PLASMA BIPOLAR FORCEPS

• US 20130066317A1
• Filed: 09/10/2012
• Published: 03/14/2013
• 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, Woloszko, Jean, Wang, Nathan
• Granted Patent: US 9,788,882 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/48
• 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 and a coagulation mode, said forceps comprising:

a first leg, the first leg comprising a first tubular member disposed thereon, and a first distal end portion having an active electrode;

a second leg, the second leg comprising a second tubular member disposed thereon, a second distal end portion having a return electrode;

wherein the first leg and second leg movably cooperate together to move 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 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 coagulate or 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.

2. The forceps of claim 1, wherein the first leg and second leg are movable from a first position to a second position, wherein a first distance exists between the first distal end portion and the second distal end portion when the legs are in the first position, and wherein a second distance exists between the first distal end portion and the second distal end portion 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 2, wherein the first tube is a fluid delivery tube for delivering liquid.

11. The forceps of claim 10, wherein the second tube is an aspiration tube for aspirating liquid.

12. The forceps of claim 11, wherein a gap between the active electrode and the return electrode in the second position is adapted to promote and maintain a meniscus in the vicinity of the active elecetrode.

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 2, wherein the active electrode has a different shape than the return electrode.

15. The forceps of claim 14, wherein the active electrode tapers to a sharp point.

16. An electrosurgical bipolar forceps system for coagulating or ablating tissue, said system comprising:

an electrosurgical controller, said controller comprising a plurality of energy delivery modes including an ablation mode and a coagulation mode; and

a bipolar forceps comprising a first leg and a second leg, the first leg comprising a first tubular member and a first distal end portion having an active electrode, and the second leg comprising a second tubular member and a second distal end portion having a return electrode wherein the first leg and second leg movably cooperate together to move between an open first position and a closed second position; and

wherein the active electrode and the return electrode are electrically connected to the controller; and

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 coagulate or provide hemostasis 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.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein, the forceps comprise a latch on one of the first leg and the second leg, the latch operable to hold the first leg and the second leg in the second position having the active electrode and the return electrode at a fixed distance from one another, and the latch further operable to release the first leg from the second leg to return the forceps to the open first position or the intermediate position.

18. A method for electrosurgically treating tissue comprising:

providing a bipolar forceps comprising a first leg, a first tubular member disposed thereon, and a first distal end portion having an active electrode, said bipolar forceps further comprising a second leg, a second tubular member disposed thereon, and a second distal end portion having a return electrode;

wherein the active electrode and the return electrode are electrically connected to an electrosurgical controller for delivering electrosurgical energy to tissue adjacent to at least one of the first leg and second leg;

forming a plasma adjacent to the active electrode;

applying the plasma to tissue thereby dissecting the tissue; and

applying electrical energy to the active electrode while not forming a plasma to coagulate the tissue.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of closing the forceps thereby bringing the first leg towards the second leg.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the closing step is performed prior to the forming plasma step.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the closing step includes holding the active electrode and the return electrode a fixed distance apart.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the distance is fixed by inserting a pin into a detent of a latch mechanism.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein inserting a pin into a detent comprises inserting a first follower arm into a first track which guides the first follower arm to a first neutral position, the first neutral position corresponding to a closed position of the forceps.

24. A method for electrosurgically treating tissue with a bipolar forceps, the forceps comprising an active electrode on a distal portion of a first leg and a return electrode on a distal portion of a second leg, the forceps being manipulatable from an open first position, to a closed second position, and to at least one intermediate position there between, the method comprising:

placing the distal portions of the forceps in the vicinity of a target tissue to be dissected;

forming a plasma adjacent to the active electrode while the forceps are in the closed second position;

applying the plasma to the target tissue thereby dissecting the tissue;

opening the forceps to one of the first position or the intermediate position;

clamping the forceps on a collateral tissue to be coagulated to inhibit bleeding; and

applying electrical energy to the active electrode while not forming a plasma to coagulate the collateral tissue.