COMBINED ELECTROCOAGULATOR-SUCTION INSTRUMENT

• US 3,828,780 A
• Filed: 03/26/1973
• Issued: 08/13/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Charles F. Morrison Jr
• Original Assignee: Charles F. Morrison Jr
• Inventors: Morrison, Charles F. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pace, Channing L.
• Application Number:
  US05/344,872
• Time in Patent Office: 505 Days
• Field of Search: 128/275.1,276,277,303.17
• US Class Current: 604/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1402 Probes for open surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/7411 by changing the size of a vent in combination with changing the cross-section of the line A61M1/7413
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 604/902 Suction wands

Abstract

A combined electrocoagulator-suction instrument useful for coagulating bleeding capillaries and veins within a surgical field and for sucking out blood and other liquids from the field either during, before or after the coagulation procedure. An elongate body of electrically non-conductive material is formed with a main flow passage terminating at one end of the body in a nipple for connecting the passage to a vacuum source. A second passage through the body receives an electrical conductor connected to an electro-surgical generator, the end of the conductor passing through the second passage and having its bared end bent back to extend into the interior of the first passage. An open ended metal tube has one end formed to be inserted into the main passage at the end opposite to said nipple, the tube being mechanically seated within the passage in electrical contact with the bared wire end. An electrically non-conductive sheath surrounds all of the exposed surface of the tube with the exception of a short section at the opposite end or tip. A branch passage extends through the wall of the body to communicate with the main passage at a location intermediate the ends of the main passage, the opposite end of the branch passage opening at the exterior of the body at a vent opening which can be fully or partially covered by the surgeon'"'"''"'"'s finger to regulate the degree of suction within the main flow passage. The vent opening is offset from the location at which the branch passage communicates with the main passage in an upstream direction with respect to the direction of flow of fluid through the main passage.

Claims

1. A combined electrocoagulator-suction instrument comprising an elongate body of electrically nonconductive material having a main flow passage extending longitudinally therethrough, coupling means at one end of said body for connecting said main passage to a source of suction, receiving means at the other end of said passage receiving one end of an electrically conductive tube to place the interior of the tube in fluid communication with said main passage, electrical conductor means in contact with said electrically conductive tube in said receiving means, means defining a branch passage in said body opening into said main passage at a first location intermediate the ends of said main passage, and means defining a vent opening in the exterior of said body, said vent opening being disposed away from said first location in a direction toward said other end of said body, said branch passage communicating with said vent opening.

2. A combined electrocoagulator-suction instrument as defined in claim 1 in which said branch passage is, in cross section, kidney shaped.

3. A combined electrocoagulator-suction instrument comprising an elongate body of electrically non-conductive material having first and second passages extending longitudinally therethrough, coupling means at one end of said body for connecting said first passage to a suction source, electrical conductor means extending through said second passage from said one end of said body and having an exposed electrically conductive end projecting into the end of said first passage adjacent the other end of said body, an elongate tube of electrically conductive material seated in said first passage at said other end of said body in electrical contact with said conductor, means defining a vent opening at the exterior of said body adjacent said other end of said body, means defining a branch passage extending from said vent opening through said body to communicate with said first passage at a location between said vent opening and said one end of said body, said vent opening being adapted to be fully or partially covered by a finger of a person holding said body to regulate the degree of suction in said tube.

4. The invention defined in claim 3 wherein said vent opening is elongated longitudinally of said body.