SELF-LIMITING ELECTROSURGICAL RETURN ELECTRODE WITH PRESSURE SORE REDUCTION AND HEATING CAPABILITIES

• US 20100217260A1
• Filed: 02/10/2010
• Published: 08/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Megadyne Medical Products Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Megadyne Medical Products Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Aramayo, Thomas F.
• Granted Patent: US 8,876,812 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/41
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/16 Indifferent or passive electrodes for grounding
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/167 Passive electrodes capacitively coupled to the skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 7/007 characterised by electric heating

Abstract

A self-limiting electrosurgical electrode for use with electrosurgery and various other surgical procedures is disclosed. The electrode includes a heating element for generating heat to warm a patient resting upon the electrode. The electrode can also include one or more pads to prevent the creation of pressure sores or decubitus ulcers on a patient resting upon the electrode. The electrode has an effective bulk impedance equal to or greater than about 4,000 Ω·cm, which arises from resistive components, capacitive components, inductive components, or combinations thereof. Through the selection of the impedance characteristics for the electrode materials, and through tailoring of electrode geometries, the electrode of the present invention is self-regulating and self-limiting as to current density and temperature rise so as to prevent patient trauma.

Claims

1. An electrosurgical electrode comprising:

a conductive element configured to conduct electrical current;

one or more pads positioned adjacent said conductive element, said one or more pads being configured to substantially prevent the creation of one or more pressure sores on a patient resting upon said electrosurgical electrode; and

a heating element positioned adjacent said one or more pads, said heating element being adapted to generate heat for warming a patient resting upon said electrosurgical electrode,

wherein, said conductive element and said one or more pads have an effective bulk impedance equal to or greater than about 4,000 Ω

·

cm.

2. An electrosurgical electrode according to claim 1, wherein one of said one or more pads is positioned between said conductive element and said heating element.

3. An electrosurgical electrode according to claim 1, wherein one of said one or more pads is positioned on top of said conductive element such that said pad is positioned between said conductive element and the patient resting upon said electrosurgical electrode.

4. An electrosurgical electrode according to claim 1, wherein said one or more pads comprise a material selected from the group consisting of a visco-elastic material, a gel, water, saline, a water based material, a conductive oil, or combinations thereof.

5. An electrosurgical electrode according to claim 1, wherein said heating element is positioned near a bottom surface of said electrosurgical electrode.

6. An electrosurgical electrode according to claim 1, wherein said heating element comprises a heat generating element and a heat spreading element.

7. An electrosurgical electrode according to claim 1, wherein said heating element comprises a fabric formed of conductive fibers.

8. An electrosurgical electrode according to claim 1, wherein said conductive element comprises normally insulating material impregnated with electrically conducting fibers to render said electrosurgical electrode to have an effective bulk impedance equal to or greater than about 4,000 Ω

·

cm.

9. An electrosurgical electrode according to claim 1, wherein said effective bulk impedance of said conductive element and said one or more pads comprises electrical components selected from the group consisting of resistance, capacitive, inductive, or combinations thereof.

10. An electrosurgical electrode according to claim 1, wherein said conductive element comprises:

an electrode, said electrode comprising;

a first layer of predetermined limited electrical conductivity; and

a second layer of dielectric material having a predetermined capacitive reactance, said second layer contacting and overlying said first layer.

11. An electrosurgical electrode for warming a patient resting upon the electrosurgical electrode and preventing the creation of pressure sores on the patient, the electrosurgical electrode comprising:

a conductive element configured to conduct electrical current;

an electrical heating element adapted to convert electrical energy to heat energy and to evenly distribute the heat energy so as to warm the patient resting upon said electrosurgical electrode; and

first and second pads adapted to substantially prevent the creation of one or more pressure sores on a patient resting upon said electrosurgical electrode, said first pad being positioned between said conductive element and said electrical heating element, and said second pad being positioned on top of said conductive element such that said second pad is positioned between said conductive element and the patient resting upon said electrosurgical electrode,

wherein, said electrosurgical electrode has a collective bulk resistance equal to or greater than about 4,000 Ω

·

cm.

12. An electrosurgical electrode according to claim 11, wherein said first pad is substantially thicker than said second pad.

13. An electrosurgical electrode according to claim 11, wherein at least one of said first and second pads is formed of a visco-elastic material.

14. An electrosurgical electrode according to claim 11, wherein at least one of said first and second pads is formed of a gel.

15. An electrosurgical electrode according to claim 11, wherein at least one of said first and second pads is formed of water, saline, a water based material, a conductive oil, or a combination thereof.

16. An electrosurgical electrode according to claim 11, wherein said first and second pads are thermally conductive.

17. An electrosurgical electrode according to claim 11, wherein said conductive element comprises electrically conducting material having an effective bulk resistivity equal to or greater than about 4,000 Ω

·

cm.

18. An electrosurgical electrode configured to be disposed beneath a patient during electrosurgery to provide a return path for an electrosurgical current used in electrosurgery, the electrosurgical electrode being self-limiting such that the electrosurgical current is limited to safe thresholds so as to prevent an undesirable patient burn at the contact area between the patient and the electrode in the event of an accidental reduction in the contact area below a threshold level, the electrosurgical electrode comprising:

a first cover layer and a second cover layer associated with one another to form an envelope with an interior portion;

a heating element disposed within said interior portion, said heating element being adapted to generate heat for warming the patient resting upon said electrosurgical electrode;

a conductive element disposed within said interior portion of said envelope and above said heating element, said conductive element configured to conduct electrical current;

first and second pads disposed within said interior portion, said first pad being positioned between said heating element and said conductive element, said second pad being positioned between said conductive element and said second cover layer, said first and second pads being adapted to substantially prevent the creation of one or more pressure sores on the patient resting on said electrosurgical electrode,

wherein, the effective bulk impedance of said second pad and said conductive element is equal to or greater than about 4,000 Ω

·

cm.

19. An electrosurgical electrode according to claim 18, wherein said first and second pads are adapted to transfer the heat generated by said heating element to the patient resting on said electrosurgical electrode.

20. An electrosurgical electrode according to claim 18, wherein said heating element comprises conductive fibers and at least one of wool, polyester, or an aramid.

21. An electrosurgical electrode according to claim 18, wherein said heating element comprises a carbon impregnated polymer.

22. An electrosurgical electrode according to claim 18, further comprising a thermal insulation layer disposed between said first cover layer and said heating element such that said thermal insulation layer directs heat away from said first cover layer and toward said second cover layer.

23. An electrosurgical electrode according to claim 22, wherein said thermal insulation layer is adapted to substantially prevent the creation of one or more pressure sores on the patient resting on said electrosurgical electrode.