Method and apparatus for plasma surgery
First Claim
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1. A method of operating an apparatus for argon-plasma coagulation (APC), wherein the apparatus comprises at least a high-frequency source, a source of noble gas, and an APC instrument connected to the high-frequency source and to the source of the noble gas, and wherein the method comprises the following steps:
- activating the apparatus for APC;
after activation of the apparatus for APC, causing a specified amount of noble gas to flow out of the APC instrument, thereby reducing the concentration of combustible substances near a biological tissue to be treated and thus avoiding the ignition of the combustible substances; and
after causing the specified amount of the noble gas to flow out of the APC instrument, allowing a high-frequency voltage for ionizing the noble gas to be switched on,wherein the high-frequency voltage cannot be turned on as long as the specified amount of the noble gas has not flowed out of the APC instrument.
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Abstract
An apparatus for argon-plasma coagulation (APC) is disclosed, in which after activation of the apparatus for APC a specified amount of noble gas flows out of the APC instrument before the high-frequency voltage for ionizing the noble gas is switched on, or can be switched on. As a result an increase in safety is achieved.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method of operating an apparatus for argon-plasma coagulation (APC), wherein the apparatus comprises at least a high-frequency source, a source of noble gas, and an APC instrument connected to the high-frequency source and to the source of the noble gas, and wherein the method comprises the following steps:
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activating the apparatus for APC; after activation of the apparatus for APC, causing a specified amount of noble gas to flow out of the APC instrument, thereby reducing the concentration of combustible substances near a biological tissue to be treated and thus avoiding the ignition of the combustible substances; and after causing the specified amount of the noble gas to flow out of the APC instrument, allowing a high-frequency voltage for ionizing the noble gas to be switched on, wherein the high-frequency voltage cannot be turned on as long as the specified amount of the noble gas has not flowed out of the APC instrument. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. An apparatus for argon-plasma coagulation (APC), comprising:
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a high-frequency source; a source of noble gas; an argon-plasma coagulation instrument connected to the high-frequency source and to the source of the noble gas to conduct a coagulation current from the high-frequency source into the gas and through the gas into biological tissue to coagulate the tissue; a controllable gas valve attached to the noble gas source; at least one gas-flow sensor for determining a flow rate of the noble gas from the source; and control means for controlling the flow rate of the noble gas from the noble gas source to the instrument such that, after activation of the apparatus, a specified amount of the noble gas must flow out of the instrument before the high-frequency source for ionizing the noble gas can be switched on, thereby reducing the concentration of combustible substances near a biological tissue to be treated and thus avoiding the ignition of the combustible substances, wherein the control means is adapted to prevent the high-frequency source from being turned on until the specified amount of the noble gas has flowed out of the argon-plasma coagulation instrument. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of operating an apparatus for argon-plasma coagulation (APC), wherein the apparatus comprises at least a high-frequency source, a source of noble gas, and an APC instrument connected to the high-frequency source and to the source of the noble gas, and wherein the method comprises the following steps:
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activating the apparatus for APC; after activation of the apparatus for APC, causing a specified amount of noble gas to flow out of the APC instrument, thereby reducing the concentration of combustible substances near a biological tissue to be treated and thus avoiding the ignition of the combustible substances; and after causing the specified amount of the noble gas to flow out of the APC instrument, allowing a high-frequency voltage for ionizing the noble gas to be switched on, wherein a flow rate at which the noble gas flows out of the APC instrument after activation of the apparatus but before the high-frequency voltage is turned on is higher than a flow rate at which the noble gas flows out of the APC instrument after the high-frequency voltage has been turned on during an APC procedure. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An apparatus for argon-plasma coagulation (APC), comprising:
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a high-frequency source; a source of noble gas; an argon-plasma coagulation instrument connected to the high-frequency source and to the source of the noble gas to conduct a coagulation current from the high-frequency source into the gas and through the gas into biological tissue to coagulate the tissue; a controllable gas valve attached to the noble gas source; at least one gas-flow sensor for determining a flow rate of the noble gas from the source; and control means for controlling the flow rate of the noble gas from the noble gas source to the instrument such that, after activation of the apparatus, a specified amount of the noble gas is permitted to flow out of the instrument before the high-frequency source for ionizing the noble gas is switched on, thereby reducing the concentration of combustible substances near a biological tissue to be treated and thus avoiding the ignition of the combustible substances, wherein the control means controls the flow rate of the noble gas from the noble gas source to the instrument such that the flow rate is higher after activation of the apparatus but before the high-frequency source is switched on than it is after the high-frequency source has been turned on during an argon-plasma coagulation procedure. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification