Heated fluid surgical instrument
First Claim
1. A surgical apparatus for heating a localized area of tissue within a patient'"'"'s body comprising:
- a handpiece adapted to receive a fluid under pressure;
a fluid reservoir defined within the handpiece;
a heater housed in the handpiece for heating fluid in the fluid reservoir;
a cannula attached to an end of the handpiece and extending therefrom for insertion into the patient'"'"'s body, the cannula including a hot fluid channel; and
an irrigation control valve assembly operatively associated with the handpiece for directing the flow of fluid through the heated fluid reservoir in the handpiece and into and through the hot fluid channel of the cannula.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A heated fluid surgical instrument including a palm-sized handpiece having a cannula adapted to be inserted into a patient'"'"'s body by way of a natural access (e.g., mouth) or a small incision. A channel is provided within the handpiece and the cannula for permitting the passage of a surgical accessory implement to the surgical site. Additional, channels are provided for passing fluid pumped into the handpiece from a remote fluid source to the surgical site. An irrigation control valve assembly on the handpiece permits a surgeon to selectively direct the flow of fluid through the handpiece and into one of two fluid flow paths. One of the paths heats the fluid and passes it to the surgical site to effect a therapeutic result. The other path sends the fluid directly to the surgical site.
305 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A surgical apparatus for heating a localized area of tissue within a patient'"'"'s body comprising:
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a handpiece adapted to receive a fluid under pressure; a fluid reservoir defined within the handpiece; a heater housed in the handpiece for heating fluid in the fluid reservoir; a cannula attached to an end of the handpiece and extending therefrom for insertion into the patient'"'"'s body, the cannula including a hot fluid channel; and an irrigation control valve assembly operatively associated with the handpiece for directing the flow of fluid through the heated fluid reservoir in the handpiece and into and through the hot fluid channel of the cannula.
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2. A surgical apparatus for heating a localized area of tissue within a patient'"'"'s body comprising:
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a handpiece adapted to receive a fluid under pressure; a fluid reservoir defined within the handpiece; a heater housed in the handpiece for heating fluid in the fluid reservoir; a cannula attached to an end of the handpiece and extending therefrom for insertion into the patient'"'"'s body, the cannula including an outer sleeve surrounding a hot fluid channel and an irrigation channel; and an irrigation control valve assembly operatively associated with the handpiece for selectably directing the flow of fluid through the handpiece into at least one of a first and a second fluid flow path, the first flow path bypassing the fluid reservoir and passing fluid into and through the irrigation channel of the cannula, the second flow path passing fluid through the fluid reservoir and into and through the hot fluid channel of the cannula. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for heating a localized area of tissue in a patient'"'"'s body comprising the steps of:
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inserting a handpiece having a cannula operatively attached thereto into the localized area of tissue; delivering a physiologically compatible fluid into the handpiece; adjusting an irrigation control valve assembly operatively associated with the handpiece to direct the flow of the fluid through a fluid reservoir heated by a heater in the handpiece, into and through a hot fluid channel in the cannula, and out a tissue contact tip assembly disposed at a distal end of the hot fluid channel of the cannula; and placing the tissue contact tip assembly into contact with the localized area of tissue. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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14. A method for heating a localized area of tissue in a patient'"'"'s body comprising the steps of:
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inserting a handpiece having a cannula operatively attached thereto into the localized area of tissue; delivering a physiologically compatible fluid into the handpiece; and adjusting an irrigation control valve assembly operatively associated with the handpiece to direct the flow of fluid into at least one of a first and a second fluid flow path through the handpiece, fluid in the first flow path passing into and through an irrigation channel in the cannula bypassing a fluid reservoir heated by a heater in the handpiece, fluid in the second flow path passing through the heated fluid reservoir in the handpiece and into and through a hot fluid channel in the cannula. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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Specification