Surgery – Instruments – Electrical application
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-03
2001-05-15
Dvorak, Linda C. M. (Department: 3739)
Surgery
Instruments
Electrical application
C607S099000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06231571
ABSTRACT:
This invention relates to an electrosurgical handpiece and an activator for an electrosurgical handpiece.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Electrosurgery is a common procedure for dentists, doctors, and veterinarians. Electrosurgical handpieces are commercially available that will accommodate a wide variety of electrode shapes and sizes, such as needles, blades, scalpels, balls and wire loops. Also, multi-function electrodes are available. Electrosurgery has been used for many different kinds of surgical procedures. One surgical procedure involves minimally invasive surgery (MIS), also referred to as laparoscopy, in which a small diameter cannula is inserted via an incision in the patient's body, and a fiber optics viewer (TV camera and monitor) as well as an elongated nozzle from an electrosurgical handpiece are extended through the cannula to the region of the patient where surgery is necessary, and the surgery carried out by the surgeon using the electrosurgical electrode while viewing the procedure through the viewer. Our issued U.S. Pat. No. 5,304,763 describes one form of MIS, the contents of which patent are herein incorporated by reference.
MIS with electrosurgery has also been used for the reduction of herniated disks, by introducing a unipolar electrode via the cannula into the herniated disk region and activating the electrode for the purpose of shrinking the disk. One such system also provides for bending the end of the unipolar electrode in order to position the active end in the desired disk region. In such a procedure, care must be exercised to avoid nerve damage. In the known system, a heat sensor is built into the active unipolar electrode end for the purpose of sensing the heat generated by the electrosurgical currents and shutting off the electrosurgical currents when the heat reaches too high a level.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the invention is an electrosurgical handpiece that is capable of treating tissue when energized.
Another object of the invention is an electrosurgical handpiece that can be used in MIS and reduces the danger of excessive heat causing possible patient harm.
According to one aspect of the invention, an electrosurgical handpiece is provided that is bipolar in operation and that is configured for use in MIS. The bipolar operation confines the electrosurgical currents to a small active region between the active ends of the bipolar electrode and thus reduces the possibility that excessive heat will be developed that can damage patient tissue. Moreover, the position of the active region can be controlled to avoid patient tissue that may be more sensitive to excessive heat.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of this aspect of the invention, the handpiece is provided with a dual compartment insulated elongated tube, each of the compartments serving to house one of the two wires of bipolar electrodes.
According to another aspect of the invention, the electrode for MIS use is constructed with a flexible end controllable by the surgeon so as to allow the surgeon to manipulate the end as desired during the surgical procedure. In a preferred embodiment, the flexible end is achieved by weakening at the end the housing for the electrode, and providing a pull string or wire connected to the weakened housing end and with a mechanism at the opposite end for the surgeon to pull the string or wire to flex the housing end to the desired position. This feature allows the surgeon to position the active electrode end at the optimum location within the herniated disk to remove undesired regions and to provide controlled heat to shrink the tissue during surgery.
Still another aspect of the invention is a multi-purpose electrode system adapted for MIS use, which combines both a unipolar and a bipolar electrode. Preferably, the electrodes can be easily interchanged. In a preferred embodiment, the handpiece is provided with a three compartment insulated elongated tube, two of the compartments serving to house one of the two wires of bipolar electrodes, and the third compartment serving to house the wire of an unipolar electrode. Means are provided to selectively extend and operate either the bipolar or unipolar electrode enabling the surgeon, without having to remove the handpiece from the cannula, to successively use the bipolar or unipolar electrode as needed.
In still another aspect of the invention, one of the replaceable elements of the mutipurpose electrode system adapted for MIS use can be a scissors operated either electrically or mechanically.
The construction of the invention will provide important benefits not only for MIS of herniated disks but also for other MIS procedures where controlled electrode position and controlled heat generation is of importance. Such procedures include drying, shrinking, or denaturazing tissue generally and collagen tissue in particular for such purposes as tightening or reducing the tissue.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5275151 (1994-01-01), Shockey et al.
patent: 5441499 (1995-08-01), Fritzsch
patent: 5458597 (1995-10-01), Edwards et al.
patent: 6010500 (2000-01-01), Sherman et al.
patent: 6102046 (2000-08-01), Weinstein et al.
patent: 44 23 216A (1995-08-01), None
patent: WO 9622742A (1996-08-01), None
patent: WO 97 15238A (1997-05-01), None
Ellman Alan G.
Garito Jon C.
Dvorak Linda C. M.
Kearney R.
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