Devices and methods for shallow depth ablation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12121286-B2
Application number	US-202117324801-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 19, 2021
Priority date	Jul 23, 2020
Publication date	Oct 22, 2024
Grant date	Oct 22, 2024

Abstract

An end effector assembly of a surgical device for shallow depth ablation includes first and second jaw members movable between open and closed positions and including hemicylindrical surfaces that cooperate to define a cylindrical cavity in the closed position for capturing tissue therebetween. At least one electrode array includes a plurality of first and second electrode portions disposed on or within at least one of the hemicylindrical surfaces and extending annularly at least partially thereabout. The plurality of first and second electrode portions are configured to be energized with electrosurgical energy at different potentials to thereby conduct electrosurgical energy between adjacent first and second electrode portions and through captured tissue to affect shallow depth ablation of captured tissue in the closed position of the first and second jaw members.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A surgical device for shallow depth ablation, the surgical device comprising:
an end effector assembly, including:
first and second jaw members, at least one of the first or second jaw members movable relative to the other between an open position and a closed position, each of the first and second jaw members including an inner surface oriented towards the inner surface of the other of the first and second jaw members, an outer surface, and a hemicylindrical surface recessed relative to the inner surface to define a hemicylindrical cavity, wherein, in the closed position of the first and second jaw members, the hemicylindrical surfaces cooperate to define a cylindrical cavity, the cylindrical cavity extending transversely across the first and second jaw members and open at either end of the cylindrical cavity, wherein, in the closed position of the first and second jaw members, the first and second jaw members are configured to capture tissue within the cylindrical cavity, wherein the inner surfaces of the first and second jaw members are exposed continuously over areas defined laterally from first lateral sides of the respective first and second jaw members to second, opposite lateral sides of the respective first and second jaw members and longitudinally from proximal end portions of the respective first and second jaw members to the hemicylindrical surfaces of the respective first and second jaw members; and
at least one electrode array confined to within the hemicylindrical cavity of at least one of the first or second jaw members and including a plurality of first electrode portions and a plurality of second electrode portions, the first and second electrode portions disposed on or within at least one of the hemicylindrical surfaces and extending annularly at least partially about the at least one hemicylindrical surface, the inner surfaces of the first and second jaw members one of electrically insulative or electrically isolated from the at least one electrode array,
wherein, the plurality of first electrode portions is configured to be energized with electrosurgical energy at a potential, and the plurality of second electrode portions is configured to be energized with electrosurgical energy at a different potential to thereby conduct electrosurgical energy within the hemicylindrical cavity of at least one of the first or second jaw members and between adjacent electrode portions of different potential and through captured tissue to affect shallow depth ablation of captured tissue in the closed position of the first and second jaw members.

2. The surgical device according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of first electrode portions and the plurality of second electrode portions are arranged in alternating, spaced-apart relation annularly about at least a portion of the at least one hemicylindrical surface.

3. The surgical device according to claim 2 , wherein each electrode portion of the plurality of first electrode portions is a first electrode leg extending in substantially parallel orientation relative to a longitudinal axis of the hemicylindrical cavity defined by the at least one hemicylindrical surface and wherein each electrode portion of the plurality of second electrode portions is a second electrode leg extending in substantially parallel orientation relative to a longitudinal axis of the hemicylindrical cavity defined by the at least one hemicylindrical surface.

4. The surgical device according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second electrode portions extend annularly at least 90 degrees about the at least one hemicylindrical surface.

5. The surgical device according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second electrode portions extend annularly at least 180 degrees about the at least one hemicylindrical surface.

6. The surgical device according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one electrode array includes a flex circuit.

7. The surgical device according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one electrode array includes a flexible, insulative substrate and wherein the first and second electrode portions are printed onto the substrate as conductive traces.

8. The surgical device according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second jaw members are substantially linear.

9. The surgical device according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second jaw members are curved along at least a portion of lengths thereof.

10. The surgical device according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first or second jaw members is at least partially compressible to reduce an amount of pressure applied to tissue captured within the cylindrical cavity.

11. The surgical device according to claim 1 , wherein the inner surfaces of the first and second jaw members are substantially planar.

12. The surgical device according to claim 1 , wherein the inner surfaces of the first and second jaw members are electrically conductive and electrically isolated from the at least one electrode array.

13. The surgical device according to claim 1 , wherein the inner surfaces of the first and second jaw members are electrically insulative.

14. The surgical device according to claim 13 , wherein electrically insulated bodies of the first and second jaw members define the electrically insulative inner surfaces of the first and second jaw members.

15. The surgical device according to claim 13 , wherein electrically insulative coatings disposed on bodies of the first and second jaw members define the electrically insulative inner surfaces of the first and second jaw members.

Assignees

• Covidien Lp

Inventors

• Sartor Joe D
• Begg Nikolai D

Classifications

• A61B2018/00577

  Ablation · CPC title

• A61B2017/2926

  Details of heads or jaws · CPC title

• A61B2017/2902

  characterized by features of the actuating rod · CPC title

• A61B2018/1467

  using more than two electrodes on a single probe · CPC title

• A61B2018/00434

  Neural system · CPC title