Bipolar surgical instruments having focused electrical fields

• US 6,514,252 B2
• Filed: 07/19/2001
• Issued: 02/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Perfect Surgical Techniques Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Perfect Surgical Techniques Incorporated
• Inventors: Bachman, Alan, Nezhat, Camran, Hancock, Andrew H.
• Primary Examiner(s): GIBSON, ROY DEAN
• Application Number:
  US09/910,439
• Publication Number:
  US 20020013583A1
• Time in Patent Office: 565 Days
• Field of Search: 606/41, 606/45, 606/48-52
• US Class Current: 606/48
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1442 Probes having pivoting end effectors, e.g. forceps
• 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 18/1477 Needle-like probes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00101 low, i.e. thermally insulating
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0016 Energy applicators arranged in a two- or three dimensional array
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00345 Vascular system
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00404 Blood vessels other than those in or around the heart
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00559 Female reproductive organs
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00589 Coagulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00601 Cutting
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00619 Welding
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/126 bipolar
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1412 Blade
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1425 Needle
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/143 multiple needles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1455 having a moving blade for cutting tissue grasped by the jaws
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1475 Electrodes retractable in or deployable from a housing

Abstract

A bipolar surgical device comprises a pair of actuable jaws. A first electrode member which optionally includes a line of electrically coupled tissue-penetrating elements is formed on one of the jaws, and a second electrode member which optionally includes a line of electrically coupled tissue-penetrating elements is formed on the same or the other jaw. The electrode members are laterally spaced-apart and arranged in a parallel, usually linear manner so that the lateral distance therebetween remains generally constant. In operation, tissue may be grasped between the jaws so that the electrode members contact and/or the tissue-penetrating elements enter into the tissue. By energizing the electrode members at opposite polarities using a high frequency energy source, tissue between the jaws will be heated, coagulated, and/or necrosed, while heating of tissue outside of the lines will be minimized.

Claims

1. A bipolar surgical instrument comprising:

a shaft having a proximal end and a distal end;

a pair of opposed jaws at the distal end of the shaft;

a first electrode member comprising a first line of tissue-penetrating elements on one of the jaws;

a second electrode member comprising a second line of tissue-penetrating elements on one of the jaws, wherein the first and second electrode members are electrically isolated and laterally spaced-apart from each other; and

a linkage attaching at least one of the jaws to the shaft, wherein the linkage maintains opposed surfaces of the jaws in a generally parallel orientation as the jaws are moved between an opened and closed configuration by the linkage.

2. A bipolar surgical instrument as in claim 1, wherein the linkage is a parallelogram movement linkage.

3. A bipolar surgical instrument as in claim 1, wherein the linkage is a four-bar linkage.

4. A bipolar surgical instrument as in claim 1, wherein the linkage is actuatable by a clamp trigger on a handle attached to the proximal end of the shaft.

5. A bipolar surgical instrument as in claim 1, wherein the lines of tissue-penetrating elements are advanceable and retractable relative to a surface of the jaw upon which they are mounted by a knob on a handle attached to the proximal end of the shaft.

6. A bipolar surgical instrument as in claim 1, further comprising a cutting blade on one of the jaws.

7. A bipolar surgical instrument as in claim 6, wherein the cutting blade is actuatable to cut along a line between the first and second lines of tissue-penetrating elements by a cutting trigger on a handle attached to the proximal end of the shaft.

8. A bipolar surgical instrument as in claim 1, further comprising a rotational grip attached between the proximal end of the shaft and a handle so as to allow rotation of the shaft and jaws relative to the handle.

9. A bipolar surgical instrument as in claim 8, wherein the shaft and jaws are rotatable up to about 90°

in a clockwise and/or counter-clockwise direction.

10. A bipolar surgical instrument as in claim 1, further comprising at least one tissue stop attached to one of the jaws.

11. A bipolar surgical instrument as in claim 1, wherein at least one of the jaws is perforated to permit release of steam during use.

12. A bipolar surgical instrument as in claim 1, wherein the electrode members are laterally spaced-apart by a distance in the range from 0.5 mm to 10 mm.

13. A bipolar surgical instrument as in claim 1, wherein the electrode members have a length in the range from 1 mm to 50 mm.

14. A bipolar surgical instrument as in claim 1, wherein electrode members are on the same jaw.

15. A bipolar surgical instrument as in claim 1, wherein the lines of tissue-penetrating elements project toward the opposed jaw.

16. A bipolar surgical instrument as in claim 1, wherein the lines of tissue-penetrating elements lie parallel to each other.

17. A bipolar surgical instrument as in claim 1, wherein the first electrode member is on one jaw and the second electrode member is on the other jaw.

18. A bipolar surgical instrument as in claim 1, wherein the tissue-penetrating elements have a length in the range from 1 mm to 10 mm and a diameter in the range from 0.1 mm to 2 mm.

19. A bipolar surgical instrument as in claim 1, wherein the first and second electrode members each comprise from 3 to 50 tissue-penetrating elements.

28. A method as in claim 19, further comprising receiving upper tips of the lines of tissue-penetrating elements into relief holes of an opposed jaw.

20. A method for applying high frequency electrical energy to tissue, said method comprising:

grasping tissue between a first jaw and a second jaw, wherein opposed surfaces of the jaws are maintained in a generally parallel orientation;

advancing a first line of tissue-penetrating elements on one of the jaws and second line of tissue-penetrating elements on one of the jaws through a surface of the jaw upon which they are mounted and into the tissue after grasping the tissue between the jaws, wherein the lines of tissue-penetrating elements are parallel to and laterally spaced-apart from each other;

applying high frequency energy between the first and second lines of tissue-penetrating elements after advancing the lines of tissue-penetrating elements into the tissue.

21. A method as in claim 20, wherein the high frequency energy is applied at a level and for a time sufficient to desiccate substantially all tissue between the electrode members without causing substantial damage to other tissue.

22. A method as in claim 21, wherein the high frequency energy has a frequency from 100 kHz to 2 MHz, a power level from 5 W to 150 W, and is applied for a time less than 5 minutes.

23. A method as in claim 22, further comprising increasing the power level at a predetermined rate from 1 W/sec to 100 W/sec.

24. A method as in claim 23, further comprising terminating the high frequency energy when an impedance of the tissue is in the range from 50 ohms to 1000 ohms.

25. A method as in claim 21, further comprising cutting the tissue along a line between the first and second lines of tissue-penetrating elements after the tissue has been substantially desiccated, wherein the lines of tissue-penetrating elements remain advanced into the tissue.

26. A method as in claim 20, further comprising rotating the jaws up to about 90°

in a clockwise and/or counter-clockwise direction prior to grasping the tissue between the jaws.

27. A method as in claim 20, further comprising limiting a grasping force applied to the tissue by the first and second jaws.

29. A method as in claim 20, further comprising releasing steam during use from a perforation on at least one of the jaws.

30. A method as in claim 20, further comprising retracting the lines of tissue-penetrating elements from the tissue prior to disengaging the jaws.