Instrument for plasma coagulation

• US 7,717,911 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2004
• Issued: 05/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Erbe Elektromedizin GmbH (C. Erbe GmbH)
• Original Assignee: Erbe Elektromedizin GmbH (C. Erbe GmbH)
• Inventors: Schnitzler, Uwe
• Primary Examiner(s): Dvorak; Linda C
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEE, BENJAMIN HYOUNGSOL
• Application Number:
  US10/595,682
• Publication Number:
  US 20080243114A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,027 Days
• Field of Search: 606 37- 40, 606/45, 606/49
• US Class Current: 606/40
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/042 using additional gas becoming plasma

Abstract

For the coagulation of tissue by plasma, instruments are known that comprise a tubular probe body through which inert gas is conducted and an ignition electrode within the lumen in the region of an outlet of the probe body. A current conductor is provided to supply a coagulation current to the ignition electrode. The ignition electrode is fixed to the probe body substantially in the middle, by means of fixing devices. The present invention provides an instrument for plasma coagulation wherein a fixing device for the ignition electrode comprises a piece of sheet metal, a wafer or similar flat body, which is fixed by its longitudinal edges to the tube wall so that it extends substantially diametrically across the lumen, and to which the ignition electrode is attached.

Claims

1. An instrument for plasma coagulation comprising:

a tubular probe body with a tube wall defining a lumen through which an inert gas is conducted through the probe body;

an ignition electrode located within the lumen in the region of an outlet defined by said probe body;

a current conductor adapted to supply a coagulation current to said ignition electrode;

a tubule made of a high-temperature-resistant material; and

a fixing device fixing said ignition electrode in a predetermined position within said probe body, and comprising a flat body with longitudinal edges by means of which said flat body is attached to said tube wall such that said flat body extends diametrically across an entire width of said lumen, and to which the ignition electrode is attached such that the ignition electrode extends further into the lumen in a direction of said outlet than the flat body of the fixing device, wherein said tubule is inserted into said lumen in the region of said outlet, and said flat body is disposed at an end of the tubule that faces away from said outlet.

2. The instrument according to claim 1, wherein said current conductor is integrally connected to said ignition electrode.

3. The instrument according to claim 1, wherein said current conductor is connected to the ignition electrode by means of said flat body.

4. The instrument according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said ignition electrode and said current conductor is welded to said flat body.

5. The instrument according to claim 4, wherein said welded attachment is formed by point-wise resistance welding.

6. The instrument according to claim 1, wherein said flat body comprises a flat edge and abuts said tubule by means of sections of said flat edge.

7. The instrument according to claim 1, wherein said flat body comprises a flat edge that defines a concave cutout which faces toward said outlet.

8. The instrument according to claim 1, wherein said longitudinal edges of said flat body extend further into said lumen in a direction of said outlet than a center of an outlet-facing edge of said flat body.

9. An instrument for plasma coagulation comprising:

a tubular probe body with a tube wall defining a lumen through which an inert gas is conducted through the probe body;

an ignition electrode located within the lumen in the region of an outlet defined by said probe body;

a current conductor adapted to supply a coagulation current to said ignition electrode; and

a fixing device fixing said ignition electrode in a predetermined position within said probe body, and comprising a flat body with longitudinal edges by means of which said flat body is attached to said tube wall such that said flat body extends diametrically across an entire width of said lumen, and to which the ignition electrode is attached such that the ignition electrode extends further into the lumen in a direction of said outlet than the flat body of the fixing device.

10. The instrument according to claim 9, wherein said longitudinal edges of said flat body extend further into said lumen in a direction of said outlet than a center of an outlet-facing edge of said flat body.