Suction attachment for electrosurgical instruments or the like

• US 5,055,100 A
• Filed: 06/19/1989
• Issued: 10/08/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Eugene Olsen
• Original Assignee: Eugene Olsen
• Inventors: Olsen, Eugene
• Primary Examiner(s): Hafer, Robert A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Owens, Kerry
• Application Number:
  US07/367,841
• Time in Patent Office: 841 Days
• Field of Search: 128/752, 604/19-22, 606/32-42, 606/44, 606/49
• US Class Current: 604/22
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/00 Surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body eye surgery A61F9/007; ear surgery A61F11/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1402 Probes for open surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00296 mounted on an endoscope
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2218/008 for smoke evacuation

Abstract

A clip-on attachment for a surgical instrument of the type having a handle which supports an electrode and switches for selectively applying high frequency electrical energy to the electrode acts to withdraw smoke, fumes or other fluids that may be produced in the region of of the electrode by contact with living tissue. The attachment includes an elongate tube which extends along the instrument handle and which preferably has a helically curved forward end that makes a partial turn around the forward end of the handle. A length of flexible tubing connecting with a source of low pressure is threaded through the tube to extend from the front end of the tube towards the electrode. Resilient clamps on the tube clasp the instrument handle while enabling axial sliding movement and partial rotation of the attachment around the instrument handle to enable repositioning of the flow intake under different operating conditions.

Claims

1. A suction attachment for use with a handheld electrosurgical instrument or the like and for use with a source of low fluid pressure that has flexible vacuum tubing extending therefrom which instrument has a tubular handle with front and back ends and an electrode extending from the front end of said handle, said suction attachment for use with said instrument and low fluid pressure source being comprised of:

a tube adapted to be clamped on to said instrument handle in an orientation at which said tube extends along at least a portion of said instrument handle between said front and back ends thereof, said tube having a back end adapted for receiving said flexible vacuum tubing, an intermediate section proportioned to extend along the exterior surface of said instrument handle and a front end shaped to extend apart relationship therewith when said suction attachment is clamped on to said instrument handle with said intermediate section of said tube being directed along said handle surface, and

clamping means for selectively clamping said intermediate section of said tube to said instrument handle wherein said clamping means is adapted to frictionally grip said surface of said instrument handle while enabling turning of said suction attachment about the axis of said handle by application of sufficient torsional force to change the angular position of said front end of said tube relative to said axis and said electrode, and wherein said clamping means further enables sliding movement of said tube along said handle by application of sufficient axial force to change the longitudinal position of said front end of said tube relative to said electrode.

2. A suction attachment for use with a handheld electrosurgical instrument or the like and for use with a source of low fluid pressure that has flexible vacuum tubing extending therefrom which instrument has a tubular handle with front and back ends and an electrode extending from the front end of said handle, said suction attachment for use with said instrument and low fluid pressure source being comprised of:

a tube adapted to be clamped on to said instrument handle in an orientation at which said tube extends along at least a portion of said instrument handle between said front and back ends thereof, said tube having a back end adapted for receiving said flexible vacuum tubing, an intermediate section proportioned to extend along the exterior surface of said instrument handle and a front end shaped to extend into proximity to said electrode of said instrument in spaced apart relationship therewith when said suction attachment is clamped on to said instrument handle with said intermediate section of said tube being directed along said handle surface, and

clamping means for selectively clamping said intermediate section of said tube to said instrument handle wherein said tube has a helically curved forward portion shaped to partially encircle the forward portion of said handle.

3. A suction attachment for use with a handheld electrosurgical instrument or the like and for use with a source of low fluid pressure that has flexible vacuum tubing extending therefrom which instrument has a tubular handle with front and back ends and an electrode extending from the front end of said handle, said suction attachment for use with said instrument and low fluid pressure source being comprised of:

a tube adapted to be clamped on to said instrument handle in an orientation at which said tube extends along at least a portion of said instrument handle between said front and back ends thereof, said tube having a back end adapted for receiving said flexible vacuum tubing, an intermediate section proportioned to extend along the exterior surface of said instrument handle and a front end shaped to extend into proximity to said electrode of said instrument in spaced apart relationship therewith when said suction attachment is clamped on to said instrument handle with said intermediate section of said tube being directed along said handle surface, and

clamping means for selectively clamping said intermediate section of said tube to said instrument handle

wherein said flexible tubing which extends from said source of low fluid pressure is threaded through said tube and has an end which extends from said front end of said tube towards said electrode when said suction attachment is clamped on to said instrument handle.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said tube has an internal passage through which said tubing extends, said passage being proportioned to frictionally grip said tubing while enabling longitudinal sliding movement of said tubing relative to said tube by application of sufficient force.

5. A suction attachment for use with a handheld electrosurgical instrument or the like and for use with a source of low fluid pressure that has flexible vacuum tubing extending therefrom which instrument has a tubular handle with front and back ends and an electrode extending from the front end of said handle, said suction attachment for use with said instrument and low fluid pressure source being comprised of:

a tube adapted to be clamped on to said instrument handle in an orientation at which said tube extends along at least a portion of said instrument handle between said front and back ends thereof, said tube having a back end adapted for receiving said flexible vacuum tubing, an intermediate section proportioned to extend along the exterior surface of said instrument handle and a front end shaped to extend into proximity to said electrode of said instrument in spaced apart relationship therewith when said suction attachment is clamped on to said instrument handle with said intermediate section of said tube being directed along said handle surface, and wherein at least said frontal end of said tube is formed of non-resilient bendable material, and

clamping means for selectively clamping said intermediate section of said tube to said instrument handle.

6. A suction attachment for use with an electrosurgical instrument of the like and for use with a source of low fluid pressure that has flexible vacuum tubing extending therefrom which instrument has a tubular handle, an electrode extending from the front end thereof and an electrical cable extending from the back end thereof, said suction attachment for use with said instrument and low pressure fluid source being comprised of:

a hollow tube having an internal passage extending from the front end of the tube to the back end thereof, said tube having a back end adapted for receiving said flexible vacuum tubing, an intermediate portion shaped for extension along the rearward region of said instrument handle in substantially parallel relationship therewith, and a helically curved forward portion shaped to extend partially around the forward region of said instrument handle and to situate said front end of said tube in the region of said electrode in spaced apart relationship therewith when said suction attachment is attached to said instrument, and

at least one clamp member secured to said intermediate portion of said tube and being shaped to clasp said rearward region of said instrument handle to hold said suction attachment thereon, said clamp member being formed of resilient material enabling said suction attachment to be rotated around a portion of the circumference of said instrument handle when said suction attachment is engaged thereon and to be slid along said handle by application of sufficient force.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said helically curved forward portion of said tube is proportioned to extend around substantially 180 degrees of the circumference of said forward region of said instrument handle when said suction attachment is clamped to said instrument.

8. In combination with an electrosurgical instrument of the form having a tubular handle with an electrode extending from the forward end thereof and switch means at an intermediate region of said handle for selectively applying radio frequency electrical energy to said electrode, a detachable suction attachment engaged on said handle, said detachable suction attachment being comprised of:

a tube having a forward end situated in the region of said electrode in spaced apart relationship therewith and having a helically curved forward portion which turns partially around the forward region of said handle in front of said switch means and a rearward portion which extends along the rearward region of said handle in substantially parallel relationship therewith,

a length of flexible tubing extending through said tube and having a fluid intake end which extends from said forward portion of said tube towards said electrode and having an opposite end which is connectable to a source of low fluid pressure, and

clamping means for clasping said tube on said handle while enabling sliding movement of said tube therealong and rotational movement of said tube around at least a portion of the circumference of said handle while said tube remains clasped on said handle.