Articulated electrosurgical probe and methods
First Claim
1. An electrosurgical probe, comprising:
- a shaft having a shaft distal end and a shaft proximal end;
an electrode support articulated with respect to the shaft distal end;
an active electrode disposed on the electrode support;
a return electrode extending distally from the shaft distal end, wherein the return electrode is adapted as a conduit for transportation and discharge of an electrically conductive fluid;
an actuator unit for shifting the probe between an open configuration and a closed configuration;
a handle affixed to the shaft proximal end, wherein the actuator unit is disposed on the handle, wherein the handle accommodates a connection block, the connection block adapted for coupling the active electrode and the return electrode to a high frequency power supply; and
a mode switch for switching the power supply between a sub-ablation mode and an ablation mode.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Systems, apparatus and methods for selectively applying electrical energy to body tissue in order to ablate, contract, coagulate, or otherwise modify a target tissue or organ of a patient. An electrosurgical apparatus of the invention includes a shaft having an articulated electrode support at a distal end of the shaft, the electrode support bearing an active electrode on an inferior surface of the electrode support, a return electrode in the form of a tube, and an electrically insulating return tube tray affixed to the tube, the tube adapted for delivering an electrically conductive fluid between the active electrode and the return electrode. The probe can adopt a closed configuration or an open configuration. The closed configuration is adapted for clamping, coagulating, and ablating a target tissue while the apparatus is operating in a sub-ablation mode, while the open configuration is adapted for severing the target tissue via molecular dissociation of tissue components.
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Citations
81 Claims
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1. An electrosurgical probe, comprising:
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a shaft having a shaft distal end and a shaft proximal end;
an electrode support articulated with respect to the shaft distal end;
an active electrode disposed on the electrode support;
a return electrode extending distally from the shaft distal end, wherein the return electrode is adapted as a conduit for transportation and discharge of an electrically conductive fluid;
an actuator unit for shifting the probe between an open configuration and a closed configuration;
a handle affixed to the shaft proximal end, wherein the actuator unit is disposed on the handle, wherein the handle accommodates a connection block, the connection block adapted for coupling the active electrode and the return electrode to a high frequency power supply; and
a mode switch for switching the power supply between a sub-ablation mode and an ablation mode. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. An electrosurgical probe, comprising:
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a shaft having a shaft distal end and a shaft proximal end;
an electrode support articulated with respect to the shaft distal end, wherein articulation of the electrode support shifts the probe between an open configuration and a closed configuration;
an active electrode disposed on the electrode support; and
a return electrode extending distally from the shaft distal end, wherein the return electrode includes a first arm and a second arm, and the active electrode lies between the first arm and the second arm when the probe is in the closed configuration and wherein the probe is adapted to provide an electrically conductive fluid around the active electrode sufficient to form a plasma when a sufficient voltage difference is provided between the active electrode and the return electrode. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38)
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39. An electrosurgical probe, comprising:
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a shaft having a shaft distal end and a shaft proximal end;
an electrode support disposed at the shaft distal end;
an active electrode disposed on the electrode support;
a return electrode disposed at the shaft distal end; and
an electrically insulating tray affixed to the return electrode, wherein the tray at least partially encloses a distal portion of the return electrode and wherein the probe is adapted to provide an electrically conductive fluid around the active electrode sufficient to form a plasma when a sufficient voltage difference is provided between the active electrode and the return electrode. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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47. An electrosurgical system, comprising:
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a shaft having a shaft distal end and a shaft proximal end;
an electrode assembly affixed to the shaft distal end, the electrode assembly capable of adopting an open configuration or a closed configuration, wherein the electrode assembly includes an electrode support articulatedly disposed distal to the shaft distal end, an active electrode disposed on the electrode support, and a return electrode affixed to the shaft distal end at a position subjacent to the electrode support, wherein the return electrode comprises a tube adapted for delivering an electrically conductive fluid to the electrode assembly; and
a power supply having first and second opposite poles, the active electrode and the return electrode coupled to the first and second opposite poles, and the power supply adapted for applying a high frequency voltage between the active electrode and the return electrode; and
wherein the tube comprises a first arm and a second arm, and the system further comprises a tray affixed to the tube, wherein the tray is adapted for preventing tissue from passing between the first arm and the second arm. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55)
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56. An electrosurgical probe, comprising:
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a shaft having a shaft distal end and a shaft proximal end;
an electrode support articulated to the shaft distal end;
an active electrode arranged on an inferior surface of the electrode support; and
a return electrode affixed to the shaft distal end, the return electrode opposing the electrode support configuration and wherein the probe is adapted to provide an electrically conductive fluid around the active electrode sufficient to form a plasma when a sufficient voltage difference is provided between the active electrode and the return electrode wherein the return electrode includes a bend at an angle in the range of from about 5°
to 85°
with respect to the shaft. - View Dependent Claims (57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69)
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70. A method for treating a target tissue in situ, comprising:
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a) providing an electrosurgical apparatus, the apparatus including a shaft having a shaft distal end, an electrode assembly disposed at the shaft distal end, the electrode assembly including an active electrode and a return electrode, the return electrode comprising an exposed distal portion of an electrically conducting tube, the tube comprising a proximal portion encased within the shaft, and the distal portion protruding distally from the shaft distal end, wherein the return electrode comprises a tube adapted for delivering an electrically conductive fluid between the return electrode and the active electrode;
b) positioning the active electrode in at least close proximity to the target tissue by articulating the active electrode while the return electrode remains fixed;
c) applying a high frequency voltage between the active electrode and the return electrode and d) discharging an electrically conductive fluid from the distal portion of the tube towards the active electrode and wherein the electrosurgical apparatus further includes a tray affixed to the distal portion of the tube, wherein the tray is adapted for retaining a portion of the electrically conductive fluid discharged. - View Dependent Claims (71, 72)
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73. A method of modifying a target tissue of a patient, the method comprising:
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a) providing an electrosurgical system including a probe and a high frequency power supply, and the probe including a shaft distal end bearing an electrode assembly, the electrode assembly including an articulated electrode support, an active electrode disposed on an inferior surface of the electrode support, and a return electrode;
b) clamping the target tissue within the electrode assembly, wherein the probe further includes a tray suspended between a first arm and a second arm of the return electrode, and wherein the tray includes a plurality of tray support units that promote grasping of the target tissue by the electrode assembly; and
c) coagulating the target tissue by application of a first high frequency voltage from the power supply between the active electrode and the return electrode. - View Dependent Claims (74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80)
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81. An electrosurgical probe, comprising:
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a shaft having a shaft distal end and a shaft proximal end;
an electrode support articulated to the shaft distal end;
an active electrode arranged on an inferior surface of the electrode support; and
a return electrode affixed to the shaft distal end, the return electrode opposing the electrode support and wherein the probe further comprises an electrically insulating tray affixed to the return electrode, and wherein the tray is adapted for retaining electrically conductive fluid and for promoting generation of a plasma in the vicinity of the active electrode.
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Specification