Electrosurgical electrode
First Claim
1. In an electrosurgical electrode having an electrical conductor with a lateral surface and a longitudinal axis, the conductor being responsive to an electrical signal to direct a current to and perform a surgical function upon body tissue of a patient, an improvement comprising:
- a dielectric sheath surrounding said conductor and in surface contact with said conductor along the longitudinal axis, portions of the sheath defining a slit and limiting exposure of the lateral surface of the conductor to a particular area within the slit.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention an improvement is set forth in an electrosurgical electrode having a conductor from which a radio frequency electrical signal is generated, which signal sparks to and performs a surgical procedure upon the tissue adjacent the conductor and is received by a receiver. The improvement comprises a dielectric sheath surrounding the conductor in the region where the surgical procedure is being performed, the sheath having a slit extending longitudinally along it in the region exposing only a portion of the lateral surface of the conductor.
1010 Citations
21 Claims
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1. In an electrosurgical electrode having an electrical conductor with a lateral surface and a longitudinal axis, the conductor being responsive to an electrical signal to direct a current to and perform a surgical function upon body tissue of a patient, an improvement comprising:
a dielectric sheath surrounding said conductor and in surface contact with said conductor along the longitudinal axis, portions of the sheath defining a slit and limiting exposure of the lateral surface of the conductor to a particular area within the slit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. In an electrosurgical electrode having an electrical conductor with a lateral surface and a longitudinal axis, the conductor transmitting a radio frequency electrical signal which sparks to and performs a surgical function upon body tissue of a patient and is received by a receiver which is in conductive contact with the patient, an improvement comprising:
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a dielectric sheath surrounding said conductor along the longitudinal axis in a region where the surgical function is to be performed, the sheath having a slit extending therealong and exposing only a portion of the lateral surface of the conductor; and an insulating sleeve disposed about said sheath in position to restrict the area of the conductor exposed through the sheath. - View Dependent Claims (9)
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10. In an electrosurgical electrode having an electrical conductor with a lateral surface and a longitudinal axis, the conductor transmitting a radio frequency electrical signal which sparks to and performs a surgical function upon body tissue of a patient and is received by a receiver which is in conductive contact with the patient, an improvement comprising:
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a dielectric sheath surrounding said conductor along the longitudinal axis in a region where the surgical function is to be performed, the sheath having a slit extending therealong and exposing only a portion of the lateral surface of the conductor; and an insulating sleeve disposed about and movable on said sheath and having a longitudinal window extending therethrough said insulating sleeve providing an aperture defined by at least portion of said window and by at least an area of said slit for selectively exposing a desired area of the conductor.
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11. An electrosurgical device adapted to be disposed in proximity to tissue of a patient and to introduce to the tissue an electrical signal for performing a surgical function on the tissue, the intensity of the surgical function being dependent upon the current density of the electrical signal passing through the tissue, the device including:
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a supporting shaft; a conductor carried by the shaft and extending along a longitudinal axis, the conductor having a lateral surface; means slidable on and in surface contact with the conductor for adjusting the density of the current being introduced from the conductor to the tissue in order to selectively control the intensity of the surgical function being performed on the tissue; a sheath included in the adjusting means and surrounding the conductor in proximity to the tissue; and portions of the sheath defining a slit extending through the sheath and exposing at least a limited area of the lateral surface of the conductor, the size of the limited area being inversely proportional to the density of the current being introduced by the conductor to the tissue. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An electrosurgical device adapted to be disposed in proximity to tissue of a patient and to introduce to the tissue an electrical signal for performing a surgical function on the tissue, the intensity of the surgical function being dependent upon the current density of the electrical signal passing through the tissue, the device including:
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a supporting shaft; a conductor carried by the shaft and extending along a longitudinal axis, the conductor having a lateral surface; means slidable on and in surface contact with the conductor for adjusting the density of the current being introduced from the conductor to the tissue in order to selectively control the intensity of the surgical function being performed on the tissue; and means disposed between the shaft and the conductor for moving the conductor radially of the shaft into proximity to the tissue. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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19. An electrosurgical electrode having a limited exposed area and being adapted to introduce an electrical signal to and perform a surgical function on, the tissue of a patient, the intensity of the surgical function being dependent on the size of the limited exposure area, the electrode comprising;
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a conductor having an elongate configuration and an cuter surface; insulating means disposed on the cuter surface of the conductor for inhibiting passage of the electrical signal from the conductor to the tissue; portions of the insulating means defining a slit having a size at least as large as the limited exposed area;
wherebythe size of the slit controls the intensity of the electrical signal passing from the limited exposed area of the conductor to the tissue to perform the surgical function. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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Specification