Electrosurgical electrode for DCR surgical procedure

• US 5,571,101 A
• Filed: 05/25/1995
• Issued: 11/05/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ellman International, Inc. (Hologic Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: ALAN G. ELLMAN, Jon C. Garito
• Inventors: Garito, Jon C., Ellman, Alan G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cohen, Lee S.
• Application Number:
  US08/450,703
• Time in Patent Office: 530 Days
• Field of Search: 606/44, 606/45, 606/46, 606/49
• US Class Current: 606/45
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1477 Needle-like probes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1485 having a short rigid shaft for accessing the inner body through natural openings
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1425 Needle

Abstract

An electrode for use in an electrosurgical nasal procedure for excising tissue. The procedure is known as DCR. In a preferred embodiment, the electrode is characterized by a bare active tip portion terminating a transversely-extending portion from an electrode shaft. The tissue excising is effected with the bare tip and the adjacent portions of the transversely-extending portion and electrode shaft are made insulating to prevent accidental burns to the patient and to allow the physician to use these insulated parts to help position and guide the active tip portion during the surgical procedure.

Claims

1. An electrosurgical electrode for excising of nasal tissue, comprising:

(a) an electrically conductive shaft member having a first exposed end for mounting in an electrosurgical handpiece and a second end,

(b) said second end having a generally transversely-extending portion terminating in an active, electrically conductive, tip portion tapering to a point,

(c) said active tip portion being exposed electrically for applying electrosurgical currents to said nasal tissue when said shaft member first end is connected to a source of electrosurgical currents,

(d) portions of said shaft member extending from the first exposed end to said transversely-extending portion adjacent said exposed tip portion being coated with an electrically insulating coating to prevent contact and passage of electrosurgical currents to areas adjacent to or surrounding the tissue to be excised,

(e) the length of the exposed tip portion being greater than 0.05 but less than 0.30 inches.

2. An electrosurgical electrode for excising of nasal tissue as claimed in claim 10, wherein the diameter of the portion of the shaft member adjacent the second end is in the range of about 0.03-0.06 inches.

3. An electrosurgical electrode for excising of nasal tissue, comprising:

(a) an electrically conductive shaft member having a first exposed end for mounting in an electrosurgical handpiece and a second end,

(b) said second end having a generally transversely-extending portion terminating in an active, electrically conductive, tip portion tapering to a point, said tip portion being of brass,

(c) said active tip portion being exposed electrically for applying electrosurgical currents to said nasal tissue when said shaft member first end is connected to a source of electro surgical currents,

(d) portions of said shaft member extending from the first exposed end to said transversely-extending portion adjacent said exposed tip portion being coated with an electrically insulating coating to prevent contact and passage of electrosurgical currents to areas adjacent to or surrounding the tissue to be excised,

(e) the length of said transversely-extending portion lying in the range of about 0.28-0.55 inches.

4. An electrosurgical electrode for excising of nasal tissue, comprising:

(a) an electrically conductive shall member having a first exposed end for mounting in an electrosurgical handpiece and a second end,

(b) said second end having a generally transversely-extending portion terminating in an active, electrically conductive, tip portion tapering to a point,

(c) said active tip portion being exposed electrically for applying electrosurgical currents to said nasal tissue when said shaft member first end is connected to a source of electrosurgical currents,

(d) portions of said shaft member extending from the first exposed end to said transversely-extending portion adjacent said exposed tip portion being coated with an electrically insulating coating to prevent contact and passage of electrosurgical currents to areas adjacent to or surrounding the tissue to be excised, the length of said shaft member being about 3 inches.

5. An electrosurgical electrode as claimed in claim 4, wherein the length of said shaft member coated with the electrically-insulating coating is about 2.04-2.42 inches.

6. An electrosurgical electrode as claimed in claim 5, wherein the transversely-extending portion extends at a right angle to the shaft member.

7. In combination:

electrosurgical apparatus capable of supplying high frequency currents,

an electrosurgical handpiece having means at one end for connection to the electrosurgical apparatus and having at its opposite end means for holding an electrically conducive shaft member of an electrosurgical electrode and for supplying the high frequency currents to said electrode;

an electrosurgical electrode for performing nasal surgery, comprising;

(a) an electrically conductive shaft member having a fast end mounted at the opposite end of the electrosurgical handpiece and a second end,

(b) said second end having a generally transversely-extending portion terminating in an active, electrically conductive, tip portion, the length of said transversely-extending portion lying in the range of about 0.28-0.55 inches,

(c) said active tip portion being exposed electrically for applying electrosurgical currents to patient nasal tissue when said shaft member is connected to a source of electrosurgical currents,

(d) the portions of said shaft member extending to said transversely-extending portion adjacent said exposed tip portion being electrically insulating to prevent contact and passage of electrosurgical currents to areas adjacent to or surrounding the shaft member.

8. The combination of claim 7, wherein the high frequency currents are at a frequency exceeding 1.5 MHz.