Coagulating devices

• US 3,920,021 A
• Filed: 05/15/1974
• Issued: 11/18/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Siegfried Hiltebrandt
• Original Assignee: Siegfried Hiltebrandt
• Inventors: Hiltebrandt, Siegfried
• Primary Examiner(s): Michell, Robert W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cohen, Lee S.
• Application Number:
  US05/470,010
• Time in Patent Office: 552 Days
• Field of Search: 128/303.17,303.13,303.14,407-409,404,405,303.18,303.19
• US Class Current: 606/50
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/29 Forceps for use in minimally invasive surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/30 Surgical pincettes without pivotal connectionsfor holding suture needles or materials A61B17/0483; wound clamps A61B17/08 ; hand-held gripping tools without pivotal connections in general B25B9/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1402 Probes for open surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1442 Probes having pivoting end effectors, e.g. forceps
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1485 having a short rigid shaft for accessing the inner body through natural openings
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00196 reciprocating lengthwise

Abstract

This invention relates to devices for coagulating animal tissue by means of high frequency current. Such devices are known to include two electrodes connectable to sources of high frequency alternating current at different potentials, and the coagulating current flows between these electrodes after they have been applied to the body tissue. Such devices also further consist of a barrel with a coagulator fitting provided at the distal end thereof. In accordance with the invention the coagulator fitting in a device of the kind just described utilizes two electrodes which are separated from one another by an insulator, and these are arranged at the distal end of the barrel.

Claims

1. A high frequency alternating electric current tissuecoagulating device having an elongated means supporting two separate and spaced apart electrodes, and electrical insulator spacer means for insulating the electrodes from each other, and circuit means for connecting the electrodes to opposite poles of a source of high frequency alternating current, the improvement being:

said electrical insulator spacer means being axially elongated along a longitudinal axis thereof, the electrical insulator spacer means having a first step defined therein at a distal end thereof and having a second step defined therein aT an interconnected and opposite proximal end thereof;

the elongated means being further for positioning the electrodes at the distal end thereof, and said insulator spacer means being further for spacing the electrodes at said distal end of the elongated means;

said electrodes including a first annular electrode mounted in juxtaposition to the second step onto said electrical insulator spacer means, and a second hemispherically shaped terminal-end electrode mounted on said first step onto said electrical insulator spacer means, and said electrical insulator spacer means and said electrodes being mounted on said distal end of the elongated means at said proximal end of the electrical insulator spacer means, each of the first annular electrode and the second hemispherically shaped terminal-end electrode in a mounted state having predetermined amounts of exterior exposed surface area, respectively for each, whereby tissue in contact with both the first annular electrode and the second hemispherically shaped terminal-end electrode becomes coagulated when the high frequency alternating electric current is passed through the contacted tissue between the electrodes.

2. A high frequency alternating electric current tissue-coagulating device of claim 1, in which said first annular electrode defines a step on its outer periphery, and in which said elongated means defines a hollow distal end fitted securedly onto the step of the first annular electrode.

3. A high frequency alternating electric current tissue-coagulating device of claim 1, in which one of the second hemispherically shaped terminal-end electrode and the electrical insulator spacer means defines a male member, and in which the remaining other one of the second hemispherically shaped terminal-end electrode and the electrical insulator spacer means defines a female member, the male member being mounted matedly in the female member.

4. A high frequency alternating electric current tissue-coagulating device of claim 3, in which said first annular electrode defines a step on its outer periphery, and in which said elongated means defines a hollow distal end fitted securedly onto the step of the first annular electrode.

5. A high frequency alternating electric current tissue-coagulating device of claim 1, in which said elongated means defines a hollow distal end fitted securedly onto said second step.

6. A high frequency alternating electric current tissue-coagulating device of claim 5, in which one of the second hemispherically shaped terminal-end electrode and the electrical insulator spacer means defines a male member, and in which the remaining other one of the second hemispherically shaped terminal-end electrode and the electrical insulator spacer means defines a female member, the male member being mounted matedly in the female member.