System and method for electrosurgical conductive gas cutting for improving eschar, sealing vessels and tissues
First Claim
1. An electrosurgical method for simultaneously cutting and coagulating tissue with an electrosurgical system having a generator, a source of pressurized inert gas, and an electrosurgical attachment having a channel and an electrode extending through said channel wherein said channel has a port near a distal end of said electrode for directing a gas onto said distal end of said electrode, the method comprising the steps of:
- causing an inert gas to flow through said channel around said electrode and exit said port, said gas exiting said port being directed onto said distal end of said electrode;
applying high-frequency energy to said electrode while said gas flows through said channel, wherein said high-frequency energy applied to said electrode continuously plasmatizes gas in said channel;
initiating an electrical discharge from said electrode to said target tissue through continuously plasmatized gas exiting said port by placing said electrode within 1 cm of said target tissue;
cutting tissue with said electrode by touching a distal end of said electrode to tissue to be cut; and
maintaining said electrical discharge from said electrode to said target tissue through said plasmatized gas while cutting tissue with said electrode to cause coagulation of target tissue adjacent to but not touching said distal end of said electrode simultaneously with said cutting.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An electrosurgical method and device for simultaneously cutting and coagulating tissue with an electrosurgical device having an electrode and a channel wherein said channel has a port near a proximal end of said electrode, wherein the method comprises the steps of causing an inert gas to flow through said channel and exit said port, applying high-frequency energy to said electrode while said inert gas flows through said channel, wherein said high-frequency energy applied to said electrode continuously plasmatizes inert gas exiting said port, initiating an electrical discharge from said electrode through said continuously plasmatized inert gas to said tissue, cutting tissue with said electrode, maintaining said electrical discharge from said electrode through said plasmatized inert gas while cutting tissue with said electrode to cause coagulation of said tissue simultaneously with said cutting.
23 Citations
19 Claims
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1. An electrosurgical method for simultaneously cutting and coagulating tissue with an electrosurgical system having a generator, a source of pressurized inert gas, and an electrosurgical attachment having a channel and an electrode extending through said channel wherein said channel has a port near a distal end of said electrode for directing a gas onto said distal end of said electrode, the method comprising the steps of:
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causing an inert gas to flow through said channel around said electrode and exit said port, said gas exiting said port being directed onto said distal end of said electrode; applying high-frequency energy to said electrode while said gas flows through said channel, wherein said high-frequency energy applied to said electrode continuously plasmatizes gas in said channel; initiating an electrical discharge from said electrode to said target tissue through continuously plasmatized gas exiting said port by placing said electrode within 1 cm of said target tissue; cutting tissue with said electrode by touching a distal end of said electrode to tissue to be cut; and maintaining said electrical discharge from said electrode to said target tissue through said plasmatized gas while cutting tissue with said electrode to cause coagulation of target tissue adjacent to but not touching said distal end of said electrode simultaneously with said cutting. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An electrosurgical device comprising:
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means for initiating an electrical discharge from an electrode through continuously plasmatized inert gas to tissue; and means for simultaneously cutting tissue with an energized electrode and coagulating said tissue by maintaining said electrical discharge from said electrode through said plasmatized inert gas while cutting said tissue with said energized electrode. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An electrosurgical device comprising:
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a housing; a channel in said housing; a port at a proximate end of said channel for connecting said channel to a source of pressurized inert gas; a port at a distal end of said channel for discharging inert gas flowing through said channel; an electrode, extending through said channel in said housing, wherein a portion of said electrode extends from a distal end of said housing; a connector for connecting a proximal end of said electrode to an electrosurgical generator; controls for initiating a flow of an inert gas through said channel around said electrode and applying high-frequency electrical energy from said electrosurgical generator to said electrode, wherein said controls include a plasma cut mode configured to apply electrical energy to said electrode to plasmatize gas within said channel and maintain an electrical discharge from said electrode through plasmatized inert gas being discharged from said channel while cutting tissue with said electrode to cause coagulation of tissue adjacent to tissue being cut simultaneously with said cutting. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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Specification