Coagulating forceps

• US 5,443,463 A
• Filed: 08/16/1993
• Issued: 08/22/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Covidien AG (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Vesta Medical, Inc.
• Inventors: Soderstrom, Richard M., Stern, Roger A., Sullivan, Vincent N., Marion, Robert L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cohen, Lee S.
• Application Number:
  US08/106,601
• Time in Patent Office: 736 Days
• Field of Search: 606/41, 606/42, 606/45, 606/46, 606/48-52
• US Class Current: 606/51
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1206 Generators therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1233 with circuits for assuring patient safety
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/14 Probes or electrodes therefor
• 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 2017/00092 using thermocouples
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00101 using an array of thermosensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00292 mounted on or guided by flexible, e.g. catheter-like, means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/4216 Operations on uterus, e.g. endometrium
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00065 porous
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00083 low, i.e. electrically insulating
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00113 with foam
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0016 Energy applicators arranged in a two- or three dimensional array
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0022 Balloons
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00404 Blood vessels other than those in or around the heart
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00559 Female reproductive organs
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00577 Ablation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00601 Cutting
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00654 with individual control of each of a plurality of energy emitting elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00702 Power or energy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00791 : Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00797 : measured by multiple temperature sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00815 : measured by a thermistor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00827 : Current
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00875 : Resistance or impedance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00892 : Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/124 : switching the output to different electrodes, e.g. sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1253 : monopolar
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1465 : Deformable electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1467 : using more than two electrodes on a single probe
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/162 : located on the probe body
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/06 : for high-frequency therapy
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/40 : Applying electric fields by inductive or capacitive coupling microwave apparatus A61N5/00; Applying radio-frequency signals

Abstract

A method and an apparatus for selectively coagulating blood vessels or tissue containing blood vessels involves the placement of the blood vessels or tissue containing blood vessels between the prongs of a forceps with the jaws of the forceps containing a plurality of electrodes which are energized by radio-frequency power. A plurality of sensors are associated with the electrodes and in contact with the vessels or tissue in order to measure the temperature rise of the tissue or blood vessels and to provide a feedback to the radio-frequency power in order to control the heating to perform coagulation of the vessels or tissue. In a further development, the upper prong of the device is split into two parts with a cutting blade between the two upper parts in order to provide for cutting of the coagulated vessels subsequent to the coagulation. The cutting may be accomplished either mechanically or with an electrosurgical cutting device.

Claims

1. An implement for selectively coagulating blood vessels or tissues containing blood vessels, comprising:

at least two opposable members and a means for permitting movement of said at least two opposable members toward and away from each other;

electroconductive electrode means positioned on at least one of said at least two opposable members for effecting electrical contact with said vessels to be coagulated, said electroconductive electrode means includes a plurality of electrically isolated separate electrodes positioned on at least one of said at least two opposable members; and

radio frequency power means connected to said electrodes for selectively delivering radio-frequency energy to each electrode to pass current through and coagulate said vessels positioned between said at least two opposable members,

2. The implement according to claim 1, further including a switching means for providing individual control of energy to each of said electrically isolated separate electrodes.

3. The implement according to claim 2, wherein said switching means includes means for selecting at least one of monopolar and bipolar energy to be delivered to each of said electrically isolated separate electrodes.

4. The implement according to claim 3, wherein said switching means includes means for providing bipolar energy to said electrodes.

5. The implement according to claim 1, and further including temperature sensing means positioned on at least one of said at least two opposable members for measuring the temperature of said vessels in close proximity to said electrodes.

6. The implement according to claim 1, wherein electroconductive electrode means are positioned on both opposable members.