Cartridge Assembly For Electrosurgical Devices, Electrosurgical Unit And Methods Of Use Thereof

• US 20110125146A1
• Filed: 09/08/2010
• Published: 05/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Advanced Energy LLC (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Salient Surgical Technologies Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: FLANAGAN, David J., MILLER, Steven G., CONLEY, Brian M., GIFFORD, Aaron J., MURAKAMI, Blaine T., GREELEY, Roger D., ROBINSON, Thomas P.
• Granted Patent: US 9,345,541 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/33
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/14 Probes or electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/18 by applying electromagnetic radiation, e.g. microwaves radiation therapy A61N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00178 Electrical connectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00589 Coagulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00601 Cutting
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0063 Sealing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00988 Means for storing information, e.g. calibration constants, or for preventing excessive use, e.g. usage, service life counter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2218/002 Irrigation

Abstract

The invention provides a cartridge assembly to couple a tissue treatment device with an electrosurgical unit, with the cartridge assembly operable with a power delivery apparatus and a fluid delivery apparatus of the electrosurgical unit. The invention also provides an electrosurgical unit comprising a power delivery apparatus and a fluid delivery apparatus operable with the cartridge assembly and a system thereof.

Claims

1. A cartridge assembly to couple a tissue treatment device with an electrosurgical unit having a radio-frequency power delivery apparatus and a fluid delivery apparatus, the cartridge assembly comprising:

a cartridge member operable with the radio-frequency power delivery apparatus of the electrosurgical unit and the fluid delivery apparatus of the electrosurgical unit.

2. The cartridge assembly of claim 1 wherein:

the cartridge member is configured to engage with and configured to disengage from the electrosurgical unit.

3. The cartridge assembly of claim 1 wherein:

the cartridge member is configured to engage with a releasable mechanical engagement mechanism of the electrosurgical unit.

4. The cartridge assembly of claim 1 wherein:

the cartridge member is configured to engage the electrosurgical unit with an interference fit.

5. The cartridge assembly of claim 1 further comprising:

a fluid delivery passage.

6. The cartridge assembly of claim 5 wherein:

the fluid delivery passage is operable with the fluid delivery apparatus of the electrosurgical unit.

7. The cartridge assembly of claim 5 wherein:

the cartridge member includes a valve in fluid communication with the fluid delivery passage.

8. The cartridge assembly of claim 5 wherein:

the cartridge member includes a cartridge body; and

at least a portion of the fluid delivery passage is located in the cartridge body.

9. The cartridge assembly of claim 5 wherein:

the cartridge member includes a cartridge body; and

at least a portion of the fluid delivery passage is defined by the cartridge body.

10. The cartridge assembly of claim 5 wherein:

at least a portion of the fluid delivery passage is defined by plastic tubing.

11. The cartridge assembly of claim 10 wherein:

at least a portion of the plastic tubing is operable with the fluid deliver apparatus of the electrosurgical unit.

12. The cartridge assembly of claim 10 wherein:

at least a portion of the plastic tubing is configured to be compressed by the fluid deliver apparatus of the electrosurgical unit.

13. The cartridge assembly of claim 10 wherein:

the cartridge member includes a cartridge body; and

at least a portion of the plastic tubing is located in the cartridge body.

14. The cartridge assembly of claim 10 wherein:

the cartridge member includes a cartridge body; and

at least a portion of the plastic tubing is supported by the cartridge body.

15. The cartridge assembly of claim 10 wherein:

the cartridge member includes a cartridge body; and

at least a portion of the plastic tubing forms an enclosed loop with the cartridge body.

16. The cartridge assembly of claim 15 wherein:

a length of the plastic tubing forming the loop is adjustable to adjust a size of the loop.

17. The cartridge assembly of claim 10 wherein:

the cartridge member includes a cartridge body; and

at least a portion of the plastic tubing is movable at least one of into and out of the cartridge body.

18. The cartridge assembly of claim 10 wherein:

the cartridge member includes a cartridge body; and

at least a portion of the plastic tubing is located in a tubular aperture which extends through the cartridge body.

19. The cartridge assembly of claim 10 wherein:

the cartridge member includes a cartridge body; and

at least a portion of the plastic tubing is supported in an arcuate shape by the cartridge body.

20. The cartridge assembly of claim 10 wherein:

the cartridge member includes a cartridge body; and

the cartridge body includes a surface against which the plastic tubing is to be compressed during an operation of the fluid delivery apparatus.

21. The cartridge assembly of claim 10 wherein:

the cartridge member includes a cartridge body; and

the plastic tubing is supported on opposing ends by the cartridge body.

22. The cartridge assembly of claim 10 wherein:

the cartridge member includes a cartridge body; and

a portion of the cartridge body is within a lumen of the plastic tubing.

23. The cartridge assembly of claim 1 wherein:

the cartridge member is configured to receive a control signal from the electrosurgical unit.

24. The cartridge assembly of claim 23 wherein:

the control signal comprises a signal configured to control a radio-frequency power output of the electrosurgical unit.

25. The cartridge assembly of claim 1 further comprising:

tissue treatment device information.

26. The cartridge assembly of claim 25 wherein:

the cartridge member is configured to provide the tissue treatment device information to the electrosurgical unit.

27. The cartridge assembly of claim 25 wherein:

the cartridge member includes a tangible storage medium; and

the tangible storage medium is configured to store the tissue treatment device information.

28. The cartridge assembly of claim 25 wherein:

the tissue treatment device information comprises at least one operating parameter operable with a use of the tissue treatment device.

29. The cartridge assembly of claim 25 wherein:

the tissue treatment device information comprises at least one of a radio-frequency power delivery apparatus setting and a fluid delivery apparatus setting operable with a use of the tissue treatment device.

30. The cartridge assembly of claim 25 wherein:

the tissue treatment device information comprises a plurality of radio-frequency power delivery apparatus settings operable with a use of the tissue treatment device and at least one fluid delivery apparatus setting corresponding to each of the radio-frequency power delivery apparatus settings.

31. The cartridge assembly of claim 25 wherein:

the tissue treatment device information comprises a default setting operable with a use of the tissue treatment device.

32. The cartridge assembly of claim 25 wherein:

the tissue treatment device information comprises a time interval operable with a use of the tissue treatment device.

33. The cartridge assembly of claim 25 wherein:

the tissue treatment device information comprises at least one identifier unique to the tissue treatment device.

34. The cartridge assembly of claim 1 wherein:

the cartridge member includes a tangible storage medium.

35. The cartridge assembly of claim 1 wherein:

the cartridge member includes an electrical contact connectable with an electrical contact of the electrosurgical unit.

36. An electrosurgical unit for use with a tissue treatment device, the electrosurgical unit comprising:

a docking assembly comprising a radio-frequency power delivery apparatus and a fluid delivery apparatus; and

wherein the docking assembly is operable with a cartridge assembly configured to couple the tissue treatment device with the electrosurgical unit.

37. The unit of claim 36 wherein:

the docking assembly is configured to engage with and configured to disengage from the cartridge assembly.

38. The unit of claim 36 wherein:

the docking assembly is configured to engage the cartridge assembly with an interference fit.

39. The unit of claim 36 further comprising:

a releasable mechanical engagement mechanism configured to engage with the cartridge assembly.

40. The unit of claim 36 further comprising:

a releasable positioning mechanism to position the cartridge assembly.

41. The unit of claim 36 wherein:

the radio-frequency power delivery apparatus is movable to engage with and disengage from the cartridge assembly.

42. The unit of claim 36 wherein:

the fluid delivery apparatus is movable to engage with and disengage from the cartridge assembly.

43. The unit of claim 36 wherein:

the radio-frequency power delivery apparatus and the fluid delivery apparatus are movable to engage with and disengage from the cartridge assembly.

44. The unit of claim 36 wherein:

the radio-frequency power delivery apparatus and the fluid delivery apparatus are jointly movable.

45. The unit of claim 36 wherein:

the radio-frequency power delivery apparatus and/or the fluid delivery apparatus are operable with a cartridge member of the cartridge assembly to be placed in a cartridge receptacle of the electrosurgical unit.

46. An electrosurgical system comprising:

an electrosurgical unit comprising a radio-frequency power delivery apparatus and a fluid delivery apparatus;

a tissue treatment device; and

a cartridge assembly operable with the radio-frequency power delivery apparatus and the fluid delivery apparatus of the electrosurgical unit to provide radio-frequency power and a fluid to the tissue treatment device.