Electrosurgical instrument
First Claim
1. A method of operating an electrosurgical apparatus having at least a tissue desiccation mode and a tissue vaporisation mode, the apparatus comprising an electrosurgical instrument and a radio frequency generator, the electrosurgical instrument comprising an instrument shaft and an electrode assembly at the distal end of the shaft, the radio frequency generator being coupled to the electrode assembly for the treatment of tissue in the presence of an electrically-conductive fluid medium, the electrode assembly comprising a tissue treatment electrode and a return electrode which is electrically insulated from the tissue treatment electrode by means of an insulation member, the tissue treatment electrode being exposed at the extreme distal end of the assembly, the return electrode having a fluid contact surface spaced from the exposed end of the tissue treatment electrode by the insulation member, the method comprising the steps of:
- feeding cool electrically-conductive fluid to the region of the exposed end of the tissue treatment electrode;
removing heated electrically-conductive fluid, via a fluid return channel formed within the instrument shaft, from the region of the exposed end of the tissue treatment electrode; and
controlling the output power of the radio frequency generator to lie within a first output range for the tissue desiccation mode and to lie within a second range for the tissue vaporisation mode, the first output range being such that the power supplied to the electrode assembly maintains the conductive fluid adjacent to the tissue treatment electrode substantially at boiling point for tissue desiccation without creating a vapour pocket surrounding the tissue treatment electrode, and the second output range being such that the output power supplied to the electrode assembly for vaporisation of tissue is such as to maintain a vapour pocket surrounding the tissue treatment electrode.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An electrosurgical instrument, which is used to treat tissue in the presence of an electrically-conductive fluid, comprises an instrument shaft and an electrode assembly at one end of the shaft. The electrode assembly comprises a tissue treatment electrode (11) and a return electrode (12) which is electrically insulated from the tissue treatment electrode by means of an insulation member (15). The tissue treatment electrode (11) is exposed at the extreme distal end of the instrument, and the return electrode (12) has a fluid contact surface spaced from the exposed end of the tissue treatment electrode by the insulation member (15). The instrument further comprises feed means (17) for feeding electrically-conductive fluid to the region of the exposed end of the tissue treatment electrode (11) in such a manner as to define, in use, a conductive fluid path that completes an electrical circuit between the tissue treatment and the return electrode (12).
1728 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A method of operating an electrosurgical apparatus having at least a tissue desiccation mode and a tissue vaporisation mode, the apparatus comprising an electrosurgical instrument and a radio frequency generator, the electrosurgical instrument comprising an instrument shaft and an electrode assembly at the distal end of the shaft, the radio frequency generator being coupled to the electrode assembly for the treatment of tissue in the presence of an electrically-conductive fluid medium, the electrode assembly comprising a tissue treatment electrode and a return electrode which is electrically insulated from the tissue treatment electrode by means of an insulation member, the tissue treatment electrode being exposed at the extreme distal end of the assembly, the return electrode having a fluid contact surface spaced from the exposed end of the tissue treatment electrode by the insulation member, the method comprising the steps of:
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feeding cool electrically-conductive fluid to the region of the exposed end of the tissue treatment electrode;
removing heated electrically-conductive fluid, via a fluid return channel formed within the instrument shaft, from the region of the exposed end of the tissue treatment electrode; and
controlling the output power of the radio frequency generator to lie within a first output range for the tissue desiccation mode and to lie within a second range for the tissue vaporisation mode, the first output range being such that the power supplied to the electrode assembly maintains the conductive fluid adjacent to the tissue treatment electrode substantially at boiling point for tissue desiccation without creating a vapour pocket surrounding the tissue treatment electrode, and the second output range being such that the output power supplied to the electrode assembly for vaporisation of tissue is such as to maintain a vapour pocket surrounding the tissue treatment electrode. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An electrosurgical tissue dessication method comprising the steps of:
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providing an electrosurgical apparatus comprising an electrosurgical instrument and a radio frequency generator, the electrosurgical instrument comprising an instrument shaft and an electrode assembly at the distal end of the shaft, the radio frequency generator being coupled to the electrode assembly which comprises a tissue treatment electrode and a return electrode, the tissue treatment electrode having an exposed distal end;
introducing the electrode assembly into a selected operation site with the tissue treatment electrode adjacent to the tissue to be treated;
feeding cool electrically-conductive fluid to the region of the exposed end of the tissue treatment electrode;
removing heated electrically-conductive fluid, via a fluid return channel formed within the instrument shaft from the region of the exposed end of the tissue treatment electrode;
actuating the generator; and
controlling the radio frequency power supplied to the electrode assembly by the generator to maintain the conductive fluid adjacent to the tissue treatment electrode substantially at its boiling point without creating a vapour pocket surrounding the tissue treatment electrode. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
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12. An electrosurgical method comprising the steps of:
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providing an electrosurgical apparatus comprising an electrosurgical instrument and a radio frequency generator, the electrosurgical instrument comprising an instrument shaft and an electrode assembly at the distal end of the shaft, the radio frequency generator being coupled to the electrode assembly which comprises a tissue treatment electrode and a return electrode, the tissue treatment electrode having an exposed distal end;
introducing the electrode assembly into a selected operation site with the tissue contact electrode adjacent to the tissue to be treated;
feeding cool electrically-conductive fluid to the region of the exposed end of the tissue treatment electrode;
removing heated electrically-conductive fluid, via a fluid return channel formed within the instrument shaft, from the region of the exposed end of the tissue treatment electrode;
actuating the generator; and
applying sufficient radio frequency power to the electrode assembly to vaporise the electrically-conductive fluid surrounding the tissue treatment electrode to maintain a vapour pocket surrounding the tissue treatment electrode. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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15. An electrosurgical method comprising the steps of:
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providing an electrosurgical apparatus comprising an electrosurgical instrument and a radio frequency generator, the electrosurgical instrument comprising an instrument shaft and an electrode assembly at the distal end of the shaft, the radio frequency generator being coupled to the electrode assembly which comprises a tissue treatment electrode and a return electrode adjacent to the tissue to be treated;
feeding cool electrically-conductive fluid to the region of the exposed end of the tissue treatment electrode, removing heated electrically-conductive fluid, via a fluid return channel formed within the instrument shaft, from the region of the exposed end of the tissue treatment electrode;
actuating the generator;
applying sufficient radio frequency power to the electrode assembly to vaporise the electrically-conductive fluid surrounding the tissue treatment electrode to maintain a vapor pocket surrounding the tissue treatment electrode; and
assisting the formation of the vapor pocket using a laser.
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16. An electrosurgical tissue desiccation method comprising the steps of:
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providing an electrosurgical apparatus comprising an electrosurgical instrument and a radio frequency generator, the electrosurgical instrument comprising an instrument shaft and an electrode assembly at the distal end of the shaft, the radio frequency generator being coupled to the electrode assembly which comprises a tissue treatment electrode and a return electrode spaced proximally from the tissue treatment electrode, the tissue treatment electrode having an exposed distal end;
introducing the electrode assembly into a selected operation site with the tissue treatment electrode adjacent to the tissue to be treated;
feeding cool electrically-conductive fluid to the region of the exposed end of the tissue treatment electrode;
removing heated electrically-conductive fluid, via a fluid return channel formed within the instrument shaft, from the region of the exposed end of the tissue treatment electrode; and
controlling the radio frequency power supplied to the electrode assembly by the generator to heat the conductive fluid adjacent to the tissue treatment electrode without creating a vapor pocket surrounding the tissue treatment electrode.
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Specification