Electrosurgical instrument
First Claim
1. A method of operating an electrosurgical system comprising an electrosurgical generator which generates an oscillating radio frequency voltage across a pair of output terminals, and an electrosurgical instrument having a pair of electrodes supported relative to an instrument shaft, an aperture located in the region of at least one of the electrodes and a channel extending from the aperture for the aspiration of waste products from a treatment site, the electrodes being connected to the output terminals of the generator, the method comprising the steps of:
- immersing the electrodes of the instrument in an electrically conductive fluid supplied to the treatment site;
applying, with the generator, a radio frequency oscillating voltage across the electrodes, causing an electrical current to flow through the conductive fluid, thereby boiling the fluid in the region of the electrodes and creating a vapour pocket;
manipulating the instrument shaft to cause tissue at the treatment site to encroach in the vapour pocket to thereby vapourise or cut said tissue;
applying suction from within the instrument shaft to aspirate waste products, along the shaft and away from the treatment site; and
morcellating tissue which is bridging the aperture by agitating one of the electrodes relative to the aperture.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An electrosurgical instrument is provided for the treatment of tissue in the presence of an electrically-conductive fluid medium. The instrument comprises an instrument shaft (10), and a tissue treatment electrode (12) at the distal end of the shaft for electrosurgically excising tissue pieces at an operation site. The tissue treatment electrode (12) is cyclically movable relative to the distal end of the shaft (10). Threshold control means are provided for controlling the power threshold for vaporisation of the electrically-conductive fluid medium at the tissue treatment electrode (12).
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A method of operating an electrosurgical system comprising an electrosurgical generator which generates an oscillating radio frequency voltage across a pair of output terminals, and an electrosurgical instrument having a pair of electrodes supported relative to an instrument shaft, an aperture located in the region of at least one of the electrodes and a channel extending from the aperture for the aspiration of waste products from a treatment site, the electrodes being connected to the output terminals of the generator, the method comprising the steps of:
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immersing the electrodes of the instrument in an electrically conductive fluid supplied to the treatment site;
applying, with the generator, a radio frequency oscillating voltage across the electrodes, causing an electrical current to flow through the conductive fluid, thereby boiling the fluid in the region of the electrodes and creating a vapour pocket;
manipulating the instrument shaft to cause tissue at the treatment site to encroach in the vapour pocket to thereby vapourise or cut said tissue;
applying suction from within the instrument shaft to aspirate waste products, along the shaft and away from the treatment site; and
morcellating tissue which is bridging the aperture by agitating one of the electrodes relative to the aperture. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method of operating an electrosurgical system comprising an electrosurgical generator which generates an oscillating radio frequency voltage across a pair of output terminals, an electrosurgical instrument having a pair of electrodes supported relative to an instrument shaft, and a channel extending from an aperture located in the region of at least one of the electrodes, for the aspiration of waste products from a treatment site, the electrodes being connected to the output terminals of the generator, the method comprising the steps of:
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immersing the electrodes of the instrument in an electrically conductive fluid supplied to the treatment site;
applying, with the generator, a radio frequency oscillating voltage across the electrodes, causing an electrical current to flow through the conductive fluid, and boiling the fluid in the region of the electrodes thereby creating a vapour pocket;
manipulating the instrument shaft to cause tissue at the treatment site to encroach in the vapour pocket to thereby vapourise or cut said tissue;
applying suction to aspirate waste products along the shaft and away from the treatment site; and
morcellating tissue which is bridging the aperture by agitating one of the electrodes relative to the aperture thereby to agitate the vapour pocket, wherein morcellation of said bridging tissue occurs as a result of the agitation of the vapour pocket causing bridging tissue to encroach within the vapour pocket, and wherein agitation of the electrode is provided by a cyclical motion of the electrode within the aperture of the channel provided in the instrument shaft. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of operating an electrosurgical system including an electrosurgical generator which generates an oscillating radio frequency output across a pair of output terminals, an electrosurgical instrument having a shaft and at least an active tissue treatment electrode located on the shaft and an aspiration channel which has an aperture in the region of the active electrode and by means of which waste products may be removed from the treatment site, the method comprising the steps of:
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immersing the active electrode in an electrically conductive liquid supplied to the treatment site;
operating the generator to cause an alternating current to flow in the region of the active electrode;
thereby heating the liquid, and creating a vapour pocket in the region of the active electrode;
manipulating the instrument to bring the vapour pocket into proximity with tissue in the region of the treatment site, thereby to vapourise tissue which encroaches within the vapour pocket;
applying suction to the channel to aspirate waste products away from the treatment site; and
causing an agitation of the vapour pocket in order to move the vapour pocket relative to tissue bridging the aspiration channel, thereby to cause said bridging tissue to encroach the vapour pocket and to become vapourised. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification