Apparatus for coagulating tissue

• US 9,603,653 B2
• Filed: 10/28/2004
• Issued: 03/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Erbe Elektromedizin GmbH (C. Erbe GmbH)
• Original Assignee: Erbe Elektromedizin GmbH (C. Erbe GmbH)
• Inventors: Schnitzler, Uwe, Schaller, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): HUPCZEY, JR, RONALD JAMES
• Application Number:
  US10/577,297
• Publication Number:
  US 20070149970A1
• Time in Patent Office: 4,534 Days
• Field of Search: 606 32- 50, 607115-116
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/042 using additional gas becoming plasma
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/14 Probes or electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/16 Indifferent or passive electrodes for grounding
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00589 Coagulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00601 Cutting
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00607 Coagulation and cutting with the same instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00791 Temperature

Abstract

For the coagulation of tissue there are known instruments, in particular probes, that are designed to deliver argon gas into a space between an electrode within the probe and the tissue. In some cases the intention is to coagulate tissues situated at the side of the outlet of the probe. The invention provides an apparatus for coagulating tissue in which the distal end of the electrode projects out of the gas-delivering device or probe, and at said distal end a guiding device for directing and guiding the gas or plasma is disposed in such a way that at least part of the flowing gas or plasma is deflected into a predetermined direction.

Claims

1. An apparatus for coagulating tissue, comprising:

an electrode adapted to produce a high-frequency current;

a gas-delivering device having an outlet and being adapted to deliver an inert gas from said outlet into a space defined between said electrode and said tissue, such that a plasma is produced between said electrode and said tissue when said high-frequency current is applied to said inert gas, wherein a distal end of said electrode projects out of said outlet of said gas-delivering device; and

a guiding device comprised of an electrically insulating material and disposed at said distal end of said electrode, said guiding device for directing and guiding said plasma such that at least a part of said plasma is diverted in a predetermined direction,

wherein a cross-section of at least a portion of said guiding device is at least a size of an opening of said outlet at a furthest distal end of said gas-delivering device in order to divert said plasma into said space substantially radially with respect to an opening of said outlet of said gas-delivering device,

wherein the guiding device comprises a concave surface at a surface facing the outlet of the gas-delivering device and a substantially hemispherical surface at a surface facing away from the outlet of the gas-delivering device, and

wherein only the electrode and the guiding device, and no other portion, of the apparatus extend past the opening of said outlet at said furthest distal end of the gas-delivering device.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said guiding device is comprised of a thermally stable material.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said substantially hemispherical surface of said guiding device prevents mechanical damage if said guiding device touches said tissue.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said electrode is movable relative to said outlet such that when said electrode is moved into a retracted position said guiding device closes said opening of said outlet at the furthest distal end of said gas-delivering device in a substantially leakproof manner.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cross-section of at least a portion of said guiding device is larger than the size of said opening of said outlet.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a diameter of the cross-section of at least a portion of said guiding device is larger than a diameter of said opening of said outlet.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electrode is configured such that it may be retracted and pushed forward with respect to the gas-delivering device.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the guiding device is ceramic.

9. An apparatus for argon-plasma coagulating tissue, comprising:

a gas-delivering device;

an electrode disposed substantially coaxially with the gas-delivering device and configured to generate a high-frequency current, wherein a distal end of the electrode projects outward through an outlet of the gas-delivering device; and

a guiding device disposed at the distal end of the electrode, wherein the guiding device is configured for guiding a plasma stream exiting the gas-delivering device, the plasma stream being produced when said high-frequency current is applied to an inert gas delivered by the gas-delivering device,

wherein the guiding device is comprised of a material that is electrically insulating and thermally stable,

wherein the guiding device is disposed in an axially symmetric manner around the distal end of the electrode and a cross-section of at least a portion of said guiding device is at least a size of an opening of said outlet at a furthest distal end of the gas-delivering device in order to divert the plasma stream into a surrounding space substantially radially with respect to the opening of the outlet of the gas delivering device,

wherein the guiding device comprises a concave surface at a surface facing the outlet of the gas-delivering device and a substantially hemispherical surface at a surface facing away from the outlet of the gas-delivering device, and

wherein only the electrode and the guiding device, and no other portion, of the apparatus extend past the opening of said outlet at said furthest distal end of the gas-delivering device.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the guiding device is shaped such that damage to the tissue is prevented if the guiding device touches the tissue.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the electrode is configured such that it may be retracted and pushed forward with respect to the gas-delivering device.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein when the electrode is in a fully retracted state, the guiding device is seated on the opening of said outlet at said furthest distal end of the gas-delivering device.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the guiding device is comprised of a ceramic.

14. An argon plasma coagulating probe assembly comprising:

a tube;

an electrode disposed substantially coaxially with the tube and configured to generate a high-frequency current, wherein a distal end of the electrode projects outward through an outlet of the tube; and

a guiding device disposed at the distal end of the electrode, wherein the guiding device is configured for guiding an inert gas stream delivered from said outlet of the tube, wherein a cross-section of at least a portion of said guiding device is at least a size of an opening of said outlet at a furthest distal end of said tube in order to divert said inert gas stream substantially radially with respect to said opening of said outlet of said tube;

wherein the guiding device is comprised of an electrically insulating and thermally stable material and is configured to have a concave surface at a surface facing the outlet of the gas-delivering device and a substantially hemispherical surface at a surface facing away from the outlet of the gas-delivering device to prevent mechanical damage if the guiding device touches the tissue, and

wherein only the electrode and the guiding device, and no other portion, of the argon plasma coagulating probe assembly extend past the opening of said outlet at said furthest distal end of the tube.

15. The argon plasma coagulating probe assembly of claim 14, wherein said electrode is movable relative to said outlet such that when said electrode is moved into a retracted position said guiding device closes said opening of said outlet in a substantially leakproof manner.

16. The argon plasma coagulating probe assembly of claim 14, wherein the guiding device is ceramic.