Bipolar electrosurgical end effectors

• US 5,954,720 A
• Filed: 10/01/1997
• Issued: 09/21/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Endoscopic Concepts, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Endoscopic Concepts, Inc.
• Inventors: Young, James R., Wilson, Jeff A., Danks, John K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cohen, Lee
• Application Number:
  US08/942,133
• Time in Patent Office: 720 Days
• Field of Search: 606/45, 606/46, 606/48, 606/49, 606/50, 606/51, 606/52, 606/170, 606/174
• US Class Current: 606/50
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/32 Surgical cutting instruments A61B18/042 takes precedence; suture cutters A61B17/0467; instruments for ligaturing or cutting A61B17/128; instruments for rupturing the amniotic membrane A61B17/4208; specially adapted knives for eye surgery A61F9/0133
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1445 at the distal end of a shaft, e.g. forceps or scissors at the end of a rigid rod
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00589 Coagulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/126 bipolar
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1412 Blade
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/146 Scissors

Abstract

A novel, bipolar, electrosurgical instrument is provided with one metal and one ceramic end effector. Current is passed through the metal end effector and through an insulated conduit to the distal tip of the ceramic end effector. A connection at the distal tip of the ceramic end effector allows the current to return along exposed conductive strip which is spaced apart from the metal end effector in cutting action by a gap of approximately 0.020 inches when the ceramic and metal blade supports are brought into contact with tissue, a current flows from the exposed metal strip on the ceramic blade through to the metal blade thereby effecting cauterization, preferably slightly in advance or at the point of cutting between the ceramic and metal blades.

Claims

1. A bipolar surgical instrument comprising first and second interfacing end effectors wherein at least one of said first and second end effectors is pivotable relative to the other on a pivot, and wherein said first end effector is electrically conductive and adapted to be connected to a first pole of a bipolar electrical source, and said second end effector has a proximal end, a distal effector end, an interfacing side, and an opposed side, and comprises:

a non-conductive blank; and

a conductor beginning toward the proximal end of said non-conductive blank and proceeding toward the distal effector end and then connecting to an exposed electrode on the interfacing side which proceeds toward the proximal end of said non-conductive blank, said conductor adapted to be connected to a second pole of a bipolar electrical source.

2. The bipolar instrument of claim 1 wherein said second end effector has a cutting edge on its interfacing side.

3. The bipolar instrument of claim 2 wherein the exposed electrode is recessed from the cutting edge by a distance sufficient to create a fulgurating gap when the first electrically conductive end effector is adjacent to the cutting edge.

4. The bipolar instrument of claim 2 wherein the exposed electrode is recessed from the cutting edge by approximately 0.020 inches.

5. The bipolar instrument of claim 1 wherein said first and second end effectors are pivotably mounted in a clevis section.

6. The bipolar instrument of claim 5 wherein said first and second end effectors each have an intermediate aperture and the clevis section has a distal end with two opposed wings and a pin interconnecting said opposed wings and passing through the intermediate apertures of the first and second end effectors.

7. The bipolar instrument of claim 1 wherein said first end effector has a proximal end, a distal effector end, an interfacing side and an opposed side and wherein a post protrudes from the opposed side of the proximal end of each of said first and second end effectors.

8. The bipolar instrument of claim 7 further comprising a cam socket having a proximal end and a distal end, said distal end having a first side portion with a groove defined therein to receive the post protruding from the first end effector, and having a second side portion with a groove defined therein to receive the post protruding from the second end effector.

9. The bipolar instrument of claim 8 wherein said cam socket is received within a clevis section and said first and second end effectors each have an intermediate aperture and the clevis section has a distal end with two opposed wings and a pin interconnecting said opposed wings and passing through the intermediate apertures of the first and second end effectors.

10. The bipolar instrument of claim 9 wherein the clevis section has a first electrical connector in contact with the electrically conductive end effector and a second electrical connector in contact with the conductor of the non-conductive blank.

11. The bipolar instrument of claim 10 wherein said first and second electrical connectors are adapted to be electrically connected to an RF power supply.

12. A bipolar surgical instrument comprising:

(a) an actuator;

(b) a tubular section having a proximal end connected to the actuator and a distal end;

(c) a push rod extending through the tubular section having a proximal end and a distal end;

(d) a cam socket comprising a distal end having a first side portion with a groove defined therein and a second side portion with a groove defined therein and wherein said first and second side portions define a channel;

(e) a first conductive end effector blank having a proximal end and a distal end and an interfacing side and an opposite opposed side and wherein a post protrudes from said opposed side proximal end which is received in the groove defined in the first side portion of the cam socket;

said first blank further having an aperture proceeding from the interfacing side to the opposed side intermediate the proximal and distal ends;

said first blank adapted to be connected to a first pole of a bipolar power source;

(f) a second non-conductive end effector blank having a proximal end and a distal end and an interfacing side and an opposite opposed side and wherein a post protrudes from said opposed side proximal end which is received in the groove defined in the second side portion of the cam socket, said second end effector blank further comprising;

(i) an aperture proceeding from the interfacing side to the opposed side intermediate the proximal and distal ends;

(ii) a conductor proceeding from the proximal end toward the distal effector end;

said conductor adapted to be connected to a second pole of the bipolar electrical source;

(iii) an electrode on the interfacing side in contact with said conductor and proceeding toward the proximal end;

(g) a clevis section having a proximal end encompassing said cam socket and being connected to the distal end of the tubular section and having a distal end defining two opposed clevis wings each having an aligned aperture, said clevis section further comprising a pin received through the aperture of a first clevis wing, the intermediate aperture of the conductive end effector blank, the intermediate aperture of the non-conductive end effector blank, and the aperture of the opposed clevis wing, thereby making said first and second end effector blanks pivotable relative to the other.

13. The bipolar instrument of claim 12 wherein an electrical conductor proceeds from the proximal end of the tubular section to the conductor of the second end effector blank.

14. The bipolar instrument of claim 12 wherein the second non-conductive end effector blank comprises a working surface on the interfacing side that engages with the first end effector blank when the end effector blanks are pivoted.

15. The bipolar instrument of claim 14 wherein the electrode on the interfacing side of the second non-conductive end effector blank is recessed from the working surface by a distance sufficient to create a fulgurating gap.

16. The bipolar instrument of claim 14 wherein the electrode on the interfacing side of the second non-conductive end effector blank is recessed from the working surface by approximately 0.020 inches.

17. The bipolar instrument of claim 15 wherein the working surface is a cutting edge.

18. A method of surgically dissecting and cauterizing tissue comprising the steps of:

(a) connecting a regulated RF power supply to a bipolar surgical scissors having a handle with an actuator;

first and second interfacing end effectors wherein at least one of said first and second end effectors is pivotable relative to the other in response to the actuator;

wherein said first end effector is electrically conductive and is electrically connected to the RF power supply; and

wherein said second end effector has a proximal end, a distal effector end, an interfacing side with a working surface, an opposed side and a conductor commencing toward the proximal end in electrical connection with the RF power supply, and proceeding toward the distal effector end and connecting to an exposed electrode on the interfacing side which proceeds toward the proximal end; and

wherein the working surface of the second end effector contacts the first end effector at least when actuated and the electrode is recessed from the working surface sufficiently to create a fulgurating gap between said electrode and said first end effector;

(b) placing tissue between said first and second end effectors;

(c) selecting the desired RF power output;

(d) utilizing the actuator to cause the first and second end effectors to pivot relative to one another such that the working surface of the second end effector dissects the tissue as it contacts the first end effector;

(e) thereby placing the exposed electrode in sufficient proximity to the tissue and first end effector that RF energy from the power supply proceeds distally along the conductor on the second end effector to the electrode and thereafter proximally towards the contact between the working surface and the first end effector and fulgurating from said electrode to said first end effector at a point no more proximal that the contact between the working surface and the first end effector thereby partially desiccating and cauterizing the tissue distal of the dissection,

wherein when the first and second end effectors are interfacing, the electrode is separated from said first end effector by a fulgurating gap of approximately 0.020 inches.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein there is no physical contact between the first end effector and the electrode of the second end effector.

20. A bipolar surgical instrument comprising:

a first electrically conductive end effector adapted to be connected to a first pole of a bipolar power source; and

a second end effector interfacing with a pivot relative to said first end effector, the second end effector having a proximal end and a distal effector end, an interfacing side, and an opposed side and comprising a non-conductive blank, a conductor beginning toward the proximal end of the blank extending toward a distal end of the blank and connecting to an exposed electrode on the interfacing side of the blank, said conductor adapted to be connected to a second pole of the bipolar power source;

wherein when the first and second end effectors are interfacing, the electrode is separated from said first end effector by a fulgurating gap of approximately 0.020 inches.