Dual mode electrosurgical clamping probe and related methods
First Claim
1. An electrosurgical probe, comprising:
- a shaft having a shaft distal end portion and a shaft proximal end portion;
an electrode support disposed on the shaft distal end portion;
an active electrode disposed on the electrode support; and
a return electrode disposed on the shaft distal end portion, wherein the shaft distal end portion is adapted for being shifted between a first configuration or a second configuration, wherein the first configuration is adapted for clamping and coagulating a tissue, and the second configuration is adapted for releasing and severing the tissue, and said probe further comprising a mode switch for switching the probe between a sub-ablation mode and an ablation mode.
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Accused Products
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 target tissue or organ of a patients. An electrosurgical apparatus of the invention includes a shaft having a shaft distal end bearing an active electrode and a return electrode. At least one of the active electrode and the return electrode is moveable such that the shaft distal end can adopt a closed configuration or an open configuration. The apparatus can operate in an ablation mode or a sub-ablation mode. The closed configuration is adapted for clamping and coagulating a target tissue while the apparatus is operating in the sub-ablation mode, while the open configuration is adapted for ablating the target tissue via molecular dissociation of tissue components. A method of the present invention comprises clamping a target tissue or organ with an electrosurgical probe. A first high frequency voltage is applied between the active electrode and the return electrode to effect coagulation of the clamped tissue. Thereafter, a second high frequency voltage is applied to effect localized molecular dissociation of the coagulated tissue. The present invention allows the ablation or modification of the target tissue with minimal or no damage to surrounding, non-target tissue.
500 Citations
83 Claims
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1. An electrosurgical probe, comprising:
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a shaft having a shaft distal end portion and a shaft proximal end portion;
an electrode support disposed on the shaft distal end portion;
an active electrode disposed on the electrode support; and
a return electrode disposed on the shaft distal end portion, wherein the shaft distal end portion is adapted for being shifted between a first configuration or a second configuration, wherein the first configuration is adapted for clamping and coagulating a tissue, and the second configuration is adapted for releasing and severing the tissue, and said probe further comprising a mode switch for switching the probe between a sub-ablation mode and an ablation mode. - 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)
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39. An electrosurgical system, comprising:
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a shaft having a shaft distal end portion and a shaft proximal end portion, the shaft distal end portion capable of adopting an open configuration or a closed configuration;
an electrode support disposed on the shaft distal end portion;
an active electrode disposed on the electrode support;
a return electrode disposed on the shaft distal end portion;
a power supply having first and second opposite poles, the active and the return electrode coupled to the first and second opposite poles, the power supply adapted for applying a high frequency voltage between the active electrode and the return electrode;
a mode switch for switching the system between a sub-ablation mode and an ablation mode; and
an actuator unit in communication with at least one of the active electrode and the return electrode, the actuator unit adapted for shifting the shaft distal end portion between the open configuration and the closed configuration. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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47. An electrosurgical probe, comprising:
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a shaft having a shaft distal end portion and a shaft proximal end portion;
an electrode support affixed to the shaft distal end portion;
an active electrode arranged on the electrode support; and
a moveable return electrode opposing the active electrode, the return electrode adapted for movement between a closed configuration and an open configuration, wherein in the closed configuration the return electrode is juxtaposed with the active electrode, and in the open configuration the return electrode is withdrawn from the active electrode and wherein the closed configuration the active electrode is arranged substantially parallel to the return electrode, and a first portion of the active electrode is at least partially concealed by the return electrode. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49, 50, 51, 52)
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53. A method of modifying a target tissue of a patient, comprising:
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positioning a shaft distal end of an electrosurgical probe in at least close proximity to the target tissue, the shaft distal end bearing an electrode support and a return electrode, the electrode support having an active electrode affixed thereto, at least one of the active electrode and the return electrode moveable responsive to actuation of an actuator unit such that the shaft distal end can adopt an open configuration or a closed configuration, the open configuration for accommodating at least a portion of the target tissue between the active electrode and the return electrode, and the closed configuration for clamping the target tissue between the active electrode and the return electrode; and
applying a first high frequency voltage between the active electrode and the return electrode, wherein at least a portion of the target tissue is ablated or modified;
wherein the first high frequency voltage is sufficient to coagulate the target tissue and insufficient to ablate the target tissue, and the method further comprises;
after said step of applying a first high frequency, applying a second high frequency voltage between the active electrode and the return electrode, wherein at least a portion of the target tissue is ablated. - View Dependent Claims (54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61)
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62. A method of modifying a target tissue of a patient, the method comprising:
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clamping the target tissue with an electrosurgical system including a probe and a power supply, the probe adapted for clamping the target tissue, and the probe including a shaft distal end bearing an electrode support and a return electrode, the electrode support having an active electrode affixed thereto, the active electrode adapted for coagulating the target tissue and for severing the target tissue via molecular dissociation of target tissue components;
coagulating the target tissue by application of a first high frequency voltage from the power supply to the active electrode; and
severing the target tissue by application of a second high frequency voltage from the power supply to the active electrode. - View Dependent Claims (63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71)
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72. A method of incising a target tissue with an electrosurgical system including a probe and a power supply, the target tissue having at least one blood vessel running therethrough, and the method comprising:
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a) ablating the target tissue with the probe, the probe including an active electrode and a return electrode coupled to the power supply, and the system operating in an ablation mode;
b) upon encountering a blood vessel, clamping the blood vessel between the active electrode and the return electrode;
c) switching the system to a sub-ablation mode adapted for coagulating the blood vessel;
d) coagulating the clamped blood vessel; and
e) switching the system to the ablation mode, wherein the coagulated blood vessel is severed. - View Dependent Claims (73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78)
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79. A method of severing a blood vessel with an electrosurgical system including a probe and a power supply, the method comprising:
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a) positioning the blood vessel between an active electrode and a return electrode;
b) clamping the blood vessel between the active electrode and the return electrode;
c) applying a first high frequency voltage between the active electrode and the return electrode, wherein the blood vessel is coagulated;
d) unclamping the coagulated blood vessel; and
e) applying a second high frequency voltage between the active electrode and the return electrode, wherein the coagulated blood vessel is severed. - View Dependent Claims (80, 81, 82, 83)
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Specification