US6090106A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electrosurgical instrument
Assignee: Gyrus Medical Ltd
•
Filing: 1998-03-26
•
Granted: 2000-07-18
•
Expires: 2018-03-26
Abstract
Abstract An electrosurgical instrument is disclosed for the treatment of tissue in the presence of an electrically-conductive fluid. The instrument comprises an instrument shaft, and a tissue treatment electrode at one end of the shaft, the tissue treatment electrode being constructed to define thermal barriers for limiting thermal conduction therealong, thereby to encourage the formation and maintenance of a layer of vapor over the electrode.
Inventors
- 👤 Nigel Mark Goble
- 👤 Colin Charles Owen Goble
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 22:50
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B18/00; A61B18/04; A61B18/12; A61B18/1206; A61B18/14; A61B18/148; A61B18/1485; A61B2018/00053; A61B2018/00059; A61B2018/00071; A61B2018/00083; A61B2018/00315; A61B2018/00505; A61B2018/00517; A61B2018/00547; A61B2018/00559; A61B2018/00571; A61B2018/00577; A61B2018/00589; A61B2018/00601; A61B2018/00625; A61B2018/00636; A61B2018/00666; A61B2018/00678; A61B2018/00696; A61B2018/00702; A61B2018/00708; A61B2018/00755; A61B2018/00773; A61B2018/00875; A61B2018/00892; A61B2018/1213; A61B2018/124; A61B2018/1246; A61B2018/126; A61B2018/1405; A61B2018/1425; A61B2018/143; A61B2018/1432; A61B2018/1435; A61B2018/1437; A61B2018/1472; A61B18/16; A61B2018/162; A61B18/18; A61B18/1815; A61B2018/1861
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
229 words
An electrosurgical system for the vaporisation of tissue in the presence of an electrically-conductive medium, the system comprising an electrosurgical generator for generating radio frequency power, and an electrosurgical instrument connectible to the generator, wherein: the generator has a radio frequency output stage for delivering radio frequency power to a pair of output connections, which output stage has an open loop output impedance of less than 250 ohms; the electrosurgical instrument comprises an instrument shaft and, situated at a distal end of the shaft, an electrode assembly comprising an active electrode with an exposed treatment portion and a return electrode with an exposed fluid contact surface, the fluid contact surface being set back from the treatment portion so that, when the electrode assembly is brought into an operative position with the treatment portion on or adjacent to the surface of the tissue to be treated, the fluid contact surface is further from the tissue surface than the treatment portion; and the ratio of the surface area of the exposed treatment portion to the surface area of the exposed fluid contact surface is greater than or equal to 0.5 to 1; the electrode assembly further comprising means associated with the active electrode for hindering the dissipation of heat from the active electrode to its surroundings, thereby to encourage the formation and maintenance of a layer of vapour over its surface.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
229 words
An electrosurgical system for the vaporisation of tissue in the presence of an electrically-conductive medium, the system comprising an electrosurgical generator for generating radio frequency power, and an electrosurgical instrument connectible to the generator, wherein: the generator has a radio frequency output stage for delivering radio frequency power to a pair of output connections, which output stage has an open loop output impedance of less than 250 ohms; the electrosurgical instrument comprises an instrument shaft and, situated at a distal end of the shaft, an electrode assembly comprising an active electrode with an exposed treatment portion and a return electrode with an exposed fluid contact surface, the fluid contact surface being set back from the treatment portion so that, when the electrode assembly is brought into an operative position with the treatment portion on or adjacent to the surface of the tissue to be treated, the fluid contact surface is further from the tissue surface than the treatment portion; and the ratio of the surface area of the exposed treatment portion to the surface area of the exposed fluid contact surface is greater than or equal to 0.5 to 1; the electrode assembly further comprising means associated with the active electrode for hindering the dissipation of heat from the active electrode to its surroundings, thereby to encourage the formation and maintenance of a layer of vapour over its surface.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
38 words
A system according to claim 1, wherein the heat dissipation hindering means comprises a shroud partly covering the active electrode, with a space between the shroud and the electrode to allow the ingress of the conductive liquid therebetween.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
38 words
A system according to claim 1, wherein the heat dissipation hindering means comprises a cavity in the active electrode, which cavity is open to the ingress of the conductive liquid thereby to trap vapour from the conductive liquid.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
A system according to claim 3, wherein the active electrode is found as a tube with at least one open end.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
A system according to claim 4, wherein the active electrode is in the form of a tubular wire coil.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
40 words
A system according to claim 1, wherein the active electrode is formed as a plurality of electrically-interconnected electrode parts, and the heat dissipation hindering means comprises a thermal barrier between said electrode parts to hinder heat conduction between said parts.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
19 words
A system according to claim 6, wherein the active electrode is in the form of a tubular wire helix.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
20 words
A system according to claim 6, wherein the active electrode comprises a metallic body with a ridged, outwardly-directed treatment surface.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
A system according to claim 1, wherein the active electrode comprises a metallic body with an outwardly-directed irregular surface defining recesses for trapping vaporised conductive liquid.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
A system according to claim 9, wherein the active electrode comprises a metallic body with a ridged outwardly-directed treatment surface.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
26 words
A system according to claim 10, wherein the active electrode comprises a plurality of electrically common wire parts arranged side-by-side to form said ridged treatment surface.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
18 words
A system according to claim 10, wherein the active electrode is in the form of a wire coil.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
36 words
A system according to claim 1, wherein the generator includes means for limiting the peak radio frequency output voltage at said output connections to a threshold voltage in the range of from 250v to 600v peak.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
80 words
A system according to claim 13, wherein the output range includes a radio frequency power switching device which is arranged to switch on and off repeatedly at the radio frequency of the radio-frequency output signal of the generator, and the voltage limiting means comprises a peak voltage sensor and a feedback circuit connected to the sensor and to the switching device and arranged to reduce the conductive periods of the switching device when the peak output voltage reaches said threshold.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
53 words
A system according to claim 14, wherein the sensor and the feedback circuit are operatable in conjunction to reduce the radio frequency power delivered from the switching device to the output connections by at least 50% in less than 100 μs in response to the voltage across said output connections reaching said threshold.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
21 words
A system according to claim 1, wherein said output impedance is in the range of from 50 ohms to 250 ohms.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
21 words
A system according to claim 16, wherein said output impedance is in the range of from 130 ohms to 190 ohms.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
13 words
A system according to claim 17, wherein said output impedance is 160 ohms.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
233 words
An electrosurgical instrument for the treatment of tissue in the presence of an electrically-conductive fluid medium, the instrument comprising an instrument shaft and an electrode assembly at a distal end of the shaft, wherein the electrode assembly comprises: a single active electrode having an exposed tissue treatment portion; a return electrode having an exposed fluid contact surface; and an insulating member positioned between and electrically insulating the active electrode and the return electrode, and serving to space apart the exposed treatment portion of the active electrode and the exposed fluid contact surface of the return electrode, the fluid contact surface of the return electrode being set back in the direction of a treatment axis of the assembly from the active electrode exposed treatment portion; and wherein the ratio of the area of the exposed treatment portion to the area of the exposed fluid contact surface is greater than or equal to 0.5 to 1; and the active electrode is constituted by a singled coiled filament which defines a generally tubular member, adjacent turns of the coiled filament defining indentations in said generally tubular member, said indentations constituting thermal barriers for limiting thermal conduction along said generally tubular member, whereby, in use, application of sufficient radio frequency power to the electrode assembly vaporises the conductive fluid medium adjacent to the tissue treatment portion to create a stable vapour pocket around the tissue treatment portion.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
233 words
An electrosurgical instrument for the treatment of tissue in the presence of an electrically-conductive fluid medium, the instrument comprising an instrument shaft and an electrode assembly at a distal end of the shaft, wherein the electrode assembly comprises: a single active electrode having an exposed tissue treatment portion; a return electrode having an exposed fluid contact surface; and an insulating member positioned between and electrically insulating the active electrode and the return electrode, and serving to space apart the exposed treatment portion of the active electrode and the exposed fluid contact surface of the return electrode, the fluid contact surface of the return electrode being set back in the direction of a treatment axis of the assembly from the active electrode exposed treatment portion; and wherein the ratio of the area of the exposed treatment portion to the area of the exposed fluid contact surface is greater than or equal to 0.5 to 1; and the active electrode is constituted by a singled coiled filament which defines a generally tubular member, adjacent turns of the coiled filament defining indentations in said generally tubular member, said indentations constituting thermal barriers for limiting thermal conduction along said generally tubular member, whereby, in use, application of sufficient radio frequency power to the electrode assembly vaporises the conductive fluid medium adjacent to the tissue treatment portion to create a stable vapour pocket around the tissue treatment portion.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
204 words
An electrosurgical instrument for the treatment of tissue in the presence of an electrically-conductive fluid medium, the instrument comprising an instrument shaft and an electrode assembly at a distal end of the shaft, wherein the electrode assembly comprises: a single active electrode having an exposed tissue treatment portion; a return electrode having an exposed fluid contact surface; and an insulating member positioned between and electrically insulating the active electrode and the return electrode, and serving to space apart the exposed treatment portion of the active electrode and the exposed fluid contact surface of the return electrode, the fluid contact surface of the return electrode being set back in the direction of a treatment axis of the assembly from the active electrode exposed treatment portion; and wherein the ratio of the area of the exposed treatment portion, to the area of the exposed fluid contact surface is greater than or equal to 0.5 to 1; and the active electrode is configured to define thermal barriers for limiting thermal conduction therealong, whereby, in use, application of sufficient radio frequency power to the electrode assembly vaporises the conductive fluid medium adjacent to the tissue treatment portion to create a stable vapour pocket around the tissue treatment portion.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
204 words
An electrosurgical instrument for the treatment of tissue in the presence of an electrically-conductive fluid medium, the instrument comprising an instrument shaft and an electrode assembly at a distal end of the shaft, wherein the electrode assembly comprises: a single active electrode having an exposed tissue treatment portion; a return electrode having an exposed fluid contact surface; and an insulating member positioned between and electrically insulating the active electrode and the return electrode, and serving to space apart the exposed treatment portion of the active electrode and the exposed fluid contact surface of the return electrode, the fluid contact surface of the return electrode being set back in the direction of a treatment axis of the assembly from the active electrode exposed treatment portion; and wherein the ratio of the area of the exposed treatment portion, to the area of the exposed fluid contact surface is greater than or equal to 0.5 to 1; and the active electrode is configured to define thermal barriers for limiting thermal conduction therealong, whereby, in use, application of sufficient radio frequency power to the electrode assembly vaporises the conductive fluid medium adjacent to the tissue treatment portion to create a stable vapour pocket around the tissue treatment portion.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-07-18 | 2004-01-17 | 2004-07-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-07-18 | 2008-01-17 | 2008-07-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-07-18 | 2012-01-17 | 2012-07-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |