ELECTROSURGICAL INSTRUMENT

• US 20140142567A1
• Filed: 06/28/2012
• Published: 05/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LiNA Medical International Operations AG (LiNA WW Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: LiNA Medical ApS
• Inventors: Poulsen, Henrik Bisgaard
• Granted Patent: US 9,504,512 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/37
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/085 Forceps, scissors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/10 Power sources therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1233 with circuits for assuring patient safety
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/14 Probes or electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1402 Probes for open surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1442 Probes having pivoting end effectors, e.g. forceps
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0013 non-sticking
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00559 Female reproductive organs
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00589 Coagulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00601 Cutting
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00642 with feedback, i.e. closed loop control
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00708 switching the power on or off
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00755 Resistance or impedance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00875 Resistance or impedance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/126 bipolar
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1286 having a specific transformer
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1407 Loop
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1412 Blade

Abstract

An electrosurgical instrument and apparatus for use with the instrument A bipolar electrosurgical instrument for use with an electrosurgical generator. The bipolar electrosurgical instrument incorporates a transformer having an input side or end electrically connected to the electrosurgical generator and an output side or end electrically connected to said bipolar electrosurgical instrument. The inexpensive bipolar electrosurgical instrument can be used with most conventional bipolar electrosurgical generators as well as with bipolar electrosurgical generators specifically designed for use with said instrument.

Claims

1. A handheld electrosurgical instrument with a connector for connection of the electrosurgical instrument to an electrosurgical generator, electrode means, and a handle for manipulating the electrode means, wherein the electrosurgical instrument incorporates a transformer having an input electrically connected to the connector and an output electrically connected to the electrode means, the transformer being a step-up transformer adapted to increase the voltage of an electrical signal from the generator to the electrode means, wherein the transformer is incorporated inside the handle.

2. The electrosurgical instrument according to claim 1, where the transformer comprises adjustment means for adjusting the ratio between voltage of the electrical signal from the generator and voltage of the electrical signal to the electrode means.

3. The electrosurgical instrument according to claim 1, wherein the transformer comprises a core, a primary coil having a first number of windings, and a secondary coil with a second number that is higher than the first number of windings.

4. The electrosurgical instrument according to claim 3, wherein the second number of windings is at least 1.3 times the first number of windings.

5. The electrosurgical instrument according to claim 3, wherein that the secondary coil is connected to one of the electrodes.

6. The electrosurgical instrument according to claim 3, wherein the core is ferromagnetic.

7. The electrosurgical instrument according to claim 1, wherein the transformer is at least one of a bar-type transformer, toroidal transformer, and an autotransformer.

8. The electrosurgical instrument according to claim 1, wherein the transformer is substantially cylindrical.

9. The electrosurgical instrument according to claim 1, wherein the electrosurgical instrument is configured to provide at least one of the functions cut, coagulate, and ablate, in particular the electrosurgical instrument is a bipolar forceps, bipolar loop electrode, bipolar scissors, bipolar pencil, bipolar scalpel, or a bipolar electrosurgical instrument incorporating and combining one or more functions thereof, or a monopolar pencil or scalpel, optionally at least one of the electrodes of the electrosurgical instrument has an area provided with a non-stick coating.

10. The electrosurgical instrument according to claim 9, wherein the electrodes are configured as bipolar loop electrodes.

11. The electrosurgical instrument according to claim 10, where the loop comprises a first wire part and a second wire part ending into an insulating holding member, where the insulating holding member holds the first and the second wire parts together in a loop-shape.

12. The electrosurgical instrument according to claim 11, where the first and the second wire parts each have a knot for securing inside one or more cavities in the insulating holding member.

13. The electrosurgical instrument according to claim 1, wherein the electrosurgical instrument has a circuit controlling a switching of the electrosurgical instrument between a measurement mode and an operating mode.

14. The electrosurgical instrument according to claim 13, wherein the circuit comprises a timer that periodically controls the switching of the electrosurgical instrument between the measurement mode and the operating mode with a period that is less than 5 sec.

15. The electrosurgical instrument according to claim 14, wherein the circuit comprises at least one switch controlled by the circuit, where in the measurement mode the generator is disconnected from the electrodes by the at least one switch.

18. The electrosurgical instrument according to claim 8, wherein the transformer has an exterior diameter of between 0.5-4 cm and a length of between 5 and 20 cm.

19. The electrosurgical instrument according to claim 18, wherein the transformer preferably has an exterior diameter of about 1 cm.

20. The electrosurgical instrument according to claim 1, wherein the transformer is substantially toroidal.

21. The electrosurgical instrument according to claim 20, wherein the transformer has an exterior diameter of less than 4 cm and a length of between 0.5 cm and 2 cm.

22. The electrosurgical instrument according to claim 21, wherein the transformer preferably has an exterior diameter of less than 2 cm.

23. The electrosurgical instrument according to claim 21, wherein the transformer preferably has a length of between 0.75 cm and 1 cm.

16. A method for providing a desired voltage between electrodes of an instrument, the method comprising providing a generator which generates a first electrical signal with a first voltage, and transforming the first electrical signal into a second electrical signal with a second voltage which is higher than the first voltage, and providing the second electrical signal to the electrodes.

17. A method of electrically powering different handheld electrosurgical instruments which require different voltage, the method comprising:

providing a single electrosurgical generator;

providing at least two different handheld electrosurgical instruments each having electrode means for cutting or cauterization and requiring different voltage from the electrosurgical generator, characterized in that both electrosurgical instruments are connected to receive identical electrical signals from the electrosurgical generator, and the electrical signal for at least one of the handheld electrosurgical instruments is changed by use of a transformer connected between the electrosurgical generator and the electrode means of one of the electrosurgical instruments.