Electro-surgical dissecting and cauterizing instrument

Claim 1

An electro-surgical dissecting and cauterizing instrument for connection to a source of manually controllable, electric current, said instrument comprising: a. electric conducting means having proximal and distal ends, said electric conducting means proximal end forming a plug removably connecting said instrument to said source of manually controllable electric current; b. a rigid insulating sleeve having first and second ends and a constant outer diameter and lying along a first linear axis, said sleeve concentrically surrounding and electrically insulating said electric conducting means with said electric conducting means plug extending exteriorly of said sleeve first end and said electric conducting means distal end lying adjacent said sleeve second end, said conducting means providing a path through which said electric current may travel; c. a rigid, electrically conductive arm having first and second ends and an outer diameter smaller than said sleeve outer diameter, said arm first end electrically connected to said conducting means distal end and co-axially extending therefrom along said first linear axis for a first length thereof, said arm having a second length integrally extending from said first length and lying along a second linear axis which extends at an obtuse angle (a 1 ) to said first linear axis, and said arm having a third length integrally extending from said second length in a direction away from said sleeve along a third linear axis which extends spaced and parallel to said first linear axis, said third length terminating at said arm second end, said rigid arm including a jacket of insulating material disposed thereon; d. a working tip electrode of predetermined configuration integrally formed at said arm second end; and e. a fourth length linearly extending at an obtuse angle (A 3 ) from said third length in a direction towards and intersecting said first, linear axis, said working tip electrode being integrally formed at the end of said fourth length opposite said third length and positioned on the side of said first linear axis opposite said third linear axis along which said third length lies, said electric conducting means, arm and working tip electrode forming a contiguous, electrically conductive path through which said electric current may travel and discharge at said working tip electrode.