Electrosurgical cutting instrument

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10314647-B2
Application number	US-201414579579-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 22, 2014
Priority date	Dec 23, 2013
Publication date	Jun 11, 2019
Grant date	Jun 11, 2019

Abstract

An electrosurgical device having a tubular outer shaft and an inner shaft is disclosed. The tubular outer shaft includes an axis and a distal end region. The distal end region includes a distal-most tip and a cutting edge defining a window in the outer shaft proximal along the axis to the distal-most tip. The inner shaft inner shaft coaxially maintained within the outer shaft such that the inner shaft is movable about the axis with respect to the outer shaft and wherein a portion of the inner shaft is exposed in the window of the outer shaft. A first electrode is disposed on the outer shaft in a region proximal along the axis to the window, and a second electrode is electrically isolated from the first electrode and disposed on the inner shaft. The second electrode is exposed in the window of the outer shaft.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electrosurgical device, comprising:
a tubular outer shaft having an axis and a distal end region, wherein the distal end region includes a distal-most tip and a cutting edge defining an outer shaft window proximal along the axis to the distal-most tip;
a tubular inner shaft coaxially maintained within the outer shaft such that the inner shaft is movable about the axis with respect to the outer shaft and wherein the inner shaft includes an outer surface having a toothed edge defining an opening, wherein the opening exposes an inner surface of the inner shaft in the window of the outer shaft when the opening is aligned with the window;
a first electrode disposed on the outer shaft in a region proximal along the axis to the window;
a fluid distribution point disposed on the outer shaft in a region proximal along the axis to the first electrode, the fluid distribution point configured to emit fluid across the first electrode and toward the distal-most tip; and
a second electrode electrically isolated from the first electrode disposed on the inner shaft and exposed in the window of the outer shaft the second electrode including a first portion disposed on the outer surface of the inner shaft and a second portion disposed on the inner surface of the inner shaft;
wherein a point on a surface of the first electrode is both axially aligned with the fluid distribution point and is located distally to the fluid distribution point along a line parallel with the axis;
and further wherein an entirety of the first electrode is distal the fluid distribution point.

2. The electrosurgical device of claim 1 wherein the inner surface of the inner shaft forms a lumen configured to be in fluid communication with a suction source.

3. The electrosurgical device of claim 1 wherein the outer surface of the inner shaft and an inner surface of the outer shaft form a lumen in fluid communication with the fluid distribution point.

4. The electrosurgical device of claim 3 wherein the lumen includes an axial distribution flute and a reservoir in the distal end region.

5. The electrosurgical device of claim 4 wherein the axial distribution flute and reservoir are formed into the outer surface of the inner shaft.

6. The electrosurgical device of claim 1 wherein the first electrode is in electrical communication with an electrode surface on the outer surface of the outer shaft distal to the first electrode and electrically isolated from the cutting edge.

7. The electrosurgical device of claim 1 wherein the inner shaft and outer shaft are formed from a conductive material and are directly coated with an electrically insulating material, wherein the first and second electrodes are exposed and uncoated regions of the outer and inner shafts.

8. The electrosurgical device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a conductive ink trace positioned on the outer shaft;
wherein the first electrode is electrically connected to the conductive ink trace and positioned on the outer shaft such that insulating material is positioned between the inner shaft and the first electrode.

9. The electrosurgical device of claim 8 , wherein the insulating material comprises a coating positioned on the outer shaft.

10. The electrosurgical device of claim 8 , wherein the outer shaft is formed of the insulating material.

11. The electrosurgical device of claim 8 , wherein the conductive ink trace comprises silver ink.

12. The electrosurgical device of claim 8 , wherein each of the first electrode and the inner shaft are selectively coupleable to an energy source.

13. The electrosurgical device of claim 8 , wherein the outer shaft and inner shaft are configured to move relative to one another to mechanically cut tissue in a cutting mode.

14. The electrosurgical device of claim 8 , wherein a lumen of the outer shaft is configured to allow fluid flow between the inner shaft and the outer shaft.

15. The electrosurgical device of claim 8 , further comprising a button activation assembly comprising an electrical contact for providing electrical communication of the first electrode and inner shaft with a source of energy.

16. The electrosurgical device of claim 1 , wherein the first electrode terminates at a distal-most end, and further wherein a section of the distal-most end is axially aligned with and distal to the fluid distribution point along the line parallel to the axis.

17. The electrosurgical device of claim 1 , wherein an entirety of the first electrode is between the fluid distribution point and the window.

18. An electrosurgical device, comprising:
a tubular outer shaft having an axis and a distal end region, wherein the distal end region includes a distal-most tip and a cutting edge defining an outer shaft window proximal along the axis to the distal-most tip;
a tubular inner shaft coaxially maintained within the outer shaft such that the inner shaft is movable about the axis with respect to the outer shaft and wherein the inner shaft includes an outer surface having a toothed edge defining an opening, wherein the opening exposes an inner surface of the inner shaft in the window of the outer shaft when the opening is aligned with the window;
a first electrode disposed on the outer shaft in a region proximal along the axis to the window;
a fluid distribution point disposed on the outer shaft in a region proximal along the axis to the first electrode, the fluid distribution point configured to emit fluid across the first electrode and toward the distal-most tip; and
a second electrode electrically isolated from the first electrode disposed on the inner shaft and exposed in the window of the outer shaft the second electrode including a first portion disposed on the outer surface of the inner shaft and a second portion disposed on the inner surface of the inner shaft;
wherein a point on a surface of the first electrode is both axially aligned with the fluid distribution point and is located distally to the fluid distribution point along a line parallel with the axis;
and further wherein the inner shaft and outer shaft are formed from a conductive material and are directly coated with an electrically insulating material, wherein the first and second electrodes are exposed and uncoated regions of the outer and inner shafts.

19. An electrosurgical device, comprising:
a tubular outer shaft having an axis and a distal end region, wherein the distal end region includes a distal-most tip and a cutting edge defining an outer shaft window proximal along the axis to the distal-most tip;
a tubular inner shaft coaxially maintained within the outer shaft such that the inner shaft is movable about the axis with respect to the outer shaft and wherein the inner shaft includes an outer surface having a toothed edge defining an opening, wherein the opening exposes an inner surface of the inner shaft in the window of the outer shaft when the opening is aligned with the window;
a first electrode disposed on the outer shaft in a region proximal along the axis to the window;
a fluid distribution point disposed on the outer shaft in a region proximal along the axis to the first electrode, the fluid distribution point configured to emit fluid across the first electrode and toward the distal-most tip; and
a second electrode electrically isolated from the first electrode disposed on the inner shaft and exposed in the window of the outer shaft the second electrode including a first portion disposed on the outer surface of the inner shaft and a second portion disposed on the inner surfa

Assignees

• Medtronic Advanced Energy Llc

Inventors

• Bloom Eliot F
• Berman Phillip
• Li Wenjeng
• Little David J
• Oliver Dana A
• Prisco John R
• Brown Phillip P
• Richart Patrick

Classifications

• A61B2018/126

  bipolar · CPC title

• A61B2018/00601

  Cutting · CPC title

• A61B2018/00202

  rotating · CPC title

• A61B2018/00148

  with metal · CPC title

• A61B18/148 Primary

  having a short, rigid shaft for accessing the inner body transcutaneously, e.g. for neurosurgery or arthroscopy · CPC title