Cooled electrosurgical forceps

• US 7,235,073 B2
• Filed: 06/21/2001
• Issued: 06/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Meade, John, Levine, Andy
• Primary Examiner(s): Gibson; Roy D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vrettakos; Peter J
• Application Number:
  US09/886,658
• Publication Number:
  US 20020016591A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,196 Days
• Field of Search: 606 46- 52, 606 36- 45, 600/372, 600/373, 600/374
• US Class Current: 606/48
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1442 Probes having pivoting end effectors, e.g. forceps
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00005 Cooling or heating of the probe or tissue immediately surrounding the probe
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1462 Tweezers

Abstract

Bipolar electrosurgical forceps includes a first electrode attached to a first heat pipe and a second electrode attached to a second heat pipe. The heat pipe can be removably attached to the forceps. The forceps can also include a securing mechanism that secures the removable heat pipes to the device.

Claims

1. Electrosurgery forceps comprising:

an electrical connector;

a pair of flexible tines extending from the connector;

an electrode at the end of each tine; and

a heat pipe within each tine, the heat pipe having a sealed internal cavity which contains a heat transfer fluid to dissipate heat from the electrode.

2. The forceps of claim 1 wherein the electrodes comprise a material having a thermal conductivity between 375 W/m⁻

K and 420 W/m⁻

K.

3. The forceps of claim 2 wherein the material comprises copper.

4. The forceps of claim 2 wherein the material comprises silver.

5. The forceps of claim 1 further comprising an insulating material surrounding an outer portion of the forceps.

6. The forceps of claim 1 wherein the heat pipes are removably attached to proximal tine portions.

7. The forceps of claim 6 further comprising heat pipe mounts attached to the proximal tine portions the heat pipes being slidably attached to the heat pipe mounts.

8. The forceps of claim 7 wherein the heat pipe mounts comprise a curved geometry relative to a long axis of the tines.

9. The forceps of claim 1 further comprising a securing mechanism that secures the heat pipes to the proximal tine portions.

10. The forceps of claim 1 wherein the tines comprise a grasping portion.

11. The forceps of claim 10 wherein the grasping portion comprises an offset that allows the forceps to be used at a surgical site while providing a clear view of the surgical site by a user.

12. The forceps of claim 11 wherein the heat pipe comprise a proximal portion, the proximal portion extending to the offset of the grasping portion.

13. The forceps of claim 1 wherein the electrodes are attached to the heat pipes.

14. The forceps of claim 1 wherein the electrodes are integrally formed with the heat pipes.

15. The forceps of claim 1 wherein the heat pipes comprise a curvature relative to a long axis of the heat pipes.

16. A method for applying energy to tissue comprising:

providing a bipolar electrosurgical forceps having a first electrode having a first polarity and a second electrode having a second polarity, a first time having a first heat pipe attached to the first electrode and a second tine having a second heat pipe attached to the second electrode, the heat pipes having a sealed internal cavity containing a heat transfer fluid for conducting heat from a surgical site;

attaching the forceps to a power source;

grasping tissue between the first electrode and the second electrode by compressing the tines; and

driving energy from the first electrode to the second electrode.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising allowing heat generated at the tissue to travel from the first electrode and the second electrode to the first heat pipe and the second heat pipe.

18. Bipolar electrosurgical forceps comprising:

first electrode means having a first polarity for providing energy to a tissue;

second electrode means having a second polarity for providing energy to the tissue;

means for compressing the first means and the second means onto the tissue; and

heat pipe means for conducting heat from a surgical site, the heat pipe means for conducting having a sealed internal cavity which contains a heat transfer fluid.

19. Electrosurgery forceps comprising:

an electrical connector;

a pair of flexible tines each including a tine portion extending from the connector;

an electrode at the end of each tine;

a heat pipe removably attached to each tine portion to dissipate heat from the electrode; and

heat pipe mounts attached to the tine portions, the heat pipes being slidably attached to the heat pipe mounts.

20. The forceps of claim 19 wherein the heat pipe mounts comprise a curved geometry relative to a long axis of the tines.