Coagulation and dissecting instrument with improved control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10987157-B2
Application number	US-201615241892-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 19, 2016
Priority date	Aug 21, 2015
Publication date	Apr 27, 2021
Grant date	Apr 27, 2021

Abstract

The coagulation arrangement ( 10 ) according to the invention comprises an instrument ( 11 ) having a tool ( 17 ) comprising coagulating electrodes ( 22, 23, 27, 28 ), as well as a dissecting electrode ( 36 ). The electrodes are powered by a circuit ( 44 ) that comprises a coagulating voltage source ( 54 ) and a dissecting voltage source ( 55 ), or that can be connected to such sources. The device comprises a dissection actuating switch ( 60 ) and a coagulation actuating switch ( 59 ). The former is connected to a power switch ( 58 ) that—in dissecting mode—connects the current path from the dissecting voltage source ( 55 ) to the dissecting electrode ( 36 ), before the dissecting voltage source ( 55 ) or the HF output voltage source ( 47 ) and the coagulating voltage source ( 54 ) are actuated. Thus, the user is presented with a reliable means in a simple manner in order to be able to more flexibly perform more complex operations.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An instrument for coagulating and, if needed, for dissecting biological tissue, with a tool comprising:
at least one first and at least one second coagulating electrode which can be moved relative with respect to each other for grasping the biological tissue therebetween, and comprising at least one dissecting electrode for dissecting the biological tissue grasped between the at least one first and the at least one second coagulating electrode;
an electrical circuit that is connected to the at least one first and the at least one second coagulating electrode and to the at least one dissecting electrode and configured to be connected to a dissecting voltage source and a coagulating voltage source;
wherein the electrical circuit comprises
an input side including first and second input connections, wherein the first and second input connections are configured for connection with a high frequency (HF) output voltage source for providing electrical energy for operating the instrument;
a transformer electrically connected to the first and second input connections, the transformer configured to simultaneously provide the dissecting voltage source and the coagulating voltage source;
first, second, and third output connections, wherein the first output connection is connected to the at least one second coagulating electrode and to ground;
wherein the second output connection is a coagulating connection that is connected to the at least one first coagulating electrode; and
wherein the third output connection is a dissecting connection that is connected to the dissecting voltage source and to the at least one dissecting electrode;
a power switch disposed in a current path between the dissecting voltage source and the at least one dissecting electrode configured to selectively disconnect the at least one dissecting electrode from the dissecting voltage source or to selectively connect the at least one dissecting electrode to the dissecting voltage source; and
an actuating switch for selectively actuating the high frequency (HF) output voltage source;

wherein the actuating switch and the power switch are controlled in series by a shared actuating element wherein actuation of the shared actuating element initiates one of a dissecting mode, wherein the power switch is closed to connect the at least one dissecting electrode to the dissecting voltage source and the actuating switch is subsequently closed to actuate the high frequency output voltage source, and a coagulation mode, wherein the power switch is opened to disconnect the at least one dissecting electrode from the dissecting voltage source and the actuating switch is subsequently closed to actuate the high frequency output voltage source;
wherein in the dissecting mode, the at least one dissecting electrode is energized by the dissecting voltage source and the at least one first coagulating electrode is energized by the coagulating voltage source simultaneously.

2. The instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the power switch and the actuating switch are connected to the actuating element in such a manner that, upon actuating the actuating element, the power switch closes before the actuating switch closes, and that, upon clearing the actuating element, the actuating switch opens before the power switch opens.

3. The instrument according to claim 1 wherein, in a resting state, the power switch does not provide an electrical connection between the dissecting voltage source and the at least one dissecting electrode and, in an actuated state, connects the at least one dissecting electrode to the dissecting voltage source.

4. The instrument according to claim 3 , wherein, in the resting state, the power switch connects the at least one dissecting electrode to the coagulating voltage source or to a low-voltage source, or is switched potential-free.

5. The instrument according to claim 4 , wherein, in the resting state, the power switch connects at least one dissecting electrode to a low-voltage source, wherein the low-voltage source is the transformer that is connected on a primary side thereof to the coagulating voltage source.

6. The instrument according to claim 3 , wherein, in resting state, the power switch connects the at least one dissecting electrode to a current-limiting means.

7. The instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the instrument comprises a coagulation actuating switch that is disposed for actuating the HF output voltage source.

8. The instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the instrument comprises a dissection actuating switch that is disposed for actuating the HF output voltage source.

9. The instrument according to claim 7 , further comprising a dissection actuating switch that is disposed for actuating the HF output voltage source;
wherein the dissection actuating switch and the coagulation actuating switch are configured such that they can only be alternatively actuated.

10. The instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the transformer is connected or is configured to be connected to the coagulating voltage source.

11. The instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the coagulating voltage source is arranged outside the instrument.

12. The instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the input side of the electrical circuit further comprises a third input connection, wherein the third input connection is configured for activating or deactivating the high frequency (HF) output voltage source.

Assignees

• Erbe Elektromedizin

Inventors

• Weiler Rolf
• Fritz Martin
• Schall Heiko

Classifications

• A61B2018/00958

  for switching between different working modes of the main function · CPC title

• A61B2018/00922

  by switching or controlling the treatment energy directly within the hand-piece · CPC title

• A61B2018/00601

  Cutting · CPC title

• A61B2018/00589

  Coagulation · CPC title

• A61B18/12 Primary

  by passing a current through the tissue to be heated, e.g. high-frequency current · CPC title