Arthroscopic devices and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12167888-B2
Application number	US-202017111202-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 3, 2020
Priority date	Mar 10, 2016
Publication date	Dec 17, 2024
Grant date	Dec 17, 2024

Abstract

An electrosurgical probe can be detachably secured to a handpiece having a motor drive unit and an RF current contact. The electrosurgical probe includes an elongate shaft having a longitudinal axis, a distal dielectric tip, and a proximal hub which is detachably securable to the handpiece. A hook electrode is reciprocatably mounted in the distal dielectric tip, and an RF connector on the hub is couplable to the RF current contact in the handpiece when the hub is secured to the handpiece. A drive mechanism in the hub mechanically couples to the hook electrode, and drive mechanism engages a rotational component in the motor drive unit when the hub is secured to the handpiece. The drive mechanism converts rotational motion from the rotational component into axial reciprocation and transmits the axial reciprocation to the hook electrode to axially displace the hook electrode between a non-extended position and an extended position relative to the dielectric tip.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electrosurgical probe attachable to a handpiece that incorporates a motor drive unit and an RF current contact, the electrosurgical probe comprising:
an elongate shaft including a proximal hub for detachably securing the elongate shaft to the handpiece;
an electrode extending longitudinally within the elongate shaft for axial reciprocation in the elongate shaft, the electrode including a hook portion at a distal end of the electrode;
an RF connector on the proximal hub for coupling to the RF current contact in the handpiece when the proximal hub is detachably secured to the handpiece;
a drive coupling in the proximal hub for engaging a rotatable component of the motor drive unit when the proximal hub is detachably secured to the handpiece, the drive coupling coupled to a proximal portion of the electrode, the drive coupling configured to convert rotational motion of the rotatable component of the motor drive unit into axial reciprocation of the electrode in the elongate shaft; and
a dielectric tip disposed at a distal end of the elongate shaft, the dielectric tip including a distal face, the distal face including an opening therein through which the electrode extends to position the hook portion distal of the distal face, the electrode extending through an electrode portion of the opening, the opening also including a plurality of flow channel portions that extend radially outwardly from the electrode portion of the opening.

2. The electrosurgical probe of claim 1 , wherein the dielectric tip includes a plurality of intermediate support elements for supporting the electrode as the electrode extends through the electrode portion of the opening in the distal face.

3. The electrosurgical probe of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of intermediate support elements includes at least 3 intermediate support elements.

4. The electrosurgical probe of claim 2 , wherein each of the plurality of intermediate support elements includes a distal end defining a portion of a perimeter of the opening in the distal face of the dielectric tip.

5. The electrosurgical probe of claim 4 , wherein the number of intermediate support elements corresponds to the number of flow channel portions in the opening in the distal face such that the distal end of each of the plurality of intermediate support elements is intermediate two adjacent flow channel portions along the distal face.

6. The electrosurgical probe of claim 2 , wherein each of the plurality of intermediate support elements extends proximally within the dielectric tip from the distal face.

7. The electrosurgical probe of claim 2 , wherein each of the plurality of intermediate support elements is able to contact the electrode over a distance of only less than 2 mm along the respective intermediate support element.

8. The electrosurgical probe of claim 1 , wherein the distal face of the dielectric tip is recessed proximally from a distal-most surface of the dielectric tip.

9. The electrosurgical probe of claim 8 , wherein the distal-most surface of the dielectric tip includes a notch for receiving the hook portion of the electrode when the electrode is in a non-extended position.

10. The electrosurgical probe of claim 1 , wherein the opening in the distal face is centered in the distal face.

11. The electrosurgical probe of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of flow channel portions combined have a sufficient cross-section to allow for fluid flows of at least 200 ml/min through the dielectric tip.

12. An electrosurgical probe attachable to a handpiece that incorporates a motor drive unit and an RF current contact, the electrosurgical probe comprising:
an elongate shaft including a proximal hub for detachably securing the elongate shaft to the handpiece,
an electrode extending longitudinally within the elongate shaft for axial reciprocation in the elongate shaft, the electrode including a hook portion at a distal end of the electrode;
an RF connector on the proximal hub for coupling to the RF current contact in the handpiece when the proximal hub is detachably secured to the handpiece;
a drive coupling in the proximal hub for engaging a rotatable component of the motor drive unit when the proximal hub is detachably secured to the handpiece, the drive coupling coupled to a proximal portion of the electrode, the drive coupling configured to convert rotational motion of the rotatable component of the motor drive unit into axial reciprocation of the electrode in the elongate shaft; and
a dielectric tip disposed at a distal end of the elongate shaft, the dielectric tip including a distal face, the electrode extending through the distal face to position the hook portion distal of the distal face, the dielectric tip including at least a first longitudinal flow channel therein for bringing fluid into the elongate shaft through the dielectric tip, the first longitudinal flow channel including a distal end that forms a first flow channel inlet in the distal face of the dielectric tip such that the first longitudinal flow channel extends proximally through the dielectric tip from the first flow channel inlet, wherein the first longitudinal flow channel has a first cross-sectional area at the first flow channel inlet and a second cross-sectional area at a location along the first longitudinal flow channel proximal of first flow channel inlet, the second cross-sectional area greater than the first cross-sectional area.

13. The electrosurgical probe of claim 12 , wherein the first flow channel inlet is an extension of an opening in the distal face through which the electrode extends.

14. The electrosurgical probe of claim 13 , wherein the opening is centered in the distal face, and wherein the first flow channel inlet extends radially outwardly from the opening.

15. The electrosurgical probe of claim 13 , wherein the dielectric tip includes a second longitudinal flow channel therein with a distal end that forms a second flow channel inlet in the distal face of the dielectric tip such that the second longitudinal flow channel extends proximally through the dielectric tip from the second flow channel inlet, and wherein the second flow channel inlet also is an extension of the opening in the distal face through which the electrode extends.

16. The electrosurgical probe of claim 15 , wherein the dielectric tip includes a longitudinal support element that extends longitudinally within the dielectric tip intermediate the first longitudinal flow channel and the second longitudinal flow channel.

17. The electrosurgical probe of claim 16 , wherein a distal end of the longitudinal support element is able to contact the electrode along the distal face of the dielectric tip.

18. The electrosurgical probe of claim 12 , wherein the distal face of the dielectric tip includes an opening through which the electrode extends, the first flow channel inlet separated from the opening along the distal face.

19. The electrosurgical probe of claim 18 , wherein the dielectric tip includes at least one additional flow channel inlet in the distal face that is separated from the first flow channel inlet and the opening in the distal face through which the electrode extends.

20. The electrosurgical probe of claim 12 , wherein the distal face of the dielectric tip is recessed proximally from a distal-most surface of the dielectric tip.

Assignees

• Relign Corp

Inventors

• Germain Aaron
• Klein Kyle
• Benamou Steffan
• Norton Jeffrey
• Tonkel Jacob

Classifications

• A61B18/148

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

• A61B2018/1475

  Electrodes retractable in or deployable from a housing · CPC title

• A61B2217/005

  with suction drainage system · CPC title

• A61B17/32002 Primary

  with continuously rotating, oscillating or reciprocating cutting instruments · CPC title

• A61B2017/320028

  with reciprocating movements · CPC title