Electrosurgical probe with movable return electrode and methods related thereto
First Claim
1. An electrosurgical probe, comprising:
- an active electrode terminal disposed at the probe distal end;
a fixed return electrode spaced from the active electrode terminal; and
a movable return electrode configured to move with respect to the active electrode terminal between a first location and a second location.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides systems, apparatus, and methods for dissecting, resecting, severing, cutting, contracting, coagulating, or otherwise modifying a tissue or organ of a patient. An apparatus of the invention includes an electrosurgical probe configurable between an open configuration and a closed configuration, the probe including an active electrode terminal, a fixed return electrode disposed proximal to the active electrode terminal, and a movable return electrode configured to move linearly with respect to the active electrode terminal between the open configuration and the closed configuration. A method of the present invention comprises clamping a blood vessel between the active electrode terminal and the movable return electrode, coagulating the clamped blood vessel by application of a first high frequency voltage, and severing the coagulated blood vessel by application of a second high frequency voltage.
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Citations
124 Claims
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1. An electrosurgical probe, comprising:
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an active electrode terminal disposed at the probe distal end;
a fixed return electrode spaced from the active electrode terminal; and
a movable return electrode configured to move with respect to the active electrode terminal between a first location and a second location. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65)
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66. An electrosurgical probe, comprising:
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a shaft having a shaft distal end and a shaft proximal end;
a first electrically insulating spacer disposed at the shaft distal end;
a fixed return electrode disposed at a distal end of the first spacer;
a second electrically insulating spacer extending distally from the fixed return electrode;
an active electrode terminal disposed at a distal end of the second spacer; and
a movable return electrode configured to move with respect to the active electrode terminal between a proximal location and a distal location. - View Dependent Claims (67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79)
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80. An electrosurgical probe, comprising:
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a shaft having a shaft distal end and a shaft proximal end;
an active electrode terminal disposed at the shaft distal end;
a fixed return electrode disposed proximal to the active electrode terminal; and
a movable return electrode configured to move linearly with respect to the active electrode terminal between a proximal location and a distal location, wherein the proximal location defines an open configuration of the probe and the distal location defines a closed configuration of the probe. - View Dependent Claims (81, 82, 83, 84)
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85. An electrosurgical probe, comprising:
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a shaft having a shaft distal end and a shaft proximal end;
a multi-lumen tube disposed longitudinally within the shaft;
an active electrode terminal extending distally from a first lumen of the multi-lumen tube;
a fixed return electrode emanating from a second lumen of the multi-lumen tube; and
a movable return electrode configured to move with respect to the active electrode terminal between a proximal location and a distal location. - View Dependent Claims (86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93)
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94. An electrosurgical system, comprising:
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an electrosurgical probe configurable between an open configuration and a closed configuration, the probe including a shaft having a shaft distal end, an active electrode terminal disposed at the shaft distal end, a fixed return electrode disposed proximal to the active electrode terminal, and a movable return electrode configured to move linearly with respect to the active electrode terminal between the open configuration and the closed configuration; and
a high frequency power supply, the active electrode terminal coupled to a first pole of the high frequency power supply, the fixed return electrode and the movable return electrode coupled to a second pole of the high frequency power supply, the high frequency power supply adapted for applying a high frequency voltage between the active electrode terminal and at least one of the fixed return electrode and the movable return electrode. - View Dependent Claims (95, 96, 97, 98)
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99. A method for electrosurgically treating a target tissue of a patient, comprising:
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a) providing an electrosurgical probe, the probe configurable between an open configuration and a closed configuration, the probe including an active electrode terminal, a fixed return electrode disposed proximal to the active electrode terminal, and a movable return electrode configured to move linearly with respect to the active electrode terminal between the open configuration and the closed configuration;
b) positioning the active electrode terminal in at least close proximity to the target tissue; and
c) applying a high frequency voltage between the active electrode terminal and at least one of the fixed return electrode and the movable return electrode, wherein at least a portion of the target tissue is ablated or modified. - View Dependent Claims (100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106)
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107. A method for severing tissue at a target site, comprising:
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a) positioning an active electrode terminal of an electrosurgical probe at the target site within or on a patient, the probe comprising a fixed return electrode and a movable return electrode;
b) applying an ablation voltage between the active electrode terminal and the fixed return electrode, the ablation voltage sufficient to ablate the tissue at the target site;
c) moving the movable return electrode to a position adjacent the tissue; and
d) applying a sub-ablation voltage between the active electrode terminal and the movable return electrode, the sub-ablation voltage sufficient to coagulate or otherwise modify the tissue. - View Dependent Claims (108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121)
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122. A method for severing a blood vessel during a surgical procedure, comprising:
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a) providing an electrosurgical probe, the probe configurable between an open configuration and a closed configuration, the probe including an active electrode terminal, a fixed return electrode disposed proximal to the active electrode terminal, and a movable return electrode configured to move linearly with respect to the active electrode terminal between the open configuration and the closed configuration;
b) clamping a blood vessel between the active electrode terminal and the movable return electrode such that the blood vessel is compressed, wherein the probe is configured in the closed configuration;
c) applying a sub-ablation voltage between the active electrode terminal and at least the movable return electrode, the sub-ablation voltage sufficient to electrosurgically weld the blood vessel, wherein the blood vessel is occluded;
d) configuring the probe to the open configuration; and
e) applying an ablation voltage between the active electrode terminal and at least the fixed return electrode, the ablation voltage sufficient to electrosurgically sever the occluded blood vessel. - View Dependent Claims (123, 124)
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Specification