Electrosurgical knife
First Claim
1. An electrosurgical instrument for cooperation with an electrical power supply, said electrosurgical instrument of the type including a handle, one or more conductors coupling the power supply to the handle, and a knife blade for use in the hemostatic cutting of soft tissue, said cutting being accomplished through the transfer of electrical energy from the knife blade to a patient during surgery primarily through conduction, said knife blade comprising:
- a conductive substrate having a surface; and
a top coat applied to at least a portion of the conductive substrate;
said top coat including a non-stick agent and a hardening agent substantially uniformly impregnated with a conductive agent.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An electrosurgical knife is provided with an improved surface coating designed for substantially non-stick hemostatic cutting of soft patient tissue. The electrosurgical knife includes a conductive knife blade adapted for connection to a suitable high frequency current source for electrocauterizing tissue at the point of contact to prevent or minimize bleeding. The knife blade includes the improved surface coating formed on at least a cutting edge thereof, wherein the outer surface of the coating includes a relatively non-stick constituent such as an aromatic hydrocarbon in combination with a relatively hard constituent such as a ceramic. The surface coating is additionally loaded with a substantially uniformly dispersed matrix of conductive material for transmitting the electrical energy to patient tissue primarily by conduction.
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Citations
33 Claims
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1. An electrosurgical instrument for cooperation with an electrical power supply, said electrosurgical instrument of the type including a handle, one or more conductors coupling the power supply to the handle, and a knife blade for use in the hemostatic cutting of soft tissue, said cutting being accomplished through the transfer of electrical energy from the knife blade to a patient during surgery primarily through conduction, said knife blade comprising:
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a conductive substrate having a surface; and
a top coat applied to at least a portion of the conductive substrate;
said top coat including a non-stick agent and a hardening agent substantially uniformly impregnated with a conductive agent.
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2. The electrosurgical instrument according to claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the surface of said conductive substrate is coated with a base coat loaded with said conductive agent, and wherein said top coat is applied to cover at least a portion of said base coat.
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3. The electrosurgical instrument of claim 2 wherein said top coat is applied to substantially cover said base coat.
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4. The electrosurgical instrument of claim 3 wherein said top coat comprises DuPont 855-101.
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5. The electrosurgical instrument of claim 4 wherein said base coat comprises DuPont 855-023.
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6. The electrosurgical instrument according to claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the surface of said conductive substrate is coated with a base coat loaded with said conductive agent, wherein at least a portion of said base coat is coated with a mid coat loaded with said conductive agent and said non-stick agent, and wherein said top coat is applied to cover at least a portion of said mid coat.
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7. The electrosurgical instrument of claim 1 wherein the conductive substrate comprises an electrosurgical knife blade.
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8. The electrosurgical instrument of claim 1 wherein said conductive agent comprises conductive material selected from the group consisting of carbon and semiconductive metal oxides.
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9. The electrosurgical instrument of claim 1 wherein said non-stick agent comprises an aromatic hydrocarbon binder.
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10. The electrosurgical instrument of claim 9 wherein said aromatic hydrocarbon binder is selected from the group consisting of fluorinated ethylene propylene copolymer (FEP) and perfluoroalkoxy (PFA).
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11. The electrosurgical instrument of claim 1 wherein said non-stick agent comprises a fluorinated hydrocarbon.
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12. The electrosurgical instrument of claim 11 wherein said fluorinated hydrocarbon comprises polytetrafluoroethylene.
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13. The electrosurgical instrument of claim 1 wherein said hardening agent is selected from the group consisting of ceramic and polymeric agents.
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14. The electrosurgical instrument of claim 1 wherein said hardening agent is selected from the group consisting of titania, alumina, mica, and acrylic based polymers.
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15. A method of making an electrosurgical instrument for use in cooperation with an electrical power supply, said electrosurgical instrument of the type including a handle, one or more conductors coupling the power supply to the handle, and a knife blade having a conductive substrate, for use in the hemostatic cutting of soft tissue, said cutting being accomplished through the transfer of electrical energy from the knife blade to a patient during electrosurgical surgery primarily through conduction, said method comprising the steps of:
applying a top coat to at least a portion of the conductive substrate, wherein the top coat includes a non-stick agent and a hardening agent substantially uniformly impregnated with a conductive agent.
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16. The method of claim 15 further includes the step of applying a base coat loaded with said conductive agent to at least a portion of the substrate before the step of applying the top coat to cover at least a portion of the base coat.
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17. The method of claim 15 further including the steps of applying a base coat loaded with said conductive agent to at least a portion of the substrate, and thereafter applying a mid coat loaded with said conductive agent and said non-stick agent to cover at least a portion of said base coat before applying the top coat to cover at least a portion of the mid coat.
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18. The method of claim 15 further including the step of cleaning at least a portion of the substrate in preparation for said step of applying said top coat.
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19. The method of claim 15 wherein said step of applying said top coat includes subjecting the top coat to heat for a sufficient time to cure.
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20. The method of claim 15 wherein the conductive agent comprises conductive material selected from the group consisting of carbon and semiconductive metal oxides.
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21. The method of claim 15 wherein the hardening agent is selected from the group consisting of ceramic and polymeric agents.
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22. The method of claim 15 wherein the hardening agent is selected from the group consisting of titania, alumina, mica, and acrylic based polymers.
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23. The method of claim 16 wherein the combined thickness of the base and top coats is about 30-50 microns.
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24. The method of claim 16 wherein said step of applying said top coat to cover at least a portion of said base coat comprises applying said top coat to substantially cover said base coat.
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25. The method of claim 24 wherein said top coat comprises DuPont 855-101.
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26. The method of claim 25 wherein said base coat comprises DuPont 855-023.
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27. An electrosurgical instrument, comprising:
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a conductive substrate; and
a surface coating applied to at least a portion of said substrate, said surface coating including a conductive agent, a non-stick agent and a hardening agent selected from the group consisting of ceramic and polymeric agents.
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28. The electrosurgical instrument of claim 27 wherein said hardening agent is selected from the group consisting of titania, alumina, mica, and acrylic based polymers.
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29. The electrosurgical instrument of claim 27 further including a base coat loaded with said conductive agent and applied to cover at least a portion of said substrate, said surface coating comprising a top coat applied to cover at least a portion of said base coat.
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30. The electrosurgical instrument of claim 29 wherein said base coat comprises DuPont 855-023.
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31. The electrosurgical instrument of claim 30 wherein said top coat comprises DuPont 855-101.
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32. The electrosurgical instrument of claim 29 wherein said top coat comprises DuPont 855-101.
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33. The electrosurgical instrument of claim 27 further including a base coat loaded with said conductive agent and applied to cover at least a portion of said substrate, a mid coat loaded with said conductive agent and said non-stick agent and applied to cover at least a portion of said base coat, said surface coating comprising a top coat applied to cover at least a portion of said mid coat.
Specification