Electrosurgery with cooled electrodes

• US 6,074,389 A
• Filed: 07/14/1997
• Issued: 06/13/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Seedling Enterprises, LLC
• Inventors: Meade, John C., Levine, Andy H., Lichtman, Philip R.
• Primary Examiner(s): COHEN, LEE S
• Application Number:
  US08/892,008
• Time in Patent Office: 1,065 Days
• Field of Search: 606/45, 606/48, 606/49, 606/50, 606/28
• US Class Current: 606/45
• 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 18/1402 Probes for open surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1442 Probes having pivoting end effectors, e.g. forceps
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00005 Cooling or heating of the probe or tissue immediately surrounding the probe
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00023 closed, i.e. without wound contact by the fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1253 monopolar
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/126 bipolar

Abstract

A cooled electrosurgical system includes an electrosurgical device having at least one electrode for applying electrical energy to tissue. In one embodiment, the electrode includes an internal cavity in which a cooling medium such as water is contained. The internal cavity is closed at the distal end of the device such that the cooling medium is contained within the electrode at the surgical site such that the cooling medium does not contact the tissue being treated.

Claims

1. An electrosurgical device comprising:

an electrode for applying electrical energy to tissue at a surgical site at a distal end of the electrode to heat and thus cut or stop bleeding of the tissue;

a heat exchanger at a proximal end of the electrode for removing heat from the electrode; and

a heat pipe for conducting heat from the electrode at the surgical site to the heat exchanger.

2. The electrosurgical device of claim 1, wherein the heat pipe includes a sealed cavity containing a heat transfer fluid.

3. The electrosurgical device of claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger at the proximal end of the heat pipe includes a plurality of radial heat conductive fins.

4. The electrosurgical device of claim 1, wherein the heat pipe includes an interior sealed cavity having a side wall with multiple grooves.

5. The electro-surgical device of claim 1, wherein an electrode-tissue interface temperature is maintained at less than about 80°

C.

6. A method of electrosurgery comprising:

applying electrical energy to tissue with an electrode at a surgical site to heat and thus cut or stop bleeding of the tissue; and

cooling the electrode at the surgical site with a heat pipe contained within the electrode.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising maintaining an electrode-tissue interface temperature of less than about 80°

C.