Electrosurgical instrument and system
First Claim
1. An electrosurgical system including:
- an electrosurgical instrument and an electrosurgical generator,the electrosurgical instrument including at least first, second and third electrodes in fixed relationship to each other, each spaced from each other by insulating members therebetween,the first electrode having a characteristic such that it is adapted to constitute an active electrode,the second electrode having a characteristic such that it is adapted to constitute a first return electrode, andthe third electrode having a characteristic such that it is adapted to constitute a second return electrode,the electrosurgical generator including a source of radio frequency energy and first second and third output connections connected to the first, second and third electrodes, respectively, of the electrosurgical instrument,a switching circuit, anda controller, the controller being able to control the switching circuit so as to selectively direct the radio frequency energy to either the first and second output connections, and hence, the first and second electrodes, or to the first and third output connections, and hence, the first and third electrodes,the first, second and third electrodes being arranged, such that the third electrode is not in the current path between the first and second electrodes when the first and second electrodes are in use, and the second electrode is not in the current path between the first and third electrodes when the first and third electrodes are in use.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An electrosurgical system includes an electrosurgical instrument and an electrosurgical generator, the instrument having a longitudinal axis and including at least first, second and third electrodes. The electrodes are spaced from each other by one or more insulating members therebetween, the spacing between the first and third electrodes being greater than that between the first and second electrodes. The electrosurgical generator includes a source of radio frequency energy capable of producing either a coagulating RF waveform or a cutting RF waveform and has first second and third output connections connected to the first, second and third electrodes respectively of the electrosurgical instrument. The generator further includes a switching means, and a controller, the controller being such that when a cutting RF waveform is selected, the switching means directs the cutting RF waveform between the first and second output connections and hence the first and second electrodes. When a coagulating RF waveform is selected, the switching means directs the coagulating RF waveform between the first and third output connections and hence the first and third electrodes.
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Citations
9 Claims
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1. An electrosurgical system including:
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an electrosurgical instrument and an electrosurgical generator, the electrosurgical instrument including at least first, second and third electrodes in fixed relationship to each other, each spaced from each other by insulating members therebetween, the first electrode having a characteristic such that it is adapted to constitute an active electrode, the second electrode having a characteristic such that it is adapted to constitute a first return electrode, and the third electrode having a characteristic such that it is adapted to constitute a second return electrode, the electrosurgical generator including a source of radio frequency energy and first second and third output connections connected to the first, second and third electrodes, respectively, of the electrosurgical instrument, a switching circuit, and a controller, the controller being able to control the switching circuit so as to selectively direct the radio frequency energy to either the first and second output connections, and hence, the first and second electrodes, or to the first and third output connections, and hence, the first and third electrodes, the first, second and third electrodes being arranged, such that the third electrode is not in the current path between the first and second electrodes when the first and second electrodes are in use, and the second electrode is not in the current path between the first and third electrodes when the first and third electrodes are in use. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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Specification