Tuned return electrode with matching inductor
First Claim
1. An electrosurgical apparatus comprising:
- (a) an electrosurgical return electrode having a bulk impedance sufficient to limit the density of an electrosurgical current to safe levels; and
(b) an inductor coupled in series with the electrosurgical return electrode, wherein the inductor counteracts at least a portion of an effective impedance of the electrosurgical return electrode and a patient.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An electrosurgical return electrode for use in electrosurgery. The return electrode is self-limiting and self-regulating as to maximum current and temperature rise to prevent patient trauma. An inductor is coupled in series with the return electrode. The inductor counteracts at least a portion of the impedance of the return electrode and the patient to optimize the flow of the current when the amount of contact area between the patient and the return electrode is sufficient to perform electrosurgery. The inductor may also be variable to allow the overall impedance of the electrosurgical circuit to be adjusted and tuned to work properly and safely with a particular patient and the other equipment used to perform electrosurgery. A conductor member operates with circuitry that indicates to a user when the contact area between the patient and the self-limiting member and/or return electrode is below a given threshold.
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Citations
69 Claims
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1. An electrosurgical apparatus comprising:
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(a) an electrosurgical return electrode having a bulk impedance sufficient to limit the density of an electrosurgical current to safe levels; and (b) an inductor coupled in series with the electrosurgical return electrode, wherein the inductor counteracts at least a portion of an effective impedance of the electrosurgical return electrode and a patient. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An electrosurgical apparatus for use in electrosurgery wherein an electrosurgical current is utilized to cut and coagulate tissue, configured to limit the density of the electrosurgical current to safe levels so as to prevent unwanted patient burn, the electrosurgical apparatus comprising:
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(a) an electrosurgical return electrode having a bulk impedance sufficient to limit the density of an electrosurgical current to safe levels, wherein the bulk impedance comprises a capacitive component; and (b) an inductor coupled in series with the electrosurgical return electrode, the inductor being configured to increase the flow of the electrosurgical current by counteracting at least a portion of the capacitive component of the effective impedance of the electrosurgical return electrode and a patient. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. An electrosurgical apparatus for use in electrosurgery wherein an electrosurgical current is utilized to cut and coagulate tissue, and to limit the density of the electrosurgical current to safe levels so as to prevent unwanted patient burn, the electrosurgical apparatus comprising:
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(a) an electrosurgical return electrode having an bulk impedance sufficient to limit the density of an electrosurgical current to safe levels, wherein the electrosurgical return electrode has an effective impedance resulting from the properties of the bulk impedance and the contact area between the patient and the return electrode, the effective impedance having a capacitive component; (b) a variable inductor coupled in series with the electrosurgical return electrode, the variable inductor being configured to increase the flow of the electrosurgical current by counteracting the capacitive component of the effective impedance of the electrosurgical return electrode when the amount of contact area between the patient and the electrosurgical return electrode is sufficient to conduct electrosurgery; and (c) circuitry adapted to identify the amount of capacitive reactance in an electrosurgical pathway including the electrosurgical generator and the variable inductor and tune the variable inductor to optimize the flow of the electrosurgical current by minimizing the capacitive reactance in the electrosurgical pathway. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. An electrosurgical apparatus for use in electrosurgery wherein an electrosurgical current is utilized to cut and coagulate tissue and to limit the density of the electrosurgical current to safe levels so as to prevent unwanted patient burn, the electrosurgical apparatus comprising:
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(a) an electrosurgical return electrode adapted to contact a patient wherein the combination of the return electrode and the patient in contact with the return electrode comprises a capacitive reactance sufficient to limit the density of an electrosurgical current to safe levels, when the electrode is at least partially in contact with a patient; (b) an inductor coupled in series with said electrode, the inductor being configured to increase the flow of the electrosurgical current by utilizing the phase angle and magnitude of the inductance to reduce the capacitive reactance of the electrode. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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44. An electrosurgical return electrode adapted to prevent unwanted patient burns comprising:
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a semi-insulating element having a bulk impedance sufficient to prevent a patient burn when a contact area between a patient and the semi-insulating element is below a given threshold; an electrically conductive member coupled to the semi-insulating element, the conductive member cooperating with circuitry that identifies the area of contact between the patient and the semi-insulating element and if the area of contact is below a given threshold; and an inductor coupled in series with the bulk impedance wherein the inductor is configured to counteract at least a portion of an effective impedance caused when the patient is in limited contact with the electrosurgical return electrode. - View Dependent Claims (45, 51, 52)
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46. An electrosurgical return electrode adapted to prevent unwanted patient burns comprising:
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a semi-insulating element having a bulk impedance sufficient to prevent a patient burn when a contact area between a patient and the semi-insulating element is below a given threshold; an electrically conductive member coupled to the semi-insulating element, the conductive member cooperating with circuitry that identifies the area of contact between the patient and the semi-insulating element and if the area of contact is below a given threshold; and an inductor coupled in series with the bulk impedance wherein the inductor is configured to counteract at least a portion of an effective impedance caused when the patient is in limited contact with the electrosurgical return electrode. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48, 49, 50)
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53. A return electrode having a surface adapted to be positioned directly on a patient, the return electrode comprising:
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a first conductor; a second conductor interwoven with the first conductor to create a lattice structure where the lattice structures promotes uniform flow of current over the surface of the return electrode, wherein the first and second conductors comprise a bulk impedance sufficient to prevent a patient burn when a contact area between a patient and the first and second conductors is below a given threshold; and an inductor coupled in series with the bulk impedance wherein the inductor is configured to counteract at least a portion of an effective impedance caused when the patient is in contact with the first and second conductors. - View Dependent Claims (54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61)
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62. An electrosurgical apparatus comprising:
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(a) an electrosurgical return electrode having a bulk impedance sufficient to limit the density of an electrosurgical current to safe levels; and (b) a reactance coupled in series with the electrosurgical return electrode, the reactance being configured to increase the flow of the electrosurgical current by counteracting a portion of an effective impedance caused when a patient is in contact with the electrosurgical return electrode. - View Dependent Claims (63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69)
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Specification