DENTAL ELECTROSURGICAL UNIT

• US 3,812,858 A
• Filed: 10/24/1972
• Issued: 05/28/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: MDT Incorporated, Santa Barbara Research Center Goleta CA
• Original Assignee: Maurice Jules Oringer
• Inventors: Oringer, Maurice Jules
• Primary Examiner(s): Pace, Channing L.
• Application Number:
  US05/300,181
• Time in Patent Office: 581 Days
• Field of Search: 128/303.14,303.16,303.17,303.18,422,423
• US Class Current: 606/35
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1233 with circuits for assuring patient safety
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00761 Duration
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00886 Duration

Abstract

Disclosed is a dental electrosurgical apparatus having means to automatically regulate the proper amount of power needed to cut soft tissues of the body, a timing device to regulate and repeatedly interrupt the period of active current flow and a regulator means that cuts off current flow when the patient is not in contact with the inactive electrode.

Claims

1. In a dental electrosurgical unit including an RF power source, an active electrode for applying power from said source to a patient, and an inactive electrode for completing the circuit from the patient back to the RF power source, the improvement comprising:

a. circuit means connecting said RF power source to said active and inactive electrodes so that the output power thereof is a function of the patient tissue resistance through which said RF power passes; and

b. timer means periodically interrupting the delivery of RF power from said RF power source to said active electrode throughout the operating procedure in a timed cycle tO control the time duration during which incisions can be made with the active electrode, wherein said timer means interrupts the flow of RF power to said active electrode for a period of time to allow the dissipation of heat from the tissue prior to the subsequent application of additional RF power by said active electrode, so that excessive heat damage to the tissue is prevented.

2. A dental electrosurgical unit as set forth in claim 1 wherein said circuit means connects a RF power regulator in series with the RF power source, a switch means is connected in series between said RF power source and said RF power regulator, and said timer means operates to cycle said switch means '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'on'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' and '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'off'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' throughout the operating procedure with the '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'off'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' portion of the cycle wherein the delivery of RF power to said active electrode is interrupted, is longer than the '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'on'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' portion of the cycle.

3. A dental electrosurgical unit as set forth in claim 2 wherein said timer means cycles said switch to permit delivery of RF power to said active electrode for between 0.5 and 1 second and thereafter interrupts the delivery of RF power to said active electrode for between 2.5 and 5.0 seconds.

4. A dental electrosurgical unit as set forth in claim 2 including alarm means operable when RF power is being delivered to said active electrode for sensing flow of RF power through said inactive electrode and terminating flow to said active electrode when flow of RF power through said inactive electrode is not sensed.

5. A dental electrosurgical unit as set forth in claim 4 wherein said alarm means is operatively connected to a switch located in series between said RF power source and RF power regulator.

6. A dental electrosurgical method comprising the steps of:

a. applying RF power to the patient tissue through an active electrode;

b. increasing and decreasing said power applied to the patient tissue as a function of the resistance of the tissue being operated on; and

c. periodically cycling te flow of RF power to the tissue on and off in a timed cycle throughout the operating procedure to limit the time duration during which incisions can be made to the patient tissue so that the tissue is allowed to dissipate heat between incisions to prevent excessive heat damage to the tissue.

7. A method as set forth in claim 6 wherein the flow of RF power is cycled on for between 0.5 and 1.0 seconds and is cycled off for between 2.5 and 5 seconds throughout the operating procedure.