Plasma bipolar forceps

• US 9,788,882 B2
• Filed: 09/10/2012
• Issued: 10/17/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ArthroCare Corporation (Smith & Nephew PLC)
• Original Assignee: ArthroCare Corporation (Smith & Nephew PLC)
• Inventors: Evans, Doug, Gonzalez, Lloyd, Wang, Nathan, Woloszko, Jean
• Primary Examiner(s): Carey, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): So, Elizabeth K
• Application Number:
  US13/608,387
• Publication Number:
  US 20130066317A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,863 Days
• Field of Search: 606 51, 606 52
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/042 using additional gas becoming plasma
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1442 Probes having pivoting end effectors, e.g. forceps
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00577 Ablation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00589 Coagulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0063 Sealing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1472 for use with liquid electrolyte, e.g. virtual electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/162 located on the probe body

Abstract

An electrosurgical wand. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are electrosurgical wands configured as a surgical forceps including opposed legs that defines respective distal end portions, the legs of the forceps operable to be actuated between an open position and a closed position, an active and return electrode disposed on one of the respective distal end portions, a discharge aperture on one of the distal end portions coupled to a first fluid conduit, and an aspiration aperture through the return electrode on the other of the distal end portions fluidly coupled to a second fluid conduit. In embodiments, the position of the forceps'"'"' legs, and the electrical energy applied to the electrodes, is adjusted to provide dissection or coagulation to the tissue. A stop or latch on the forceps'"'"' legs may maintain the active and return electrode a fixed distance from one another.

Claims

1. An electrosurgical bipolar forceps for use with an electrosurgical controller, said controller comprising a plurality of energy delivery modes including an ablation mode that comprises a plasma and a coagulation mode, said forceps comprising:

a first leg and a second leg, each leg having a proximal and distal end portion and a respective leg length therebetween, wherein the first leg comprises an active electrode;

wherein the second leg comprises a return electrode;

wherein the first leg and second leg lengths are configured to move relative to each other upon application of pressure on an outer surface of each of the first and second leg lengths so as to move the first and second legs between an open first position and a closed second position; and

wherein the active electrode and the return electrode are electrically connected to an electrical first lead and a second lead respectively for delivering electrosurgical energy to tissue adjacent to one of the first leg or the second leg; and

wherein the forceps further comprise a fluid delivery element having a delivery aperture disposed adjacent the active and return electrode and a fluid aspiration element having an aspiration aperture disposed distal to both the active and return electrode and spaced away from the delivery aperture, the fluid delivery and aspiration elements configured so that fluid flowing from the fluid delivery aperture is drawn by suction induced from the aspiration aperture, distally along an elongate gap defined by the active and return electrodes, so as to improve plasma formation.

2. The forceps of claim 1, wherein the elongate gap defines a first distance when the legs are in the first position, and wherein the elongate gap defines a second distance when the legs are in the second position, and the second distance is substantially less than the first distance.

3. The forceps of claim 2, wherein the second distance ranges from 0.02 to 0.05 inches.

4. The forceps of claim 2, further comprising a latch mechanism for retaining the first and second legs in one of the first and second positions.

5. The forceps of claim 4, wherein the latch mechanism comprises a pin, and a detent, and wherein the pin is disposed on one of the first leg and the second leg, and the detent is disposed on the leg opposite the leg having the pin.

6. The forceps of claim 5, wherein the detent comprises a first track and a second track, the second track having a different shaped path than the first track.

7. The forceps of claim 6, wherein the pin comprises a first follower arm, and the first track is configured to receive and guide the first follower arm when the pin is pushed towards the detent.

8. The forceps of claim 7, wherein the pin comprises a second follower arm, and the second track is configured to receive and guide the second follower arm when the pin is pushed towards the detent.

9. The forceps of claim 8, wherein the pin comprises a spring-like property such that when the first follower arm and second follower arm are axially unaligned, a tension is created in the pin to urge the pin to return to a neutral configuration wherein the first follower arm and second follower arm are axially aligned.

10. The forceps of claim 1, wherein the fluid delivery element comprises a first tubular member that extends along an inner surface of the first leg.

11. The forceps of claim 1, wherein the fluid aspiration element is a second tubular member that defines a portion of the second leg length and the return electrode.

12. The forceps of claim 1, wherein the fluid delivery element and the fluid aspiration element are configured to flow a fluid through their respective apertures at a defined rate, and wherein the aspiration and delivery apertures and the defined flow rate are configured so as to promote and maintain a meniscus along the elongate gap between the active electrode and return electrode.

13. The forceps of claim 12, wherein the active electrode and the return electrode form an angle when the forceps is in the second position, and wherein the angle ranges from 0 to 30 degrees.

14. The forceps of claim 1, wherein the active electrode has a different shape than the return electrode.

15. The forceps of claim 1, wherein the active electrode tapers to a sharp point.

16. The forceps of claim 1, wherein when the first leg and second leg are in the closed second position, the active electrode and the return electrode are spaced apart a distance configured to improve plasma formation without permitting arcing.

17. The forceps of claim 1 wherein the active electrode is shaped to electrosurgically dissect or ablate the tissue adjacent the first leg or the second leg when the controller is in the ablation mode and the forceps are in the closed second position;

and

wherein the active and return electrodes are shaped to provide hemostasis or coagulation to tissue adjacent the first leg or the second leg when the controller is in the coagulation mode and the forceps are in the first open position or an intermediate position between the closed second position and the first open position.

18. An electrosurgical bipolar forceps for use with an electrosurgical controller, comprising:

a first leg and a second leg, each leg having a proximal and distal end portion and a respective leg length therebetween, wherein the first leg distal end portion comprises an active electrode;

wherein the second leg distal end portion comprises a return electrode;

wherein the first leg and second leg lengths are configured to move relative to each other upon application of pressure on an outer surface of each of the first and second leg lengths so as to move the first and second legs between an open first position and a closed second position; and

wherein the active electrode and the return electrode are electrically connected to an electrical first lead and a second lead respectively for delivering electrosurgical energy to tissue adjacent to one of the first leg or the second leg; and

wherein the forceps comprise a fluid aspiration element associated with at least one of the legs having an aspiration aperture disposed distal to both the active and return electrode, configured such that fluid is drawn distally along an elongate gap having a length defined by both the active and return electrodes before being aspirated through the aspiration aperture;

wherein the fluid is drawn distally at a rate configured to improve the wetting of the active and return electrode with an electrically conductive fluid delivered adjacent the distal end portions, configured to enable more uniform ionized gas formation along the elongate gap when the forceps are in the closed position.

19. An electrosurgical bipolar forceps for use with an electrosurgical controller, comprising:

a first leg and a second leg, each leg having a proximal and distal end portion and a respective leg length therebetween, wherein the first leg distal end portion comprises an active electrode;

wherein the second leg distal end portion comprises a return electrode;

wherein the first leg and second leg lengths are configured to move relative to each other between an open first position and a closed second position; and

wherein the active electrode and the return electrode are electrically connected to an electrical first lead and a second lead respectively for delivering electrosurgical energy to tissue adjacent to one of the first leg or the second leg; and

wherein the forceps comprise a fluid delivery element associated with at least one of the legs having an aperture disposed adjacent a proximal end of the active and return electrode and a fluid aspiration element associated with at least one of the legs having an aspiration aperture disposed distal to both the active and return electrode, configured such that fluid flows from the fluid delivery aperture and is drawn distally along an elongate gap between the active and return electrodes towards the aspiration aperture.