Electrosurgical instrument

• US 7,381,209 B2
• Filed: 02/12/2007
• Issued: 06/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: SurgRx, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Shadduck, John H., Truckai, Csaba, Strul, Bruno
• Primary Examiner(s): Gibson; Roy D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ROANE, AARON F
• Application Number:
  US11/673,889
• Publication Number:
  US 20070129728A1
• Time in Patent Office: 477 Days
• Field of Search: 606 41- 52
• US Class Current: 606/51
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1442 Probes having pivoting end effectors, e.g. forceps
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1445 at the distal end of a shaft, e.g. forceps or scissors at the end of a rigid rod
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00077 high, i.e. electrically conducting
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00083 low, i.e. electrically insulating
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00125 with nanostructure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00148 with metal
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0016 Energy applicators arranged in a two- or three dimensional array
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00404 Blood vessels other than those in or around the heart
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00601 Cutting
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0063 Sealing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1412 Blade
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1455 having a moving blade for cutting tissue grasped by the jaws

Abstract

An embodiment of the invention includes an electrosurgical jaw structure that carries cooperating PTC bodies in both series and parallel circuit components for controlled RF energy application to engaged tissue to effectively weld tissue.

Claims

1. A method for welding tissue comprising:

providing an electrosurgical instrument having a tissue engaging surface, an electrode and a PTC body portion comprising a positive temperature coefficient material;

engaging a target tissue volume with the tissue engaging surface;

delivering RF energy to the target volume, wherein the PTC body portion modulates the delivery of energy responsive to a temperature of the PTC body portion; and

progressively creating a tissue weld in at least a portion of the target tissue volume.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

producing a substantially uniformly fused tissue mass within the tissue volume.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

contemporaneously welding and transecting the at least a portion of the target tissue volume.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

utilizing the PTC body portion to modulate energy density at a pixilated level over at least a portion of the tissue engaging surface.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

utilizing the PTC body portion to reduce tissue desiccation and charring in the at least a portion of the target tissue volume.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

utilizing the PTC body portion to modulate a progression of ohmic heating.

7. A method for welding tissue comprising:

providing an electrosurgical instrument having a tissue engaging surface, an electrode and a PTC body portion comprising a positive temperature coefficient material;

engaging a target tissue volume with the tissue engaging surface;

delivering RF energy to the target volume;

modulating ohmic active heating of the engaged tissue volume on a microscale; and

welding at least a portion of the target tissue volume.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

modulating ohmic active heating of the engaged tissue volume on a macroscale.