Electrosurgical electrode for DCR surgical procedure

Claim 2

An electrosurgical electrode for excising of nasal tissue, comprising: (a) an electrically conductive shaft member having a first exposed end for mounting in an electrosurgical handpiece and a second end, (b) said second end having a generally transversely-extending portion terminating in an active, electrically conductive, tip portion tapering to a point, (c) said active tip portion being exposed electrically for applying electrosurgical currents to said nasal tissue when said shaft member first end is connected to a source of electrosurgical currents, (d) portions of said shaft member extending from the first exposed end to said transversely-extending portion adjacent said exposed tip portion being coated with an electrically insulating coating to prevent contact and passage of electrosurgical currents to areas adjacent to or surrounding the tissue to be excised, (e) the length of the exposed tip portion being greater than 0.05 but less than 0.30 inches.

Claim 3

An electrosurgical electrode for excising of nasal tissue as claimed in claim 10, wherein the diameter of the portion of the shaft member adjacent the second end is in the range of about 0.03-0.06 inches.

Claim 4

An electrosurgical electrode for excising of nasal tissue, comprising: (a) an electrically conductive shaft member having a first exposed end for mounting in an electrosurgical handpiece and a second end, (b) said second end having a generally transversely-extending portion terminating in an active, electrically conductive, tip portion tapering to a point, said tip portion being of brass, (c) said active tip portion being exposed electrically for applying electrosurgical currents to said nasal tissue when said shaft member first end is connected to a source of electro surgical currents, (d) portions of said shaft member extending from the first exposed end to said transversely-extending portion adjacent said exposed tip portion being coated with an electrically insulating coating to prevent contact and passage of electrosurgical currents to areas adjacent to or surrounding the tissue to be excised, (e) the length of said transversely-extending portion lying in the range of about 0.28-0.55 inches.

Claim 5

An electrosurgical electrode for excising of nasal tissue, comprising: (a) an electrically conductive shaft member having a first exposed end for mounting in an electrosurgical handpiece and a second end, (b) said second end having a generally transversely-extending portion terminating in an active, electrically conductive, tip portion tapering to a point, said tip portion being of brass, (c) said active tip portion being exposed electrically for applying electrosurgical currents to said nasal tissue when said shaft member first end is connected to a source of electro surgical currents, (d) portions of said shaft member extending from the first exposed end to said transversely-extending portion adjacent said exposed tip portion being coated with an electrically insulating coating to prevent contact and passage of electrosurgical currents to areas adjacent to or surrounding the tissue to be excised, (e) the length of said transversely-extending portion lying in the range of about 0.28-0.55 inches.

Claim 6

An electrosurgical electrode for excising of nasal tissue, comprising: (a) an electrically conductive shall member having a first exposed end for mounting in an electrosurgical handpiece and a second end, (b) said second end having a generally transversely-extending portion terminating in an active, electrically conductive, tip portion tapering to a point, (c) said active tip portion being exposed electrically for applying electrosurgical currents to said nasal tissue when said shaft member first end is connected to a source of electrosurgical currents, (d) portions of said shaft member extending from the first exposed end to said transversely-extending portion adjacent said exposed tip portion being coated with an electrically insulating coating to prevent contact and passage of electrosurgical currents to areas adjacent to or surrounding the tissue to be excised, the length of said shaft member being about 3 inches.

Claim 7

An electrosurgical electrode for excising of nasal tissue, comprising: (a) an electrically conductive shall member having a first exposed end for mounting in an electrosurgical handpiece and a second end, (b) said second end having a generally transversely-extending portion terminating in an active, electrically conductive, tip portion tapering to a point, (c) said active tip portion being exposed electrically for applying electrosurgical currents to said nasal tissue when said shaft member first end is connected to a source of electrosurgical currents, (d) portions of said shaft member extending from the first exposed end to said transversely-extending portion adjacent said exposed tip portion being coated with an electrically insulating coating to prevent contact and passage of electrosurgical currents to areas adjacent to or surrounding the tissue to be excised, the length of said shaft member being about 3 inches.

Claim 8

An electrosurgical electrode as claimed in claim 4, wherein the length of said shaft member coated with the electrically-insulating coating is about 2.04-2.42 inches.

Claim 9

An electrosurgical electrode as claimed in claim 5, wherein the transversely-extending portion extends at a right angle to the shaft member.

Claim 10

In combination: electrosurgical apparatus capable of supplying high frequency currents, an electrosurgical handpiece having means at one end for connection to the electrosurgical apparatus and having at its opposite end means for holding an electrically conducive shaft member of an electrosurgical electrode and for supplying the high frequency currents to said electrode; an electrosurgical electrode for performing nasal surgery, comprising: (a) an electrically conductive shaft member having a fast end mounted at the opposite end of the electrosurgical handpiece and a second end, (b) said second end having a generally transversely-extending portion terminating in an active, electrically conductive, tip portion, the length of said transversely-extending portion lying in the range of about 0.28-0.55 inches, (c) said active tip portion being exposed electrically for applying electrosurgical currents to patient nasal tissue when said shaft member is connected to a source of electrosurgical currents, (d) the portions of said shaft member extending to said transversely-extending portion adjacent said exposed tip portion being electrically insulating to prevent contact and passage of electrosurgical currents to areas adjacent to or surrounding the shaft member.

Claim 11

In combination: electrosurgical apparatus capable of supplying high frequency currents, an electrosurgical handpiece having means at one end for connection to the electrosurgical apparatus and having at its opposite end means for holding an electrically conducive shaft member of an electrosurgical electrode and for supplying the high frequency currents to said electrode; an electrosurgical electrode for performing nasal surgery, comprising: (a) an electrically conductive shaft member having a fast end mounted at the opposite end of the electrosurgical handpiece and a second end, (b) said second end having a generally transversely-extending portion terminating in an active, electrically conductive, tip portion, the length of said transversely-extending portion lying in the range of about 0.28-0.55 inches, (c) said active tip portion being exposed electrically for applying electrosurgical currents to patient nasal tissue when said shaft member is connected to a source of electrosurgical currents, (d) the portions of said shaft member extending to said transversely-extending portion adjacent said exposed tip portion being electrically insulating to prevent contact and passage of electrosurgical currents to areas adjacent to or surrounding the shaft member.

Claim 12

The combination of claim 7, wherein the high frequency currents are at a frequency exceeding 1.5 MHz.