Plasma surgery device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021282844-A1
Application number	US-201816603501-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 10, 2018
Priority date	Apr 10, 2017
Publication date	Sep 16, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

An electrosurgical wand is provided and includes a handle and an elongate shaft coupled to the handle and extending distally from the handle along an axis. An active electrode is disposed at a distal end of the electrosurgical wand. A return electrode abuts the elongate shaft and extends along and annularly about the axis. The return electrode has a top side adjacent the active electrode and an opposite bottom side and defines a notch. A support member is disposed in the notch between the electrodes and transitions curvilinearly from the notch to define a front surface extending laterally across and axially from the return electrode. The front surface tapers downwardly from the active electrode to define a first portion defining a first convex outer surface and also extends toward the bottom side of the return electrode to define a second portion defining a second convex outer surface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An electrosurgical wand, comprising:
a handle on a proximal end of the electrosurgical wand; an elongate shaft coupled to the handle and extending distally from the handle along a longitudinal central axis; an active electrode disposed at a distal end of the electrosurgical wand and having an outer face and defining an exterior periphery extending thereabout and residing within and defining a plane spaced from and extending along and laterally from the longitudinal central axis; a return electrode abutting the elongate shaft and extending along and annularly about the longitudinal central axis and having a top side adjacent the active electrode and a bottom side disposed remotely from the active electrode and opposite the top side, at least a portion of the return electrode being disposed proximally to the active electrode; the top side of the return electrode having a first length measured axially from the elongate shaft and the bottom side having a second length measured axially from the elongate shaft being greater than the first length to define a notch enabling the bottom side of the return electrode and the active electrode to overlap along the longitudinal central axis in an overlap region; a support member being electrically insulative and disposed in the notch between the active electrode and the return electrode and extending axially from the return electrode, the support member coupled to and supporting the active electrode; and the support member transitioning curvilinearly from the notch of the return electrode axially and tapering to a distal tip adjacent the active electrode to define a front surface extending laterally across and axially from the return electrode and tapering downwardly from the active electrode to define a first portion disposed adjacent the active electrode and defining a first convex outer surface, the front surface extending toward the bottom side of the return electrode to define a second portion disposed adjacent the bottom side of the return electrode and defining a second convex outer surface, the support member holding the active electrode a first distance from the longitudinal central axis being greater than a second distance from the longitudinal central axis to the top side of the return electrode.

2 . The electrosurgical wand as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the support member has a mid-section disposed between the first portion and the second portion of the front surface and defining a concave outer surface axially undercutting the active electrode toward the proximal end of the electrosurgical wand.

3 . The electrosurgical wand as set forth in claim 2 , wherein the concave section has a member radius of curvature having a center disposed on a side the longitudinal central axis being the same as the active electrode.

4 . The electrosurgical wand as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the notch defines a circuitous edge extending arcuately across the top side of the return electrode between a pair of corners to define an upper segment and from the pair of corners axially toward the distal end to define a pair of horizontal segments laterally opposite one another and each extending axially to end at respective shoulders and from the shoulders extending arcuately around the bottom side of the return electrode to define a lower segment and wherein the support member includes a rear edge extending along and corresponding with the circuitous edge of the return electrode.

5 . The electrosurgical wand as set forth in claim 4 , wherein the lower segment of the circuitous edge is angled axially away from the distal end as the circuitous edge extends away from the longitudinal central axis at a lower edge segment angle relative to the longitudinal central axis.

6 . The electrosurgical wand as set forth in claim 4 , wherein at least one of the shoulders and the corners is rounded.

7 . The electrosurgical wand as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising:
an aspiration channel defined within the elongate shaft; and wherein the active electrode further comprises at least one aperture that defines a suction lumen, the at least one aperture is disposed over an opening into the aspiration channel.

8 . The electrosurgical wand as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the support member includes at least one shelf extending axially along and disposed below the exterior periphery of the active electrode and extending laterally outwardly from the support member.

9 . The electrosurgical wand as set forth in claim 8 , wherein the at least one shelf is angled at a shelf angle relative to the electrode face.

10 . The electrosurgical wand as set forth in claim 9 , wherein the shelf angle is between 30 and 60 degrees.

11 . An electrosurgical wand comprising:
a handle on a proximal end of the electrosurgical wand; an elongate shaft coupled to the handle and extending distally from the handle along a longitudinal central axis; an active electrode disposed at a distal end of the electrosurgical wand and having an outer face and residing within and defining a plane spaced from and extending along and laterally from the longitudinal central axis; a return electrode abutting the elongate shaft and extending along and annularly about the longitudinal central axis and having a top side adjacent the active electrode and a bottom side disposed remotely from the active electrode and opposite the top side, at least a portion of the return electrode being disposed proximally to the active electrode; a support member being electrically insulative and disposed between the active electrode and the return electrode and extending axially from the return electrode and coupled to and supporting the active electrode; the active electrode having an oblong shape viewed perpendicular to the plane within which the active electrode resides with a wider portion and a narrower portion narrowing with increasing distal distance from the wider portion and disposed distally with respect to the wider portion and defining an exterior periphery extending thereabout including a pair of side edges; and the active electrode including a plurality of protrusions extending away from the outer face of the active electrode in a direction away from the longitudinal central axis.

12 . The electrosurgical wand as set forth in claim 11 , wherein the plurality of protrusions includes a pair of rear protrusions spaced from and on opposite sides of the longitudinal central axis in the wider portion and a pair of front protrusions spaced from and on opposite sides of the longitudinal central axis and axially spaced from the rear protrusions in the narrower portion.

13 . The electrosurgical wand as set forth in claim 12 , wherein the pair of front protrusions each angles laterally inwardly toward the longitudinal central axis as they extend axially away from the wider portion.

14 . The electrosurgical wand as set forth in claim 12 , wherein the pair of side edges each is slightly convex and converges with one another at an active electrode apex in the narrowing portion and connected at a truncated end being linear and extending laterally from the longitudinal central axis in the wider portion.

15 . The electrosurgical wand as set forth in claim 11 , wherein the pair of side edges each has an edge radius of curvature having a center on an opposite side of the longitudinal central axis from the respective one of the pair of side edges.

16 . The electrosurgical wand as set forth in claim 11 , wherein the longitudinal central axis does not intersect the plane within the periphery of

Assignees

• Smith & Nephew Inc

Inventors

• Woloszko Jean
• Goode Johnson E
• Dinger Brent R

Classifications

• A61B18/16

  Indifferent or passive electrodes for grounding · CPC title

• A61B2018/122

  ionizing, with corona · CPC title

• A61B2018/00309

  passive, e.g. palpable click when activating a button · CPC title

• A61B18/1482 Primary

  having a long rigid shaft for accessing the inner body transcutaneously in minimal invasive surgery, e.g. laparoscopy · CPC title

• A61B2018/00577

  Ablation · CPC title