Bladed electrosurgical probe

• US 6,770,071 B2
• Filed: 02/09/2001
• Issued: 08/03/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ArthroCare Corporation (Smith & Nephew PLC)
• Original Assignee: ArthroCare Corporation (Smith & Nephew PLC)
• Inventors: Tsuji, Craig, Woloszko, Jean, Eggers, Philip E., Thapliyal, Hira V.
• Primary Examiner(s): COHEN, LEE S
• Application Number:
  US09/780,745
• Publication Number:
  US 20010020167A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,271 Days
• Field of Search: 606/41, 606/45, 606/46, 606/48-60
• US Class Current: 606/41
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/042 using additional gas becoming plasma
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1206 Generators therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1402 Probes for open surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/148 having a short, rigid shaft for accessing the inner body transcutaneously, e.g. for neurosurgery or arthroscopy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1482 having a long rigid shaft for accessing the inner body transcutaneously in minimal invasive surgery, e.g. laparoscopy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1485 having a short rigid shaft for accessing the inner body through natural openings
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/149 bow shaped or with rotatable body at cantilever end, e.g. for resectoscopes, or coagulating rollers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1492 having a flexible, catheter-like structure, e.g. for heart ablation A61B18/1477 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00026 Conductivity or impedance, e.g. of tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00084 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00101 using an array of thermosensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00247 Making holes in the wall of the heart, e.g. laser Myocardial revascularization
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00029 open
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00083 low, i.e. electrically insulating
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00119 with metal oxide nitride
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00148 with metal
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0016 Energy applicators arranged in a two- or three dimensional array
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00178 Electrical connectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00327 Ear, nose or throat
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00392 Transmyocardial revascularisation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00404 : Blood vessels other than those in or around the heart
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0047 : Upper parts of the skin, e.g. skin peeling or treatment of wrinkles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00476 : Hair follicles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00505 : Urinary tract
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00577 : Ablation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00583 : Coblation, i.e. ablation using a cold plasma
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00601 : Cutting
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00625 : Vaporization
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00678 : upper
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00702 : Power or energy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00726 : Duty cycle
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00791 : Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00797 : measured by multiple temperature sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00815 : measured by a thermistor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00821 : measured by a thermocouple
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00827 : Current
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00875 : Resistance or impedance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1213 : creating an arc
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/124 : switching the output to different electrodes, e.g. sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1253 : monopolar
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/126 : bipolar
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1273 : including multiple generators in one device
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1407 : Loop
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1412 : Blade
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1422 : Hook
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1467 : using more than two electrodes on a single probe
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1472 : for use with liquid electrolyte, e.g. virtual electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/162 : located on the probe body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/165 : Multiple indifferent electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2218/002 : Irrigation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2218/003 : using a spray or a foam
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2218/007 : Aspiration
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2493 : Transmyocardial revascularisation [TMR] devices

Abstract

The present invention provides systems, apparatus and methods for selectively applying electrical energy to body tissue in order to, ablate, contract, coagulate, or otherwise modify a tissue or organ of a patients. An electrosurgical apparatus includes an electrode support bearing an active electrode in the form of a plasma blade or hook having an active edge and first and second blade sides. The active edge is adapted for severing a target tissue via localized molecular dissociation of tissue components. The first and second blade sides are adapted for engaging against, and coagulating, the severed tissue. s. A method of the present invention comprises positioning an electrosurgical probe adjacent to the target tissue so that a blade- or hook-like active electrode is brought into at least close proximity to the target tissue in the presence of an electrically conductive fluid. A high frequency voltage is applied between the active electrode and a return electrode to effect cool ablation or other modification of the target tissue. During application of the high frequency voltage, the electrosurgical apparatus may be translated, reciprocated, or otherwise manipulated such that the active edge is moved with respect to the tissue. The present invention volumetrically ablates or otherwise modifies the target tissue with minimal or no damage to surrounding, non-target tissue.

Claims

1. An electrosurgical probe, comprising:

a shaft having a shaft distal end portion and a shaft proximal end portion;

a fluid delivery unit including a fluid delivery lumen and a fluid delivery port;

an aspiration lumen and an aspiration port;

an electrically nonconductive electrode support affixed to the shaft distal end portion;

a blade electrode affixed to the electrode support, wherein the blade electrode comprises a hook having at least one active edge, a first blade side and a second blade side; and

a return electrode proximal to said blade electrode.

2. The electrosurgical probe of claim 1, wherein the hook comprises a substantially flat metal blade having a first axial portion and a second portion extending in a direction substantially orthogonal to the first axial portion.

3. The electrosurgical probe of claim 1, wherein the hook is curved.

4. The electrosurgical probe of claim 1, wherein the hook has at least one serrated edge.

5. The electrosurgical probe of claim 1, wherein the hook includes a distal active edge and a proximal active edge.

6. The electrosurgical probe of claim 5, wherein the hook is curved and the distal active edge is concave.

7. The electrosurgical probe of claim 1, wherein the hook is adapted for severing tissue by drawing the probe towards an operator of the probe.

8. The electrosurgical probe of claim 1, wherein each of the first blade side and the second blade side are adapted for engaging a severed tissue and for coagulating the severed tissue.

9. The probe of claim 1, further comprising an insulating sleeve covering a portion of the shaft, the insulating sleeve terminating distally in a sleeve distal end at a location proximal to the electrode support to define an exposed portion of the shaft distal end portion, and the exposed portion defining said a return electrode.

10. The probe of claim 1, wherein the fluid delivery unit includes an outer sheath situated external to the shaft and forming an annular fluid delivery lumen between the outer sheath and the shaft, the annular fluid delivery lumen terminating in an annular fluid delivery port.

11. The probe of claim 10, wherein the fluid delivery port is located at the shaft distal end portion proximal to said return electrode, said return electrode proximally spaced from said blade electrode.

12. The probe of claim 1, wherein the blade electrode comprises a material selected from the group consisting of platinum, tungsten, palladium, iridium, and titanium.