid communication with the at least one lumen.

152. An electrosurgical device comprising:

a shaft having a proximal end and a distal end;

at least one fluid lumen longitudinally extending through the shaft;

a first electrode carried by the distal end of the shaft and having a porous structure in fluid communication with the at least one fluid lumen, the first electrode having a distal end surface extending along a plane; and

a second electrode carried by the distal end of the shaft and having a porous structure in fluid communication with the at least one fluid lumen, the second electrode having a distal end surface extending along the plane of the first electrode distal end surface.

153. The device of claim 152 wherein:

the at least one shaft comprises first and second tubes on which the first and second electrodes are respectively mounted, and wherein the at least one lumen comprises first and second lumens longitudinally extending through the first and second tubes.

154. The device of claim 152 wherein:

the plane is angled relative to a longitudinal axis of the shaft.

155. The device of claim 152 wherein:

the first and second electrodes are configured in a bipolar arrangement.

156. The device of claim 152 wherein:

the shaft is rigid.

157. The device of claim 152 wherein:

the porous structure of each electrode comprises an electrically conductive material.

158. The device of claim 152 wherein:

the porous structure of each electrode comprises porous metal.

159. The device of claim 152 wherein:

the porous structure of each electrode comprises a plurality of bonded metal particles.

160. The device of claim 152 wherein:

the porous structure of each electrode comprises sintered metal.

161. The device of claim 152 wherein:

the porous structure of each electrode comprises pores having a pore size in the range of 2.5 micrometers to 500 micrometers.

162. The device of claim 152 wherein:

the porous structure of each of the electrodes comprises a plurality of interconnected tortuous pathways.

163. The device of claim 152 further comprising:

at least one connector in fluid communication with the at least one lumen.