Methods, systems, and devices for performing electrosurgical procedures

• US 7,128,741 B1
• Filed: 04/04/2003
• Issued: 10/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Megadyne Medical Products Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Megadyne Medical Products Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Mikalauski, Tremayne Paul, Isaacson, James D., Borgmeier, Paul R.
• Primary Examiner(s): ROLLINS, ROSILAND STACIE
• Application Number:
  US10/412,698
• Time in Patent Office: 1,306 Days
• Field of Search: 606/1, 606 27- 32, 606/34, 606/37, 606/41, 606/42, 606/4, 607/96, 607/98, 607/100, 607/101, 607/103, 607/105
• US Class Current: 606/41
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1402 Probes for open surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00221 with wireless transmission of data, e.g. by infrared radiation or radiowaves

Abstract

Systems, methods, and instruments associated with controlling the operating modes of an electrosurgical instrument using control signals delivered in a wireless manner from the electrosurgical instrument to an electrosurgical generator. The electrosurgical instrument transmits wireless control signals to the electrosurgical generator to initiate delivery of electrosurgical energy. The control signals are delivered to the electrosurgical generator without the need for a conductive cord extending between the electrosurgical generator and the electrosurgical instrument. The energy is delivered to the electrosurgical instrument, in response to the wireless control signals, along a path through an electrode and the physician utilizing the electrosurgical instrument and/or a conductive path external to the physician. The electrode upon which the physician rests provides a path for the electrosurgical energy and optionally prevents burning of the physician during an electrosurgical procedure.

Claims

1. An electrosurgical system for use by a physician in performing an electrosurgical procedure, the system comprising:

an electrosurgical generator adapted to generate current;

an electrosurgical instrument adapted to receive said current from said electrosurgical generator, said electrosurgical instrument comprising;

a hand piece comprising a proximal end and a distal end, said distal end receives an electrosurgical electrode; and

a transmitter coupled to said hand piece, said transmitter transmits a wireless signal that initiates delivery of said current from said electrosurgical generator to said electrosurgical electrode; and

an electrode adapted to be disposed electrically between said electrosurgical generator and the physician and adapted such that the physician stands on the electrode as the physician performs the electrosurgical procedure and provides a portion of an electrical path between the electrosurgical generator and said electrosurgical instrument, the electrode comprising a sheet of material and is self-limiting to limit the density of current flowing through the sheet to less than 100 milliamperes per square inch of the electrode.

2. The electrosurgical system as recited in claim 1, wherein the electrosurgical instrument further comprises an input device coupled to said hand piece, said input device being adapted to initiate delivery of said wireless signal to the electrosurgical generator.

3. The electrosurgical system as recited in claim 1, wherein said wireless signal comprises a signal having a wavelength selected from the group consisting of radio, microwave, or infrared.

4. The electrosurgical system as recited in claim 1, wherein said hand piece is at least one of washable, sterilizable, cleanable, and reusable.

5. The electrosurgical system as recited in claim 1, wherein said current is delivered to said hand piece in response to activation or at least one input device.

6. The electrosurgical system as recited in claim 5, wherein said input device is manipulatable by the physician.

7. The electrosurgical system is recited in claim 5, wherein said input device is coupled to said hand piece and is adapted to initiate delivery of the current.

8. The electrosurgical system as recited in claim 5, wherein said input device is remote from said hand piece and is adapted to initiate delivery of the current.

9. The electrosurgical system as recited in claim 1, wherein said wireless signal identifies a waveform of radio frequency signals.

10. The electrosurgical system as recited in claim 9, wherein the waveform is selected from the group consisting of a cut waveform, a coagulate waveform, or a blended waveform.

11. The electrosurgical system as recited in claim 1, wherein said distal end further comprises a recess adapted to receive said electrosurgical electrode.

12. An electrosurgical system for use by a physician in performing an electrosurgical procedure, the system comprising:

an electrosurgical generator adapted to generate current;

an electrosurgical instrument adapted to receive said current from said electrosurgical generator, said electrosurgical instrument comprising;

a hand piece comprising a proximal end and a distal end, said distal end receives an electrosurgical electrode; and

a transmitter coupled to said hand piece, said transmitter transmits a wireless signal that initiates delivery of said current from said electrosurgical generator to said electrosurgical electrode; and

an electrode adapted to be disposed electrically between said electrosurgical generator and the physician and adapted such that the physician stands on the electrode as the physician performs the electrosurgical procedure and provides a portion of an electrical path between the electrosurgical generator and said electrosurgical instrument, the electrode regulates the electrosurgical current flowing through the electrode as a function of the area of contact between the electrode and the physician so as to limit the density of current flowing through the electrode to less than 100 milliamperes per square inch of the electrode.

13. The electrosurgical system as recited in claim 12, further comprising an input device coupled to said hand piece, said input device being adapted to initiate delivery or said wireless signal to the electrosurgical generator.

14. The electrosurgical system as recited in claim 12, wherein said wireless signal comprises a signal having a wavelength selected from the group consisting of radio, microwave, or infrared.

15. The electrosurgical system as recited in claim 12, wherein said hand piece is at least one of washable, sterilizable, cleanable, and reusable.

16. The electrosurgical system recited in claim 12, wherein the electrode has an effective bulk impedance equal to or greater than about 4,000 Ω

·

cm when a working surface of the electrode is in close proximity to the physician or in contact with the physician without use of a gel.

17. The electrosurgical system as recited in claim 12, wherein said electrosurgical instrument further comprises at least one contact coupled to said hand piece, said at least one contact being adapted to receive said current upon the physician touching said at least one contact.

18. The electrosurgical system as recited in claim 17, wherein the physician contacts said at least one contact with a conductive glove.

19. The electrosurgical system as recited in claim 12, wherein said electrosurgical system further comprises at least one input device, said at least one input device being adapted to initiate delivery of said wireless signal to said electrosurgical generator.

20. The electrosurgical system as recited in claim 19, wherein said at least one input device is coupled to said electrosurgical instrument.

21. The electrosurgical system as recited in claim 19, wherein said at least one input device comprises a foot activated input device located remotely from said electrosurgical instrument.

22. The electrosurgical system as recited in claim 12, further comprising an adapter disposed between said electrode and said electrosurgical generator, said adapter capable of receiving said wireless signal to initiate delivery of said current.

23. The electrosurgical system as recited in claim 12, wherein said effective bulk impedance of said electrode comprises electrical components selected from at least one of a resistive component, a capacitive component, and an inductive component.

24. The electrosurgical system as recited in claim 12, wherein said electrode has a predetermined thickness and wherein the relationship between the bulk impedance, a surface area, and a predetermined thickness of said electrode are defined by the equation:

$t=\frac{1.2<br><br>A<br><br>\left(75\right)<br><br>\mathrm{\beta <br><br>}<br><br>\sqrt{1+{\mathrm{\omega <br><br>}}^2<br><br>{\mathrm{\eta <br><br>}}^2<br><br>{\mathrm{\kappa <br><br>}}^2<br><br>{\mathrm{\varepsilon <br><br>}}_0^2}}{\mathrm{\rho <br><br>}}$

where t = thickness (cm) κ

= dielectric constant of insulating material β

= total impedance divided by 75 ohms ω

= angular frequency of electrosurgical generator (radians/scc) η

= bulk impedance (Ω

·

cm) A = area of the electrode (cm²) ε

_o = electrical permittivity constant (F/cm).

25. An electrosurgical system for use by a physician in performing an electrosurgical procedure, the system comprising:

an electrosurgical generator adapted to generate current;

an electrosurgical instrument adapted to receive said current from said electrosurgical generator, said electrosurgical instrument comprising;

a hand piece comprising a proximal end and a distal end, said distal end receives an electrosurgical electrode; and

a transmitter coupled to said hand piece, said transmitter transmits a wireless signal that initiates delivery of said current from said electrosurgical generator to said electrosurgical electrode; and

an electrode adapted to be disposed electrically between said electrosurgical generator and the physician and adapted such that the physician stands one the electrode as the physician performs the electrosurgical procedure, said electrode comprising a sheet of material having a bulk impedance equal to or greater than about 4,000 Ω

·

cm and that provides a portion of an electrical path between the electrosurgical generator and said electrosurgical instrument.

26. The electrosurgical system as recited in claim 25, wherein said electrosurgical instrument further comprises at least one contact coupled to said hand piece, said at least one contact being adapted to receive said current upon the physician touching said at least one contact.

27. The electrosurgical system as recited in claim 26, wherein the physician contacts said at least one contact with a conductive glove.

28. The electrosurgical system as recited in claim 25, further comprising at least one trace coupled to clothing of the physician, said at least one trace being adapted to receive said current.

29. The electrosurgical system as recited in claim 28, wherein said at least one trace cooperates with a glove wearable by the physician.

30. The electrosurgical system as recited in claim 28, wherein said at least one trace cooperates with at least one conductor member cooperating with said electrode.

31. The electrosurgical system as recited in claim 25, wherein said electrosurgical system further comprises at least one input device, said at least one input device being adapted to initiate delivery of said wireless signal to said electrosurgical generator.

32. The electrosurgical system as recited in claim 31, wherein said at least one input device is coupled to said electrosurgical instrument.

33. The electrosurgical system as recited in claim 31, wherein said at least one input device comprises a foot activated input device located remotely from said electrosurgical instrument.

34. The electrosurgical system as recited in claim 25, further comprising an adapter disposed between said electrode and said electrosurgical generator, said adapter capable of receiving said wireless signal to initiate delivery of said current.

35. The electrosurgical system as recited in claim 25, wherein said effective bulk impedance of said sheet comprises electrical components selected from at least one of a resistive component, a capacitive component, and an inductive component.

36. The electrosurgical system as recited in claim 25, wherein said electrode has a predetermined thickness and wherein the relationship between the bulk impedance, a surface area, and a predetermined thickness of said electrode are defined by the equation:

$t=\frac{1.2<br><br>A<br><br>\left(75\right)<br><br>\mathrm{\beta <br><br>}<br><br>\sqrt{1+{\mathrm{\omega <br><br>}}^2<br><br>{\mathrm{\eta <br><br>}}^2<br><br>{\mathrm{\kappa <br><br>}}^2<br><br>{\mathrm{\varepsilon <br><br>}}_0^2}}{\mathrm{\rho <br><br>}}$

where t = thickness (cm) κ

= dielectric constant of insulating material β

= total impedance divided by 75 ohms ω

= angular frequency of electrosurgical generator (radians/scc) η

= bulk impedance (Ω

·

cm) A = area of the electrode (cm²) ε

_o = electrical permittivity constant (F/cm).

37. The electrosurgical system as recited in claim 25, wherein said proximal end of said hand piece is adapted to receive a conductor.