Surgical system and method
First Claim
1. A method of removing tissue from a target site on or within a patient'"'"'s body comprising the steps of:
- a) supplying a fluid to the target site,b) heating the fluid so as to coagulate tissue at the target site,c) moving a rotating mechanical cutting element so as to cut coagulated tissue from the target site into relatively small pieces, andd) removing the relatively small pieces from the target site.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A surgical instrument comprises at least two elongate hollow tubes (14, 15), each having an aperture (18) at the distal end portion. The inner tube (14) is disposed within the other tube (15), and is mounted for rotation about its longitudinal axis. A cutting tool (4) is located at the distal end of the tube (14), and is positioned adjacent to the apertures (18). A motor (5) is provided for rotating the inner tube (14), and the inner tube (14) has a central lumen (21) through which tissue cut by the cutting tool (4) is removed under the action of a source of suction (12). Heat is supplied to the tissue, prior to, or simultaneously with, the cutting thereof, such that the tissue being cut by the cutting tool (4) is coagulated tissue. In one embodiment, there is a third tube (16), and saline is fed to the apertures (18) via a channel (19) between the tubes (15) and (16). The outer tube (16) constitutes an active electrode, and the inner tube (14) constitutes the return electrode of an electrosurgical device. A radio frequency signal, supplied to the electrosurgical device, causes tissue to be coagulated prior to being cut by the cutting tool (4), resulting in smaller pieces of cut tissue which are easier to remove through the lumen (21).
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method of removing tissue from a target site on or within a patient'"'"'s body comprising the steps of:
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a) supplying a fluid to the target site, b) heating the fluid so as to coagulate tissue at the target site, c) moving a rotating mechanical cutting element so as to cut coagulated tissue from the target site into relatively small pieces, and d) removing the relatively small pieces from the target site. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. An electrosurgical system comprising:
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a) a surgical instrument including a fluid supply means for supplying a fluid to a target site, a heating device capable of heating the fluid so as to coagulate tissue at the target site, a mechanical cutting device capable of cutting coagulated tissue at the target site into relatively small pieces, and suction means for removing tissue cut by the cutting device from the target site; b) power generating means for providing power to the heating device; c) drive means for the cutting device; and d) a controller for the power generating means and the drive means, the controller controlling the power generating means and the drive means such that tissue at the target site is coagulated by the fluid heated by the heating device prior to being cut by the cutting device.
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4. An electrosurgical system comprising:
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a) a surgical instrument including a fluid supply means for supplying a conductive fluid to a target site, an electrosurgical device capable of heating the conductive fluid so as to coagulate tissue at the target site, a mechanical cutting device capable of cutting coagulated tissue at the target site into relatively small pieces, and suction means for removing tissue cut by the cutting device from the target site; b) power generating means for providing a high frequency voltage to the electrosurgical device; c) drive means for the cutting device; and d) a controller for the power generating means and the drive means, the controller actuating the power generating means simultaneously with the drive means such that tissue at the target site is coagulated by the fluid heated by the electrosurgical device prior to being cut by the cutting device. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification