Electrosurgical instrument and method of use

• US 6,030,383 A
• Filed: 10/26/1998
• Issued: 02/29/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Basin Medical, LLC
• Original Assignee: Theodore V. Benderev
• Inventors: Benderev, Theodore V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dvorak, Linda C. M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): RUDDY, DAVID M
• Application Number:
  US09/178,849
• Time in Patent Office: 491 Days
• Field of Search: 606/40-50, 606/37-39
• US Class Current: 606/45
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1206 Generators therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/149 bow shaped or with rotatable body at cantilever end, e.g. for resectoscopes, or coagulating rollers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00589 Coagulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00601 Cutting
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00607 Coagulation and cutting with the same instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1253 monopolar
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/126 bipolar
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1273 including multiple generators in one device
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 15/00 Nanotechnology for interacting, sensing or actuating, e.g. quantum dots as markers in protein assays or molecular motors

Abstract

An electrosurgical instrument for sequentially cutting and coagulating tissue, including methodology for electrosurgical procedures incorporating principles of the inventive instrument. The instrument comprises a cutting electrode connectable to a first power source having a first power signal sufficient to cut tissue, and a coagulating electrode connectable to a second power source having a second power signal sufficient to coagulate tissue. The electrodes may be separated by an electrical insulator to maintain the electrodes in a spaced relationship such that the coagulating electrode can immediately follow the cutting electrode during movement of the instrument, thereby providing sequential yet substantially simultaneous cutting and coagulating of tissue. Methodology for performing an electrosurgical procedure in tissue includes providing the above described instrument with power delivery to the electrodes. The power signal to the cutting electrode differs from that supplied to the coagulation electrode in accord with required respective values to accomplish cutting or coagulation. The distal ends of the electrodes are introduced to tissue to be cut and moved therethrough with a single stroke to thereby effectuate tissue cutting followed by substantially simultaneous coagulation. The electrodes may be formed having differing cross-sectional configurations and may be vertically offset to maximize cutting and coagulation of tissue. An in-dwelling dispersive electrode may be utilized to concentrate electrosurgical energy at a desired tissue size.

Claims

1. An electrosurgical instrument for sequentially cutting and coagulating tissue, the instrument comprising:

a) a cutting electrode loop connectible to a first power source capable of delivering a first power signal sufficient to cut tissue;

b) a coagulation electrode loop connectible to a second power source capable of delivering a second power signal sufficient to coagulate tissue; and

c) a substantially smooth-walled electrical insulator extending from said cutting electrode loop and toward said coagulating electrode loop such that in use, said electrical insulator forms a smooth bridge between said electrodes and maintains said electrodes in spaced relationship to each other such that the coagulating electrode can immediately follow the cutting electrode during a single movement of the instrument through tissue.

2. An electrosurgical instrument for sequentially cutting and coagulating tissue, the instrument comprising:

a) a cutting electrode loop connectible to a first power source capable of delivering a first power signal sufficient to cut tissue;

b) a coagulation electrode loop connectible to a second power source capable of delivering a second power signal sufficient to coagulate tissue; and

c) a substantially smooth-walled electrical insulator extending from said coagulating electrode loop and toward said cutting electrode loop such that in use, said electrical insulator forms a smooth bridge between said electrodes and maintains said electrodes in spaced relationship to each other such that the cutting electrode can immediately precede the coagulating electrode during a single movement of the instrument through tissue.

3. An electrosurgical instrument for sequentially cutting and coagulating tissue, the instrument comprising:

a) a cutting electrode loop connectible to a first power source capable of delivering a first power signal sufficient to cut tissue;

b) a coagulation electrode loop connectible to a second power source capable of delivering a second power signal sufficient to coagulate tissue;

c) a first substantially smooth-walled electrical insulator extending from said cutting electrode loop; and

d) a second substantially smooth-walled electrical insulator extending from said coagulating electrode loop, said second smooth-walled electrical insulator being designed to mate and abut with said first smooth-walled electrical insulator such that in use, said electrical insulators provide a smooth bridge between said electrodes and maintain said electrodes in spaced relationship to each other such that the coagulating electrode can immediately follow the cutting during a single movement of the instrument through tissue.

4. A method for performing an electrosurgical procedure in tissue, the method comprising:

a) providing an electrical surgical instrument comprising a cutting electrode loop connectible to a first power source capable of delivering a first power signal sufficient to cut tissue, a coagulating electrode connectible to a second power source capable of delivering a second power signal sufficient to coagulate tissue, and a substantially smooth-walled electrical insulator extending from said cutting electrode loop toward said coagulating electrode loop to maintain said electrodes in spaced relationship to each other during such method and to provide a smooth bridge between said electrode loops such that the coagulating electrode can immediately follow the cutting electrode during a single movement of the instrument through tissue.

5. A method for performing an electrosurgical procedure in tissue, the method comprising:

a) providing an electrical surgical instrument comprising a cutting electrode loop connectible to a first power source capable of delivering a first power signal sufficient to cut tissue, a coagulating electrode connectible to a second power source capable of delivering a second power signal sufficient to coagulate tissue, and a substantially smooth-walled electrical insulator extending from said coagulating electrode loop toward said cutting electrode loop to maintain said electrodes in spaced relationship to each other during such method and to provide a smooth bridge between said electrode loops such that the coagulating electrode can immediately follow the cutting electrode during a single movement of the instrument through tissue.

6. A method for performing an electrosurgical procedure in tissue, the method comprising:

a) providing an electrical surgical instrument comprising a cutting electrode loop connectible to a first power source capable of delivering a first power signal sufficient to cut tissue, a coagulating electrode connectible to a second power source capable of delivering a second power signal sufficient to coagulate tissue, a first substantially smooth-walled electrical insulator extending from said cutting electrode loop, a second substantially smooth-walled electrical insulator extending from said coagulating electrode loop toward said first electrical insulator to maintain said electrodes in a space relationship to each other during such method and to provide a smooth bridge between said electrode loops such that the coagulating electrode can immediately follow the cutting electrode during a single movement of the instrument through tissue.