Bipolar Electrosurgical Cutter with Position Insensitive Return Electrode Contact

• US 20110224669A1
• Filed: 03/11/2011
• Published: 09/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Advanced Energy LLC (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Salient Surgical Technologies Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: PODANY, Vaclav O.
• Granted Patent: US 9,592,090 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/48
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1233 with circuits for assuring patient safety
• 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 2017/00199 with a console, e.g. a control panel with a display
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00973 pedal-operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00011 with fluids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00083 low, i.e. electrically insulating
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00589 Coagulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00601 Cutting
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1472 for use with liquid electrolyte, e.g. virtual electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/167 Passive electrodes capacitively coupled to the skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2218/002 Irrigation

Abstract

A bipolar electrosurgical device includes a handle and an elongated end effector coupled to the handle. The end effector includes an elongated, insulating body having first and second electrodes disposed thereon. The first and second electrodes are separated at the distal end of the insulating body, and a cavity formed in the distal end of the effector is positioned between the first and second electrodes. A fluid-delivery tube is positioned on the body to deliver a conductive fluid to the distal end, adjacent the cavity. During use of the electrosurgical device, delivery of the conductive fluid facilitates formation of an electrical coupling between the electrodes via the tissue being treated.

Claims

1. An electrosurgical device comprising:

(a) a handle; and

(b) an elongated end effector coupled to the handle, the end effector having

(i) an elongated insulating body having a proximal end coupled to the handle such that the body extends away from the handle toward a distal end,

(ii) a first electrode disposed along the insulating body,

(iii) a second electrode disposed along the insulating body, wherein the first and second electrodes are separated at the distal end of the insulating body,

(iv) a cavity formed in the distal end of the effector between the first and second electrodes, and

(v) a fluid-delivery tube for delivering a fluid to the distal end the insulating body adjacent the cavity;

wherein delivery of the fluid facilitates formation of an electrical coupling between the first electrode and the second electrode through tissue adjacent the distal end of the insulating body for performance of an electrosurgical procedure.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein:

(a) the insulating body has a cross-sectional shape that is a substantially flat rectangle;

(b) the first electrode is disposed on a minor edge of the substantially flat rectangle; and

(c) the second electrode is disposed on an opposite minor edge of the substantially flat rectangle.

7. The device of claim 2, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode comprise metalized layers on the insulating body.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the first electrode further comprises a wire, having a diameter less than about one mm, attached to the metalized layer.

9. The device of claim 2, wherein the first electrode comprises a wire, having a diameter less than about one mm.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein:

(a) the insulating body has a cross-sectional shape that is substantially wedge-shaped with a broad base, a narrow edge, and sides connecting the broad base to the narrow edge;

(b) the first electrode is disposed on the narrow edge of the insulating body; and

(c) the second electrode is disposed on the insulating body and terminates in a conductive portion in the cavity.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the fluid deliver tube comprises a passage through the insulating body that opens into the cavity at the distal end of the insulating body.

12. The device of claim 10, wherein the first electrode comprises a wire having a diameter less than about one mm.

13. The device of claim 11, wherein the first electrode comprises a sheet of metal covering the apex of the narrow edge.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the sheet of metal has a thickness in the range of about 0.12 mm to 0.25 mm.

15. The device of claim 10, further comprising at least one electrode on the sides of the insulating body to provide coagulation and hemostasis to biological tissue.

3. The device of claim 3, wherein the fluid delivery tube is attached to the insulating body adjacent the second electrode.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the fluid delivery tube is attached to the second electrode.

5. The device of claim 3, wherein the fluid-delivery tube comprises an electrically conductive tube.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the fluid delivery tube also serves as the second electrode.

16. A method for electrosurgical cutting of biological tissue, comprising:

(a) initiating a flow of an electrically conductive fluid to a distal end of a bipolar electrosurgical device;

(b) applying electrical energy between a first electrode and a second electrode on the bipolar electrosurgical device;

(c) applying the bipolar electrosurgical device to biological tissue such that the first electrode near the distal end of the bipolar electrosurgical device is in direct contact with the biological tissue, and such that an arc is formed adjacent the distal end of the bipolar electrosurgical device;

(d) terminating the flow of the electrically conductive fluid; and

(e) maintaining the arc to cut the biological tissue.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the initiating step comprises:

(a) delivering the electrically conducting fluid to a cavity in the distal end of the bipolar electrosurgical device that forms the second electrode.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of applying electrical energy comprises:

(a) applying pulsed electrical energy to the biological tissue.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of applying electrical energy comprises:

(a) applying continuous electrical energy to the biological tissue.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the terminating step comprises:

(a) terminating the flow of the electrically conductive fluid about three to five seconds after initiation of the flow.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein the terminating step comprises:

(a) terminating the flow of the electrically conductive fluid about 0.1 to 2.0 seconds after initiation of the flow.