Bipolar electrosurgical instrument
First Claim
1. A surgical instrument of the kind which is adapted to operate using bipolar energizing potential comprisinga probe having a smooth operation tip, said probe including a pair of adjacently disposed, elongated electrodes adapted to receive said bipolar energizing potential, an electrically insulating means for spacing apart and generally separating said electrodes, each said electrode also terminating at a distal end at said tip of said probe, said distal ends being generally in the same plane so that they form part of a smooth surface of said tip and so that neither distal end projects above or from said tip,said electrically insulating means terminating proximally of said tip of said probe and of said distal ends of said electrodes to provide a cavity between said distal ends of said electrodes across which, when said instrument is in use, sparking between said distal ends of said electrodes occurs.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A surgical instrument of the kind which is adapted to operate using bipolar energizing potential comprises a pair of adjacently disposed, elongated electrodes that receive the bipolar potential, and an electrical insulator disposed between the electrodes. The insulator terminates proximally of distal ends of the electrodes to provide a cavity across which sparking between the electrodes occurs. Thus, the instrument is useful in, e.g., arthroscopic surgery on the knee, to perform several types of procedures (such as cutting, smoothing of cartilage, and coagulation) even in the presence of an electrically conductive irrigating solution (such as saline).
516 Citations
30 Claims
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1. A surgical instrument of the kind which is adapted to operate using bipolar energizing potential comprising
a probe having a smooth operation tip, said probe including a pair of adjacently disposed, elongated electrodes adapted to receive said bipolar energizing potential, an electrically insulating means for spacing apart and generally separating said electrodes, each said electrode also terminating at a distal end at said tip of said probe, said distal ends being generally in the same plane so that they form part of a smooth surface of said tip and so that neither distal end projects above or from said tip, said electrically insulating means terminating proximally of said tip of said probe and of said distal ends of said electrodes to provide a cavity between said distal ends of said electrodes across which, when said instrument is in use, sparking between said distal ends of said electrodes occurs.
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22. A method of performing a surgical procedure at an operative site in the body, comprising
(a) inserting into the operative site a surgical instrument of the kind which is adapted to operate using bipolar energizing potential and which includes a probe having a smooth operating tip, said probe including a pair of adjacently disposed, elongated electrodes adapted to receive said bipolar potential, an electrically insulating means for spacing apart and generally separating said electrodes, each said electrode also terminating a distal end at said tip of said probe, said distal ends being generally in the same plane so that they form part of a smooth surface of said tip and so that neither distal end projects above or from said tip, said electrically insulating means terminating proximally of said tip of said probe and of said distal ends of said electrodes to provide a cavity between said distal ends of said electrodes across which, when said instrument is in use, sparking between said distal ends of said electrodes occurs; -
(b) applying said bipolar energizing potential to said instrument to produce sparking across said cavity; and (c) manipulating said instrument so that said sparking affects tissue at said operative site. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification