Electrosurgical electrode and method for skin resurfacing

• US 5,746,746 A
• Filed: 08/30/1996
• Issued: 05/05/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/1996
• 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): Bahr, Jennifer
• Assistant Examiner(s): YARNELL, BRYAN KEITH
• Application Number:
  US08/705,600
• Time in Patent Office: 613 Days
• Field of Search: 606/32, 606/34, 606/37-42, 606/45, 606/49, 606/131-133, 606/167, 606/170-172, 607/98, 607/99, 607/112, 607/115, 607/145, 607/147, 607/149
• US Class Current: 606/41
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/14 Probes or electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0047 Upper parts of the skin, e.g. skin peeling or treatment of wrinkles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1253 monopolar
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/144 Wire

Abstract

An electrode for use in an electrosurgical skin resurfacing procedure. In a preferred embodiment, the electrode is uniquely configured to form an active wire segment, generally straight or bowed shape, whose width controls the width of the graft, and terminating at opposite ends in aligned coated segments, the thickness of whose coatings controls the thickness of the skin processed. The active wire is supported by structure that is completely electrically-insulated to ensure treatment only of the desired tissue while avoiding damage to surrounding tissue. Anapparatus for moving the electrode over the skin is provided in another embodiment. Finally, a method for electrosurgically resurfacing the skin is discussed.

Claims

1. An electrosurgical electrode for tissue planing, comprising:

(a) an electrically-conductive shaft member having a longitudinal direction and a first end for mounting to a handpiece and a second end,

(b) said second end comprising an active, electrically-conductive, exposed wire portion having a generally straight shape extending generally transverse to the shaft member and terminated at opposite ends by end segments generally aligned with and lying in the same plane as that of the active wire portion, the end segments terminating said exposed wire portion being provided with a coating of a thickness such that, when the active wire portion is applied to tissue, the coating prevents the exposed active wire portion from digging into, gouging or scarring the tissue,

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

(d) the coating on the end segments terminating said exposed wire portion being electrically-insulating to prevent contact and passage of electrosurgical currents to areas adjacent to or surrounding the tissue to be treated and controlling the depth of tissue treated.

2. An electrosurgical electrode as claimed in claim 1, wherein the active wire portion has a length in its tranverse direction of about 0.2-0.5 inches.

3. An electrosurgical electrode as claimed in claim 1, wherein the active wire portion is constituted of a thin wire having a diameter of about 0.004-0.010 inches.

4. An electrosurgical electrode as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electrical insulation of the end segments is constituted by a coating having a thickness in the range of about 0.002-0.008 inches.

5. An electrosurgical electrode as claimed in claim 1, wherein the active wire portion is supported by a generally triangular support.

6. An electrosurgical electrode for tissue planing, comprising:

(a) an electrically-conductive shaft member having a longitudinal direction and a first end for mounting to a handpiece and a second end,

(b) said second end comprising an active, electrically-conductive, wire portion having a generally straight or bowed shape extending generally transverse to the shaft member and terminated at opposite ends by end segments generally aligned with the active wire portion,

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

(d) the end segments adjacent said exposed wire portion being electrically-insulating to prevent contact and passage of electrosurgical currents to areas adjacent to or surrounding the tissue to be treated and controlling the depth of tissue treated,

(e) means for rolling the exposed wire portion of the electrode over the tissue to be planed.

7. An electrosurgical electrode as claimed in claim 6, wherein the means for rolling comprises a movable guide member for removably supporting the active wire portion.

8. An electrosurgical electrode as claimed in claim 6, wherein the means for rolling comprises rotatable sleeves adjacent each of the end segments.

9. In combination:

i) electrosurgical apparatus capable of supplying high frequency currents,

ii) an electrosurgical electrode having an electrically-conductive shaft;

iii) a handpiece having means at one end for connection to the electrosurgical apparatus and having at its opposite end means for mounting to the electrically-conductive shaft of the electrosurgical electrode and for supplying the high frequency currents to said electrode;

said electrode comprising;

(a) a first end for mounting to the handpiece and a second end and having a longitudinal direction between the first and second ends,

(b) said second end comprising an active, electrically-conductive, wire portion having a generally straight or bowed shape extending generally transverse to the shaft member and terminated at opposite ends by end segments generally aligned with the active wire portion,

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

(d) the end segments terminating said exposed wire portion being provided with an electrically-insulating coating to prevent contact and passage of electrosurgical currents to areas adjacent to or surrounding the tissue to be treated, the thickness of said electrically-insulating coating being selected to control the depth of tissue treated.

10. The combination of claim 9, wherein the high frequency currents are at a frequency exceeding 2 MHz.

11. In combination:

i) electrosurgical apparatus capable of supplying high frequency currents,

ii) an electrosurgical electrode having an electrically-conductive shaft,

iii) a handpiece having means at one end for connection to the electrosurgical apparatus and having at its opposite end means for mounting to the electrically-conductive shaft of the electrosurgical electrode and for supplying the high frequency currents to said electrode,

said electrode comprising;

(a) a first end for mounting to the handpiece and a second end and having a longitudinal direction between the first and second ends,

(b) said second end comprising an active, electrically-conductive, wire portion having a generally straight or bowed shape extending generally transverse to the shaft member and terminated at opposite ends by end segments generally aligned with the active wire portion,

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

(d) the end segments terminating said exposed wire portion being electrically-insulating to prevent contact and passage of electrosurgical currents to areas adjacent to or surrounding the tissue to be treated and controlling the depth of tissue treated,

iv) further comprising means for supporting the active wire portion for rolling contact with the tissue.

12. A skin planing surgical procedure for a patient, comprising the steps:

(a) providing electrosurgical apparatus connected to a handpiece holding an electrosurgical electrode, said electrosurgical electrode comprising;

(a) an electrically-conductive shaft member having a longitudinal direction and a first end for mounting to a handpiece and a second end,

(b) said second end comprising an active, electrically-conductive, wire portion having a generally straight or bowed shape extending generally transverse to the shaft member and terminated at opposite ends by end segments generally aligned with the active wire portion,

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

(d) the end segments adjacent said exposed wire portion being electrically-insulating to prevent contact and passage of electrosurgical currents to areas adjacent to or surrounding the tissue to be treated and controlling the depth of tissue treated,

(b) applying the active wire portion of the electrode to the skin of a patient and activating the electrosurgical apparatus,

(c) moving the active wire portion of the electrode over the skin of the patient to be planed.

13. An electrosurgical electrode for tissue planing, comprising:

(a) an electrically-conductive shaft member having a longitudinal direction and a first end for mounting to a handpiece and a second end,

(b) said second end comprising an active, electrically-conductive, wire portion having a slightly bowed shape extending generally transverse to the shaft member and terminated at opposite ends by end segments generally aligned with and lying in the same plane as that of the active wire portion, the end segments terminating said exposed wire portion being provided with a coating of a thickness such that, when the active wire portion is applied to tissue, the coating prevents the exposed active wire portion from digging into, gouging or scarring the tissue,

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

(d) the coating on the end segments terminating said exposed wire portion being electrically-insulating to prevent contact and passage of electrosurgical currents to areas adjacent to or surrounding the tissue to be treated and controlling the depth of tissue treated.

14. An electrosurgical electrode as claimed in claim 13, wherein the active wire portion is slightly concave viewed from the shaft member.