Adapter and method for converting gas-enhanced electrosurgical coagulation instrument for cutting
First Claim
1. An adapter to convert a gas-enhanced electrosurgical coagulation handpiece into a cutting instrument, the coagulation handpiece including a protruding hollow nozzle having an exterior surface and an interior passageway through which a stream of gas flows to tissue at a surgical site from a distal end of the nozzle, the coagulation handpiece also including a handpiece electrode within the interior passageway of the nozzle and from which electrical energy is conducted into the gas stream flowing from the distal end of the nozzle to the surgical site during gas enhanced electrosurgical coagulation, the adapter comprising:
- a main body having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end of the main body formed generally as a tube within which to receive the distal end of the nozzle of the coagulation handpiece, wherein the tube includes a plurality of longitudinally extending slots which divide the tube into a plurality of longitudinally extending legs, the main body also including a coupling mechanism to secure the tube to the external surface of the protruding nozzle of the coagulation handpiece and thereby secure the adapter to the nozzle, wherein the coupling mechanism includes the plurality of legs and a collar which surrounds at least some portion of the plurality of legs to apply inward transverse force against the legs while in contact with the exterior surface of the nozzle to secure the adapter to the nozzle, the main body further including at least one flow passageway for conducting substantially all of the gas stream entering the tube from the interior passageway of the nozzle through the main body to the distal end of the main body when the distal end of the nozzle is received in the tube and the tube is secured to the external surface of the nozzle by the coupling mechanism;
an adapter electrode supported by the main body, the adapter electrode extending longitudinally through the main body, the adapter electrode including a proximal end portion within the tube and a distal cutting end portion which extends distally beyond the main body, the proximal end portion of the adapter electrode extending into the interior passageway of the nozzle to contact the handpiece electrode when the distal end of the nozzle is received in the tube and the tube is secured to the external surface of the nozzle by the coupling mechanism, the contact of the adapter electrode with the handpiece electrode conducting electrical energy from the handpiece electrode to the adapter electrode, the distal cutting end portion of the adapter electrode transferring the electrical energy conducted from the adapter and handpiece electrode, and the distal cutting end portion of the adapter electrode located relative to the at least one flow passageway to be surrounded by gas flowing from the at least one flow passageway; and
an internal seal located within the tube to contact the distal end of the nozzle to confine the gas flow from the internal passageway of the nozzle into the at least one flow passageway of the main body when the distal end of the nozzle is received in the tube and the adapter is secured to the nozzle.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An adapter includes a coupling mechanism that mates with a protruding nozzle of a gas-enhanced electrosurgical coagulation handpiece to convert the coagulation handpiece into a gas-enhanced electrosurgical cutting instrument. An adapter electrode and flow passageways of the adapter conduct electrical energy and gas from the nozzle of the coagulation handpiece to a protruding cutting end portion of an adapter electrode.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. An adapter to convert a gas-enhanced electrosurgical coagulation handpiece into a cutting instrument, the coagulation handpiece including a protruding hollow nozzle having an exterior surface and an interior passageway through which a stream of gas flows to tissue at a surgical site from a distal end of the nozzle, the coagulation handpiece also including a handpiece electrode within the interior passageway of the nozzle and from which electrical energy is conducted into the gas stream flowing from the distal end of the nozzle to the surgical site during gas enhanced electrosurgical coagulation, the adapter comprising:
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a main body having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end of the main body formed generally as a tube within which to receive the distal end of the nozzle of the coagulation handpiece, wherein the tube includes a plurality of longitudinally extending slots which divide the tube into a plurality of longitudinally extending legs, the main body also including a coupling mechanism to secure the tube to the external surface of the protruding nozzle of the coagulation handpiece and thereby secure the adapter to the nozzle, wherein the coupling mechanism includes the plurality of legs and a collar which surrounds at least some portion of the plurality of legs to apply inward transverse force against the legs while in contact with the exterior surface of the nozzle to secure the adapter to the nozzle, the main body further including at least one flow passageway for conducting substantially all of the gas stream entering the tube from the interior passageway of the nozzle through the main body to the distal end of the main body when the distal end of the nozzle is received in the tube and the tube is secured to the external surface of the nozzle by the coupling mechanism; an adapter electrode supported by the main body, the adapter electrode extending longitudinally through the main body, the adapter electrode including a proximal end portion within the tube and a distal cutting end portion which extends distally beyond the main body, the proximal end portion of the adapter electrode extending into the interior passageway of the nozzle to contact the handpiece electrode when the distal end of the nozzle is received in the tube and the tube is secured to the external surface of the nozzle by the coupling mechanism, the contact of the adapter electrode with the handpiece electrode conducting electrical energy from the handpiece electrode to the adapter electrode, the distal cutting end portion of the adapter electrode transferring the electrical energy conducted from the adapter and handpiece electrode, and the distal cutting end portion of the adapter electrode located relative to the at least one flow passageway to be surrounded by gas flowing from the at least one flow passageway; and an internal seal located within the tube to contact the distal end of the nozzle to confine the gas flow from the internal passageway of the nozzle into the at least one flow passageway of the main body when the distal end of the nozzle is received in the tube and the adapter is secured to the nozzle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A gas-enhanced electrosurgical coagulation handpiece for use with an adapter that converts the coagulation handpiece into a cutting instrument, the coagulation handpiece comprising a protruding hollow nozzle with an exterior surface and an interior passageway for conducting a stream of gas out of a distal end of the nozzle to tissue at a surgical site, the coagulation handpiece further comprising a handpiece electrode within the interior passageway of the nozzle from which electrical energy is conducted to the stream of gas conducted out of the distal end of the nozzle during gas-enhanced electrosurgical coagulation, the adapter comprising a main body supporting an adapter electrode which has a proximal end portion and a distal end cutting portion that extends distally beyond the main body, the main body also defining at least one flow passageway for receiving a gas stream and conducting the gas stream onto the distal end cutting portion of the adapter electrode, the main body also including an adapter retention structure to secure the adapter to the exterior surface of the nozzle, and the coagulation handpiece further comprising:
a receiving retention structure formed on the exterior surface of the protruding nozzle to complement and mate with the adapter retention structure to secure the adapter to the external surface of the nozzle with the proximal portion of the adapter electrode contacting the handpiece electrode and with the at least one flow passageway receiving gas conducted from the interior passageway of the nozzle. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An electrosurgical cutting instrument for cutting tissue during an electrosurgical procedure, comprising:
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a gas-enhanced electrosurgical coagulation handpiece which comprises a protruding nozzle having an exterior surface and an interior passageway through which a stream of gas flows to tissue at a surgical site from a distal end of the nozzle, the coagulation handpiece also including a handpiece electrode within the interior passageway from which electrical energy is conducted into the gas stream flowing from the distal end of the nozzle to the surgical site during gas-enhanced electrosurgical coagulation; and an adapter which comprises a main body having a coupling mechanism to secure the main body to the exterior surface of the protruding nozzle and thereby secure the adapter to the nozzle, the main body supporting an adapter electrode which extends longitudinally through the main body from a proximal end within the coupling mechanism to a distal end which extends beyond the main body, the main body including at least one flow passageway for conducting substantially all of the gas stream from the interior passageway of the nozzle through the main body to the distal end of the adapter electrode when the main body is secured to the exterior surface of the nozzle by the coupling mechanism, the proximal end of the adapter electrode extending into the interior passageway of the nozzle to contact the handpiece electrode when the main body is secured to the exterior surface of the nozzle by the coupling mechanism, the contact of the adapter electrode with the handpiece electrode conducting electrical energy from the handpiece electrode to the adapter electrode, the distal end of the adapter electrode extending beyond the main body and located relative to the at least one flow passageway in the main body to be surrounded by gas flowing through the at least one flow passageway.
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17. A method of converting a gas-enhanced electrosurgical coagulation handpiece into a cutting instrument, the coagulation handpiece including a protruding nozzle having an exterior surface and an interior passageway through which a stream of gas flows to tissue and a surgical site from a distal end of the nozzle, the coagulation handpiece also including a handpiece electrode located within the interior passageway to conduct electrical energy into the gas stream flowing from the nozzle to the surgical site during gas-enhanced electrosurgical coagulation, comprising:
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connecting an adapter to the exterior surface of the protruding nozzle, the adapter including an adapter electrode which extends longitudinally through the adapter to a distal cutting end and at least one flow passageway for conducting gas to the distal cutting end of the adapter electrode; contacting the adapter electrode to the handpiece electrode within the interior passageway of the nozzle when the adapter is connected to the exterior surface of the nozzle to conduct electrical energy from the handpiece electrode to the distal cutting end of the adapter electrode; and conducting substantially all of the gas from within the interior passageway of the nozzle into the at least one flow passageway of the adapter when the adapter is connected to the exterior surface of the nozzle. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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20. An adapter to convert a gas-enhanced electrosurgical coagulation handpiece into a cutting instrument, the coagulation handpiece including a protruding hollow nozzle having an exterior surface and an interior passageway through which a stream of gas flows to tissue at a surgical site from a distal end of the nozzle, the coagulation handpiece also including a handpiece electrode within the interior passageway of the nozzle and from which electrical energy is conducted into the gas stream flowing from the distal end of the nozzle to the surgical site during gas enhanced electrosurgical coagulation, the adapter comprising:
- a main body having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end of the main body formed generally as a tube within which to receive the distal end of the nozzle of the coagulation handpiece, wherein the tube includes a plurality of longitudinally extending slots which divide the tube into a plurality of longitudinally extending legs, the main body also including a coupling mechanism to secure the tube to the external surface of the protruding nozzle of the coagulation handpiece and thereby secure the adapter to the nozzle, wherein the coupling mechanism includes the plurality of legs and a collar which surrounds at least some portion of the plurality of legs to apply inward transverse force against the legs while in contact with the exterior surface of the nozzle to secure the adapter to the nozzle, the main body further including at least one flow passageway for conducting substantially all of the gas stream entering the tube from the interior passageway of the nozzle through the main body to the distal end of the main body when the distal end of the nozzle is received in the tube and the tube is secured to the external surface of the nozzle by the coupling mechanism;
an adapter electrode supported by the main body, the adapter electrode extending longitudinally through the main body, the adapter electrode including a proximal end portion within the tube and a distal cutting end portion which extends distally beyond the main body, the proximal end portion of the adapter electrode extending into the interior passageway of the nozzle to contact the handpiece electrode when the distal end of the nozzle is received in the tube and the tube is secured to the external surface of the nozzle by the coupling mechanism, the contact of the adapter electrode with the handpiece electrode conducting electrical energy from the handpiece electrode to the adapter electrode, the distal cutting end portion of the adapter electrode transferring the electrical energy conducted from the adapter and handpiece electrode, and the distal cutting end portion of the adapter electrode located relative to the at least one flow passageway to be surrounded by gas flowing from the at least one flow passageway;
wherein the external surface of the nozzle of the coagulation handpiece further includes a receiving retention structure;
at least one of the legs includes an adapter retention structure formed on an interior surface of the one leg which interconnects with the receiving retention structure of the nozzle when the coupling mechanism secures the adapter to the nozzle;
wherein the receiving retention structure of the nozzle comprises an annular groove formed in the exterior surface of the nozzle; and
the adapter retention structure of the one leg comprises a lip which fits within the annular groove when the adapter is secured to the nozzle. - View Dependent Claims (21)
- a main body having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end of the main body formed generally as a tube within which to receive the distal end of the nozzle of the coagulation handpiece, wherein the tube includes a plurality of longitudinally extending slots which divide the tube into a plurality of longitudinally extending legs, the main body also including a coupling mechanism to secure the tube to the external surface of the protruding nozzle of the coagulation handpiece and thereby secure the adapter to the nozzle, wherein the coupling mechanism includes the plurality of legs and a collar which surrounds at least some portion of the plurality of legs to apply inward transverse force against the legs while in contact with the exterior surface of the nozzle to secure the adapter to the nozzle, the main body further including at least one flow passageway for conducting substantially all of the gas stream entering the tube from the interior passageway of the nozzle through the main body to the distal end of the main body when the distal end of the nozzle is received in the tube and the tube is secured to the external surface of the nozzle by the coupling mechanism;
Specification