Electrosurgical tubular trocar

Claim 2

An electrosurgical tubular trocar system comprising a hollow tube elongate relative to an axis thereof and being substantially longer than its diameter, the tube shaped for insertion in a direction generally along the axis through tissue of a human or animal body in a puncture procedure; a distal end and a proximal end on the tube, the distal end for entering the tissue and the proximal end for remaining outside the tissue; a tip on the distal end of the tube in position for puncture through the tissue of a human or animal; an insulating portion of high dielectric material extending along the tube from the distal end to the proximal end; an electrode associated with the insulating portion and extending from the proximal end to the tip for transmitting radio frequency energy from the proximal end to the tip; an energy supply associated with the electrode at the proximal end for permitting the passage of radio frequency energy between the proximal end and the tip; an electrosurgical generator as part of the energy supply for providing radio frequency energy, the electrosurgical generator including a control to regulate the amplitude and frequency of the energy, and a return path between the tip and the energy supply for completing the circuit thereby providing electrosurgical cutting and/or coagulation during the puncture procedure through tissue of a human or animal body.

Claim 3

The electrosurgical tubular trocar system of claim 1 wherein the tip is beveled to a point at an acute angle to the axis to lessen the initial force necessary for entry of the circular cross sectional shape of the tube into the tissue of a human or animal.

Claim 4

The electrosurgical tubular trocar system of claim 1 wherein the return path between the tip and the energy supply for completing the circuit is a conductor on the insulating portion extending from the distal end to the proximal end for providing bipolar cutting at the distal end.

Claim 5

The electrosurgical tubular trocar system of claim 3 wherein a gap between the conductor and the electrode at the distal end provides bipolar cutting.

Claim 6

The electrosurgical tubular trocar system of claim 3 wherein the electrosurgical generator control regulates the radio frequency of the energy to coagulate tissue near the conductor and the electrode for forming a passage through the tissue.

Claim 7

The electrosurgical tubular trocar system of claim 1 wherein the tube is a conductive material.

Claim 8

The electrosurgical tubular trocar system of claim 6 wherein the insulating portion of high dielectric material extending along the tube from the distal end to the proximal end is tubular in shape.

Claim 9

The electrosurgical tubular trocar system of claim 7 wherein the electrode is a part of the tube and the conductor is on the tubular insulating portion for bipolar electrosurgery at the tip.

Claim 10

The electrosurgical tubular trocar system of claim 7 wherein the conductor is a part of the tube and the electrode is on the tubular insulating portion for bipolar electrosurgery at the tip.

Claim 11

The electrosurgical tubular trocar system of claim 1 wherein the tube is tapered from a smaller diameter at the distal end to a larger diameter at the proximal end to ease the insertion through the tissue.

Claim 12

The electrosurgical tubular trocar system of claim 1 wherein the tube has a smooth surface finish to minimize the frictional forces between the tissue and the tube during penetration.

Claim 13

The electrosurgical tubular trocar system of claim 2 wherein the tip has a chamfer to reduce the initial force necessary to enter the tissue.

Claim 14

The electrosurgical tubular trocar system of claim 2 wherein the tube is generally circular in cross section and has a diameter in the range of 5 to 10 millimeters.

Claim 15

The electrosurgical tubular trocar system of claim 1 wherein the return path is provided by a conductive pad in contact with the tissue of the human or animal.

Claim 16

The electrosurgical tubular trocar system of claim 14 wherein the conductive pad and the electrode form a monopolar electrosurgical circuit across which current flows from the tip through the tissue.

Claim 17

The electrosurgical tubular trocar system of claim 1 wherein the tube is connected in fluid communication to a source of fluid flow for moving material through the tube either toward the tip or away from the tip.

Claim 18

An electrosurgical trocar system comprising: a hollow tube elongate relative to an axis thereof and being substantially longer than its diameter, a circular cross section shape for the tube for insertion in a direction generally along the axis and normal to its diameter through tissue of a human or animal body in a puncture procedure, the tube having conductive material, the tube with a surface finish used to minimize the frictional forces between the tissue and the tube during penetration; a distal end and a proximal end on the tube, the distal end for entering the tissue and the proximal end for remaining outside the tissue; a tip on the distal end of the tube in position for puncture through the tissue of a human or animal, a bevel at an angle to the axis on the tip to aid in the entry of the circular cross sectional shape of the tube into the tissue of a human or animal; an insulating portion of high dielectric material tubular in shape extends with the tube from the distal end to the proximal end; an electrode associated with the insulating portion and extending from the proximal end to the tip for transmitting radio frequency energy from the proximal end to the tip, the electrode carried as a part of the tube; an energy supply associated with the electrode at the proximal end for permitting the passage of radio frequency energy between the proximal end and the tip; an electrosurgical generator as part of the energy supply for providing radio frequency energy, the electrosurgical generator including a control to regulate the amplitude and frequency of the energy, the electrosurgical generator control regulates the radio frequency of the energy; a return path between the tip and the energy supply for completing the circuit thereby providing electrosurgical cutting and/or coagulation during the puncture procedure through tissue of a human or animal body to coagulate tissue between and the electrode along the elongate length of the tube for forming a passage through the tissue; a conductor as part of the return path and on the insulating portion extends from the distal end to the proximal end for providing bipolar cutting, and a gap between the conductor and the electrode at the distal end across which bipolar cutting for bipolar electrosurgery near the tip.

Claim 19

An electrosurgical trocar system comprising: a hollow tube elongate relative to an axis thereof and being substantially longer than its diameter, a circular cross section shape for the tube for insertion in a direction generally along the axis and normal to its diameter through tissue of a human or animal body in a puncture procedure, the tube having conductive material, the tube with a surface finish used to minimize the frictional forces between the tissue and the tube during penetration; a distal end and a proximal end on the tube, the distal end for entering the tissue and the proximal end for remaining outside the tissue; a tip on the distal end of the tube in position for puncture through the tissue of a human or animal, a bevel at an angle to the axis on the tip to aid in the entry of the circular cross sectional shape of the tube into the tissue of a human or animal; an insulating portion of high dielectric material tubular in shape extends with the tube from the distal end to the proximal end; an electrode associated with the insulating portion and extending from the proximal end to the tip for transmitting radio frequency energy from the proximal end to the tip, the electrode carried as a part of the tube; an energy supply associated with the electrode at the proximal end for permitting the passage of radio frequency energy between the proximal end and the tip; an electrosurgical generator as part of the energy supply for providing radio frequency energy, the electrosurgical generator including a control to regulate the amplitude and frequency of the energy, the electrosurgical generator control regulates the radio frequency of the energy; a return path between the tip and the energy supply for completing the circuit thereby providing electrosurgical cutting and/or coagulation during the puncture procedure through tissue of a human or animal body to coagulate tissue between and the electrode along the elongate length of the tube for forming a passage through the tissue; a conductor as part of the return path and on the insulating portion extends from the distal end to the proximal end for providing bipolar cutting, and a gap between the conductor and the electrode at the distal end across which bipolar cutting for bipolar electrosurgery near the tip.

Claim 22

The method of placing an electrosurgical tubular trocar of claim 18 wherein before the step of driving begins a cut down procedure opens surgically the skin of the abdomen to facilitate the healing of the opening.

Claim 23

The method of placing an electrosurgical tubular trocar of claim 19 wherein the step of driving begins with entering the cut down tissue with a sharpened beveled tip thereby lessening the force initially needed to penetrate the subdermal tissue of the abdominal wall of a human or animal.