Surgical devices switchable between monopolar functionality and bipolar functionality

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11241269-B2
Application number	US-201916375338-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 4, 2019
Priority date	Apr 4, 2019
Publication date	Feb 8, 2022
Grant date	Feb 8, 2022

Abstract

In general, surgical devices switchable between monopolar functionality and bipolar functionality are provided. In an exemplary embodiment, a surgical device is configured to selectively apply each of bipolar energy and monopolar energy.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electrosurgical device, comprising:
a housing;
an elongate shaft extending from the housing and defining a longitudinal axis;
an end effector coupled to a distal end of the elongate shaft, the end effector including first and second jaws, at least one of the first and second jaws being pivotable relative to the other from an open position, in which the first and second jaws are disposed in spaced relation relative to one another, to a clamping position, in which the first and second jaws cooperate to grasp tissue therebetween; and
a knob configured to rotate relative to the housing to rotate the elongate shaft and end effector, the knob being configured to longitudinally translate between a first position, in which a pair of electrical contacts are aligned to complete a current path for a bipolar energy circuit allowing the first and second jaws to conduct energy through tissue grasped therebetween, and a second position, in which the pair of electrical contacts are offset to disrupt the current path for the bipolar energy circuit.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein, with the knob in the second position, an additional pair of electrical contacts is aligned to form a current path for a monopolar energy circuit allowing energy to be conducted through the end effector into tissue.

3. The device of claim 2 , wherein the pair of electrical contacts includes a first electrical contact attached to an outer surface of the knob and a second electrical contact attached to an outer surface of the housing;
the longitudinal translation of the knob is configured to cause the first electrical contact to longitudinally translate relative to the second electrical contact;
the additional pair of electrical contacts includes a third electrical contact attached to an outer surface of the shaft and a fourth electrical contact attached to the outer surface of the housing; and
the longitudinal translation of the knob is configured to cause the third electrical contact to longitudinally translate relative to the fourth electrical contact.

4. The device of claim 2 , wherein the housing includes an upper portion substantially aligned with the longitudinal axis;
the housing includes a lower portion with a handle; and
the device further comprises a first actuation mechanism on the lower portion configured to activate energy delivery to the bipolar energy circuit, and a second actuation mechanism on the upper portion configured to activate energy delivery to the monopolar energy circuit.

5. The device of claim 4 , wherein the handle includes a structure configured to require a user to grasp the device using a pistol grip for actuating the first actuation mechanism with an index finger, and to require a user to grasp the device using a pencil grip for actuating the second actuation mechanism using an index finger.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the end effector includes a monopolar shaft having a distal tip positioned adjacent the first and second jaws; and
with the knob in the second position, an additional pair of electrical contacts is aligned to form a current path for a monopolar energy circuit allowing energy to be conducted through the distal tip of the monopolar shaft and into tissue.

7. The device of claim 6 , wherein distal longitudinal translation of the knob is configured to advance the monopolar shaft distally relative to the elongate shaft, and proximal longitudinal translation of the knob is configured to retract the monopolar shaft proximally relative to the elongate shaft.

8. The device of claim 1 , wherein the housing includes a closure trigger configured to move relative to the housing to move at least one of the first and second jaws between the open position and the clamping position.

9. The device of claim 1 , wherein:
longitudinal translation of the knob is configured to move a switch carriage disposed within the housing between first and second positions;
actuation of a button on the housing with the switch carriage in the first position is configured to activate energy delivery to the bipolar energy circuit; and
actuation of the button on the housing with the switch carriage in the second position is configured to activate energy delivery to a monopolar energy circuit allowing energy to be conducted through the end effector into tissue.

10. The device of claim 9 , wherein the switch carriage includes a first contact that aligns with the button when the switch carriage is in the first position; and
the switch carriage includes a second contact that aligns with the button when the switch carriage is in the second position.

11. The device of claim 1 , wherein the bipolar energy circuit includes a first positive conductor and a second negative conductor for allowing the first and second jaws to conduct energy through tissue grasped therebetween when the knob is in the first position; and
one of the first and second conductors forms a monopolar energy circuit for allowing energy to be conducted through the end effector into tissue when the knob is in the second position.

12. The device of claim 11 , further comprising a generator configured to detect whether the first positive conductor and the second negative conductor form a closed circuit for bipolar energy delivery or an open circuit for monopolar energy delivery.

13. The device of claim 12 , wherein the generator being configured to detect whether the first positive conductor and the second negative conductor form the closed circuit for bipolar energy delivery or the open circuit for monopolar energy delivery includes the generator detecting an impedance;
a low detected impedance indicates that the first positive conductor and the second negative conductor form the closed circuit for bipolar energy; and
a high detected impedance indicates that the first positive conductor and the second negative conductor form the open circuit for monopolar energy delivery.

14. An electrosurgical device, comprising:
a housing;
an elongate shaft extending from the housing and defining a longitudinal axis;
an end effector coupled to a distal end of the elongate shaft, the end effector being configured to deliver energy to tissue in contact with the end effector; and
a knob configured to rotate relative to the housing to rotate the elongate shaft and end effector, and the knob being configured to longitudinally translate in a proximal direction and in a distal direction to selectively switch the device between a bipolar mode, in which the energy is bipolar energy, and a monopolar mode, in which the energy is monopolar energy.

15. The device of claim 14 , wherein longitudinal translation of the knob in the proximal direction is configured to cause a first pair of electrical contacts of the surgical device to be operatively connected such that bipolar energy is configured to be delivered to tissue in contact with the end effector; and
wherein longitudinal translation of the knob in the distal direction is configured to cause a second pair of electrical contacts of the surgical device to be operatively connected such that monopolar energy is configured to be delivered to tissue in contact with the end effector.

16. The device of claim 14 , further comprising a monopolar energy delivery shaft configured to deliver the monopolar energy, to be advanced distally in response to switching the device from the bipolar mode to the monopolar mode, and to be retracted proximally in response to switching the device from the monopolar mode to the bipolar mode;
wherein the end effector includes a first jaw with a delivery electrode fo

Assignees

• Ethicon Llc
• Cilag Gmbh Int

Inventors

• Brady John
• Rivard Monica
• Harris Demetrius
• Kimball Cory
• Schneider Matthew
• Frampton Chad
• Timm Richard W
• Ehninger Michael

Classifications

• A61B2018/126

  bipolar · CPC title

• A61B2018/124

  switching the output to different electrodes, e.g. sequentially · CPC title

• A61B2018/00601

  Cutting · CPC title

• A61B2018/0063

  Sealing · CPC title

• A61B2018/1253

  monopolar · CPC title