Surgery – Instruments – Electrical application
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-06
2001-05-08
Peffley, Michael (Department: 3739)
Surgery
Instruments
Electrical application
C606S051000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06228084
ABSTRACT:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
N/A
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
N/A
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Electro-surgical forceps have a pair of resilient blades that are used for grasping and coagulating tissue. The blades may be held together by molding their ends opposite the tips within a cap. The forceps may be monopolar or bipolar. In monopolar forceps, the blades are welded or otherwise joined to form an electrode in electrical communication with an electrical generator. Current flows from the active electrode through the patient's tissue to a dispersive electrode in contact with the patient's skin (which may be at some distance from the forceps) and back to the generator. In bipolar forceps, each blade of the pair comprises an electrode in communication with an electrical generator.
In some forceps, an irrigation channel is formed along the length of one of the blades. See FIG.
5
. The channel is typically formed from a length of metal tubing which is attached to the inside surface of the blade in a suitable manner, such as with an adhesive, brazing, or welding. The tubing includes an outlet near the tip of the blades and an entrance segment that is affixed within the cap. An inlet is provided at the beginning of the entrance segment. An irrigation fluid, such as saline solution, flows through the channel and out the outlet near the tip of the blades to flush bits of tissue or blood away from the area where the surgeon is working.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides an electro-surgical forceps having a recessed irrigation channel in one of the pair of blades. The recessed irrigation channel provides the surgeon with an unobstructed view of the tips of the blades. Additionally, the recessed channel allows the blades to close completely at their tips.
More particularly, the electro-surgical forceps comprise an insulated cap portion, at least one terminal extending from and fixed to the cap portion, and a pair of blades. Each blade is generally elongated and has an inner surface, an outer surface, and a tip portion. Each blade also has an opposite end fixed within the cap portion. At least one of the blades is electrically connected to the at least one terminal within the cap portion.
The forceps includes an irrigation channel comprising a groove recessed in the inner surface of a first blade of the pair of blades. The groove extends along substantially the length of the first blade from an origination proximate the cap portion to a termination proximate the tip of the first blade. A length of tubing is disposed in the groove along substantially the length of the first blade. The tubing includes an inlet segment extending from an inlet in the cap portion to the origination of the groove. The tubing terminates at a location spaced from the termination of the groove to provide an outlet from the channel. The depth of the groove and the outer diameter of the tubing are selected such that the tubing is fully recessed below the inner surface of the first blade. An inlet in the cap portion is configured to connect to a source of irrigation fluid. The tubing inlet segment is in fluid communication with the inlet in the cap portion.
A spacer post may be provided to extend from the inner surface of a second blade of the pair of blades. An insulating coating may be disposed over the blades and the irrigation channel.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4567890 (1986-02-01), Ohta et al.
patent: 5217460 (1993-06-01), Knoepfler
patent: 5603712 (1997-02-01), Koranda et al.
patent: 5746739 (1998-05-01), Sutter
Kirwan Surgical Products, Inc.
Peffley Michael
Weingarten, Schurgin Gagnebin & Hayes LLP
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