Laparoscopic electrosurgical pencil
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An electrosurgical instrument comprising:
- a surgical assembly including a nozzle and an electrode having a common longitudinal axis, the nozzle positioned about at least a portion of the electrode;
first means for arranging said assembly between a first arrangement wherein said electrode is exposed and a second arrangement wherein said electrode and said nozzle are substantially nested;
second means for maintaining said assembly in said second arrangement when said assembly is in an inactive state; and
third means for forward delivering a gas to said nozzle when said assembly is in said first arrangement.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An electrosurgical apparatus (10) is disclosed wherein the electrode (12) and nozzle (14) can be maintained in a nested arrangement when the apparatus (10) is in inactive operation, such as when the electrode (12) is being positioned for surgery or when the apparatus (10) is not in use. The apparatus (10) may be employed for gas-enhanced electrosurgery with the electrode (12) and nozzle (14) in the nested arrangement, the apparatus (10) thereby functioning as a dual mode, conventional electrosurgery and gas-enhanced electrosurgery, instrument. Embodiments are disclosed which are adapted for laparoscopic applications.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. An electrosurgical instrument comprising:
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a surgical assembly including a nozzle and an electrode having a common longitudinal axis, the nozzle positioned about at least a portion of the electrode; first means for arranging said assembly between a first arrangement wherein said electrode is exposed and a second arrangement wherein said electrode and said nozzle are substantially nested; second means for maintaining said assembly in said second arrangement when said assembly is in an inactive state; and third means for forward delivering a gas to said nozzle when said assembly is in said first arrangement. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An electrosurgical instrument comprising:
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a nozzle and an electrode having a common longitudinal axis, the nozzle positioned about at least a portion of the electrode; means for moving said electrode relative to said nozzle between a first position for a first operative mode and a second position for a second operative mode wherein the electrode is in a more forward position relative to the nozzle in said first position than in said second position; means for maintaining said electrode in said second position during said second operative mode; and means for forward delivery of gas to said nozzle during said first operative mode. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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18. An electrosurgical apparatus, comprising:
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a cannula; an electrode and a nozzle having a common longitudinal axis, the nozzle positioned about at least a portion of the electrode and fixedly attached to said cannula; positioning means for moving said electrode relative to said nozzle between a first position for non-gas-enhanced electrosurgery and a second position for gas-enhanced electrosurgery, wherein the electrode is more forward relative to the nozzle in the first position than in the second position; and gas delivery means for forward delivery of gas to said nozzle for gas-enhanced electrosurgery. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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21. An electrosurgical instrument, comprising:
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an electrode and a nozzle having a common longitudinal axis, the nozzle positioned about at least a portion of the electrode; a pencil housing having a first portion and a second portion, the first and second portions being slidably interconnected for relative movement therebetween, wherein one of the first portion and the second portion is interconnected to said electrode and the other of the first portion and the second portion is interconnected to said nozzle; and means for forward delivering a gas to said nozzle. - View Dependent Claims (22)
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23. An electrosurgical pencil, comprising:
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an elongated housing, an electrode and a nozzle having a common longitudinal axis and being interconnected to said housing for relative axial movement between said electrode and nozzle along said axis, said nozzle being located about at least a portion of said electrode, positioning means interconnected to said housing and operatively associated with at least one of said nozzle and said electrode for axially positioning said electrode and said nozzle relative to each other in a first relative position for a first, non-gas enhanced mode of operation and a second relative position for a second, gas enhanced mode of operation, wherein the nozzle is more forward relative to the electrode in said second relative position than in said first relative position; and gas delivery means for forward delivery of a gas past said electrode during said second mode of operation for gas enhanced electrosurgery. - View Dependent Claims (24)
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Specification