System and method for cooling of a heated surgical instrument and/or surgical site and treating tissue
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A thermal surgical instrument comprising:
- a body comprising a body housing, a first conduit disposed in the housing, and a fluid connection site disposed in fluid communication with the first conduit;
a surgical tip comprising a tip housing having a proximal end and a thermal element extending from the tip housing, the thermal element forming an exposed wire loop having a first section, a curved second section and a third section all disposed beyond the proximal end of the tip housing;
wherein the surgical tip is in communication with the body housing such that at least a portion of the surgical tip is in fluid communication with the first conduit; and
wherein the first conduit, the body housing, and the tip housing form a coolant flow pathway for cooling the thermal surgical instrument.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A cooling system for a surgical handpiece may provide fluid flow to the surgical tip and to the internal electronic components to prevent temperatures that may damage or make the patient or surgeon uncomfortable. Tip directed gas further controls the tip-tissue interface by displacing blood or serum from the incision point, increasing precision and diminishing coagulum build-up. In the alternative, cooling fluid may be used to quench tissue being treated.
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Citations
49 Claims
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1. A thermal surgical instrument comprising:
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a body comprising a body housing, a first conduit disposed in the housing, and a fluid connection site disposed in fluid communication with the first conduit; a surgical tip comprising a tip housing having a proximal end and a thermal element extending from the tip housing, the thermal element forming an exposed wire loop having a first section, a curved second section and a third section all disposed beyond the proximal end of the tip housing; wherein the surgical tip is in communication with the body housing such that at least a portion of the surgical tip is in fluid communication with the first conduit; and wherein the first conduit, the body housing, and the tip housing form a coolant flow pathway for cooling the thermal surgical instrument. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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6. A thermal surgical instrument comprising:
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a body comprising a body housing, a first conduit disposed in the housing, and a fluid connection site disposed in fluid communication with the first conduit; a surgical tip comprising a tip housing and a thermal element extending from the tip housing; wherein the surgical tip is in communication with the body housing such that at least a portion of the surgical tip is in fluid communication with the first conduit; wherein the first conduit, the body housing, and the tip housing form a coolant flow pathway for cooling the thermal surgical instrument; and wherein the thermal element is disposed at a proximal end of the surgical instrument and wherein the surgical tip further comprises at least one aperture in the surgical tip disposed distally from the thermal element for creating a coolant flow pathway out of the surgical tip and directed toward the thermal element.
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15. A thermal surgical instrument comprising:
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a primary section having a housing defining a void; a secondary section connected to the primary section, the secondary section comprising a housing defining a void; a fluid connection site disposed on at least one of the primary section and the secondary section; and a hollow thermal element attached to the primary section, the hollow thermal element further comprising at least one aperture disposed between opposing ends thereof to release fluid from the hollow thermal element; wherein the void in the housing of the primary section and the void in the housing of the secondary section form a coolant flow pathway in the thermal surgical instrument; and wherein the fluid connection site is in fluid communication with the coolant flow pathway. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of cooling a thermal surgical instrument comprising the steps of:
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selecting a thermal surgical instrument comprising a ferromagnetic thermal element, a housing having a coolant flow pathway, and a fluid connection site, the housing having a tip housing and the ferromagnetic thermal element extending outwardly from the tip housing; connecting the fluid connection site to a device to provide a cooling fluid to the thermal surgical instrument; and directing cooling fluid through the coolant flow pathway to remove heat from the thermal surgical instrument. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method of cooling a surgical handpiece comprising:
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causing a coolant to flow through an inside first portion of a tip; reversing the direction of the coolant flow adjacent the first portion of the tip; and causing the coolant to flow through an inside second portion of the tip. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30)
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- 31. A tip for a heated surgical instrument comprising a tip housing and a thermal element extending proximally from the tip housing such that the thermal element is exposed, wherein the tip housing includes a first structure for receiving coolant and a second structure for directing coolant onto the thermal element of the heated surgical instrument, wherein the second structure comprises at least one of an aperture or a channel distally from the thermal element and configured for directing coolant proximally onto the thermal element.
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34. A system for cooling a heated surgical instrument comprising:
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a fluid drip line comprising a bag of fluid and tubing; a surgical instrument having a heatable thermal element formed by an exposed wire heatable by a power source, the thermal element disposed at a proximal end of the surgical instrument, the surgical instrument having a first structure for receiving the tubing of the fluid drip line and a second structure for directing fluid to the thermal element of the surgical instrument to cool the thermal element; and wherein the rate of fluid flow to the thermal element of the surgical instrument can be controlled. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. A thermal surgical instrument comprising:
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a body comprising a body housing, a first conduit disposed in the housing, and a fluid connection site disposed in fluid communication with the first conduit; a surgical tip comprising a tip housing and a thermal element extending from the tip housing;
wherein the surgical tip further comprises an elongate tube, the elongate tube comprising two concentric tubes having a void therethrough, and the elongate tube having a distal end and a proximal end, wherein the distal end of the elongated tube is connected to the tip housing and wherein the thermal element is attached at the proximal end of the elongate tube;wherein the surgical tip is in communication with the body housing such that at least a portion of the surgical tip is in fluid communication with the first conduit; and wherein the first conduit, the body housing, and the tip housing form a coolant flow pathway for cooling the thermal surgical instrument. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49)
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Specification