Coaxial electrosurgical instrument
First Claim
1. A coaxial electrosurgical instrument for performing surgical procedures on tissue, comprising:
- an elongate, tubular, outer electrode covered with an insulating sleeve which leaves a distal end portion of the outer electrode uninsulated;
an elongate, inner electrode, located coaxially within the outer electrode and electrically insulated therefrom such that a distal uninsulated end portion of the inner electrode extends to a predetermined length from the distal uninsulated end portion of the outer electrode to enable simultaneous electrical contact by the distal uninsulated end portions of both the inner and outer electrodes with the tissue to be operated on; and
means for providing an alternating electrical voltage difference at a controlled frequency between the inner and outer electrodes;
wherein the distal end portion of the outer electrode has a transverse end surface inclined at an acute first angle relative to a common axis of the inner and outer electrodes.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A coaxial electrosurgical instrument has an elongate inner electrode insulated from and contained coaxially within a hollow tubular elongate outer electrode. Both electrodes have respective distal end portions which are uninsulated and contactable simultaneously to tissue to be operated on. A controlled, high-frequency, potential difference is provided between the electrodes under the user'"'"'s control when the uninsulated distal end portions thereof are simultaneously contacted to tissue. A high frequency, high density, electrical current is thus caused to flow substantially only through that part of the contacted tissue which lies between the contacting portions of the inner and outer electrodes. Tissue is readily and cleanly cut between the inner and outer electrodes applying a continuous, undamped high frequency voltage difference. Cauterization and coagulation of the contacted tissue between the inner and outer electrodes may be performed by applying a periodically damped frequency electrical potential difference between the inner and outer electrodes. The outer electrode is preferably formed to have an inclined end surface, and the cooperating inner electrode is advantageously formed with a distal end part inclined to enable hooking of selected tissue to perform the surgical operations with improved visibility to the user.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A coaxial electrosurgical instrument for performing surgical procedures on tissue, comprising:
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an elongate, tubular, outer electrode covered with an insulating sleeve which leaves a distal end portion of the outer electrode uninsulated; an elongate, inner electrode, located coaxially within the outer electrode and electrically insulated therefrom such that a distal uninsulated end portion of the inner electrode extends to a predetermined length from the distal uninsulated end portion of the outer electrode to enable simultaneous electrical contact by the distal uninsulated end portions of both the inner and outer electrodes with the tissue to be operated on; and means for providing an alternating electrical voltage difference at a controlled frequency between the inner and outer electrodes; wherein the distal end portion of the outer electrode has a transverse end surface inclined at an acute first angle relative to a common axis of the inner and outer electrodes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of performing surgical operations including incisions, cauterizations and coagulations of a tissue, comprising the steps of:
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providing an elongate, tubular, outer electrode covered with an insulating sleeve which leaves a distal end portion of the outer electrode uninsulated, the distal end portion having an end face inclined at an acute first angle to an axis of the outer electrode; providing an elongate, inner electrode, located coaxially within the outer electrode and electrically insulated therefrom such that a distal uninsulated end portion of the inner electrode extends to a predetermined length from the distal uninsulated end portion of the outer electrode to enable simultaneous electrical contact by the distal uninsulated end portions of both the inner and outer electrodes with the tissue to be operated on; providing an alternating electrical voltage difference at a controlled frequency between the inner and outer electrodes; and applying the distal uninsulated end portions of both the inner and outer electrodes simultaneously to the tissue to be operated to thereby cause a high frequency, high density, current to flow substantially only through that portion of the contacted tissue which lies between the applied inner and outer electrodes. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification