Methods and systems related to electrosurgical wands

• US 9,693,818 B2
• Filed: 02/25/2014
• Issued: 07/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ArthroCare Corporation (Smith & Nephew PLC)
• Original Assignee: ArthroCare Corporation (Smith & Nephew PLC)
• Inventors: Cox, David A., Woloszko, Jean, Goode, Johnson E., Tetzlaff, Philip M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ram, Jocelyn D
• Application Number:
  US14/189,280
• Publication Number:
  US 20140257277A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,225 Days
• 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 18/148 having a short, rigid shaft for accessing the inner body transcutaneously, e.g. for neurosurgery or arthroscopy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00577 Ablation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00583 Coblation, i.e. ablation using a cold plasma
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00589 Coagulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2218/002 Irrigation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2218/007 Aspiration

Abstract

Electrosurgical wands. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are electrosurgical wands having features that reduce contact of tissue with an active electrode of a wand, decrease the likelihood of clogging, and/or increase the visibility within surgical field. For example, wands in accordance with at least some embodiments may comprise standoffs, either along the outer perimeter of the active electrode, or through the main aperture in the active electrode, to reduce tissue contact. Wands in accordance with at least some embodiments may implement slots on the active electrodes to increase bubble aspiration to help keep the visual field at the surgical site clear. Wands in accordance with at least some embodiments may implement aspiration flow pathways within the wand that increase in cross-sectional area to reduce the likelihood of clogging.

Claims

1. An electrosurgical wand comprising:

an elongate housing that defines a handle end and a distal end;

a tubing member coupled to the elongate housing;

a spacer of non-conductive material disposed on the distal end, the spacer defining an end surface and an outer surface;

a conductive electrode with a primary aperture extending through the conductive electrode and disposed on the spacer end surface, the conductive electrode defining an electrode outer perimeter;

a spacer aperture extending through a thickness of the spacer up to the primary aperture, the spacer aperture fluidly coupled to the tubing member; and

a first flow channel defined within the spacer, fluidly connected with the tubing member and terminating with a first flow channel aperture disposed on the spacer outer surface and abutting the electrode outer perimeter, configured to draw liquids and gases around the electrode outer perimeter and through the first flow channel aperture so as to aid visibility of the conductive electrode.

2. The electrosurgical wand of claim 1 further comprising:

a first aperture defined through the conductive electrode, the first aperture disposed closer to the outer perimeter than the primary aperture;

wherein the first aperture is configured to provide a conduit for gasses to enter the spacer aperture while preventing tissue and liquids therethrough.

3. The electrosurgical wand of claim 2 wherein the first aperture has a width between 0.0254 mm and 0.0508 mm.

4. The electrosurgical wand of claim 2 further comprising:

a second aperture defined through the conductive electrode, the second aperture disposed closer to the outer perimeter than the primary aperture and spaced away from the first aperture;

wherein the second aperture is configured to allow gasses to pass through and limit flow of tissue debris and liquid therethrough.

5. The electrosurgical wand of claim 4 wherein at least a portion of the first flow channel resides beneath the first aperture, the first flow channel defining a cross-sectional area, and the first flow channel fluidly coupled to the spacer aperture.

6. The electrosurgical wand of claim 5 wherein the second aperture does not have a flow channel disposed beneath the second aperture.

7. The electrosurgical wand of claim 2 wherein the first aperture defines a single aperture that fully encircles the primary aperture.

8. The electrosurgical wand of claim 2 wherein the first aperture has a length that is parallel to the outer perimeter.

9. The electrosurgical wand of claim 2 wherein at least a portion of the first flow channel lies parallel to a tissue treatment planar surface of the active electrode and resides beneath the first aperture, and the first flow channel is fluidly coupled to the spacer aperture.

10. The electrosurgical wand of claim 9 further comprising:

wherein the first flow channel defines a first cross-sectional area and

a second cross-sectional area, the first cross-sectional area of the first flow channel closer along a flow path to the first aperture than the second cross-sectional area of the first flow channel, and the second cross-sectional area of the first flow channel is smaller than the first cross-sectional area of the first flow channel.

11. The electrosurgical wand of claim 9 wherein the first flow channel flow path extends from the first flow channel aperture on the outer surface under the first aperture and terminates at the spacer aperture.

12. The electrosurgical wand of claim 1 wherein the primary aperture is aligned with the spacer aperture.

13. The electrosurgical wand of claim 12 wherein a largest dimension of the spacer aperture is larger than a largest dimension of the primary aperture.

14. The electrosurgical wand of claim 13 wherein the largest dimension of the primary aperture through the conductive electrode is between one percent (1%) and twenty percent (20%) smaller than the largest dimension of the spacer aperture.

15. The electrosurgical wand of claim 13 wherein the largest dimension of the primary aperture through the conductive electrode is at least fifteen percent (15%) smaller than the largest dimension of the spacer aperture.

16. The electrosurgical wand of claim 13 wherein the largest dimension of the spacer aperture is at least 1.0 millimeter.

17. The electrosurgical wand of claim 12

wherein the primary aperture is circular.

18. The wand of claim 1 wherein the spacer aperture defines a distal cross-sectional area and a proximal cross-sectional area, the proximal cross-sectional area closer along a flow path to the handle end than the distal cross-sectional area, and the distal cross-sectional area smaller than the proximal cross-sectional area.

19. The electrosurgical wand of claim 18 wherein the distal cross-sectional area is between one percent (1%) and thirty percent (30%) smaller than the proximal cross-sectional area.

20. The electrosurgical wand of claim 18 wherein the distal cross-sectional area is at least twenty percent (20%) smaller than the proximal cross-sectional area.

21. An electrosurgical wand comprising:

an elongate housing that defines a handle end and a distal end;

a tubing member coupled to the elongate housing;

a spacer of non-conductive material disposed on the distal end, the spacer having an end surface and outer surface;

a conductive electrode disposed on the spacer end surface, the conductive electrode defines a tissue treatment surface having an electrode outer peripheral edge surface;

a spacer aperture extending through a thickness of the spacer, the spacer aperture fluidly coupled to the tubing member, the spacer aperture configured to provide a conduit for gasses, tissue and liquid;

a plurality of flow channels extending through the spacer and fluidly coupled to the spacer aperture, the plurality of flow channels terminating with a corresponding plurality of apertures at the spacer outer surface adjacent the electrode outer peripheral edge surface, configured to draw gasses and liquids away from the tissue treatment surface over the electrode outer peripheral edge surface and through the plurality of flow channel apertures.

22. An electrosurgical wand comprising:

an elongate housing that defines a handle end and a distal end;

a tubing member coupled to the elongate housing;

a spacer of non-conductive material disposed on the distal end;

a conductive electrode disposed on the spacer, the conductive electrode comprises an electrode outer perimeter and a primary aperture;

a spacer aperture extending through a thickness of the spacer up to the primary aperture and fluidly coupled to the tubing member, the spacer aperture configured to provide a conduit for gasses, tissue and liquids;

an electrode aperture extending through the conductive electrode and fluidly coupled to the spacer aperture, the electrode aperture disposed adjacent the outer perimeter and configured to provide a conduit limited to gasses only; and

a fluid flow channel terminating at a fluid flow aperture on an outer surface of the spacer abutting the electrode outer perimeter, the fluid flow channel fluidly coupled to the electrode aperture, the fluid flow channel configured to draw fluid disposed adjacent the primary aperture over the electrode outer perimeter.