Fluid-assisted electrosurgical device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9486283-B2
Application number	US-201314136674-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 20, 2013
Priority date	Feb 23, 2009
Publication date	Nov 8, 2016
Grant date	Nov 8, 2016

Abstract

The disclosure provides a fluid-assisted electrosurgical device. The device comprises a first electrode, a second electrode and at least one fluid outlet. In one embodiment, the first electrode has a distal portion with an electrically conductive spherical surface, the second electrode has a distal portion with an electrically conductive spherical surface, and at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode have a blade portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electrosurgical device to treat tissue in a presence of radio frequency energy and a fluid provided from the device, the device comprising:
a distal portion comprising a first electrode tip, a second electrode tip and at least one fluid outlet;
the first electrode tip comprising a first electrode having a distal portion with an electrically conductive spherical surface; the second electrode tip comprising a second electrode having a distal portion with an electrically conductive spherical surface;
at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode having a blade portion,
wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are configured to be electrically coupled to a bipolar power output;
the at least one electrode having the blade portion is configured to be electrically coupled to a monopolar power output; and
wherein the blade portion extends longitudinally along at least one of the first and the second electrode.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein:
the blade portion extends from a proximal portion to the distal portion of at least one of the first and the second electrode.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein:
the blade portion has a cutting edge.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein:
the cutting edge is an electrosurgical cutting edge.

5. The device of claim 3 wherein:
the blade portion has opposing sides; the blade portion narrows as the opposing sides approach the cutting edge.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein:
at least one of the opposing sides comprises a planar surface.

7. The device of claim 5 wherein:
at least one of the opposing sides comprises a concave surface.

8. The device of claim 5 wherein:
at least one of the opposing sides comprises a convex surface.

9. The device of claim 1 wherein:
the at least one fluid outlet further comprises at least one fluid outlet in fluid communication with the first electrode and at least one fluid outlet in fluid communication with the second electrode.

10. The device of claim 9 wherein:
the at least one fluid outlet in fluid communication with the first electrode is proximal to a distal end of the first electrode; and
the at least one fluid outlet in fluid communication with the second electrode is proximal to a distal end of the second electrode.

11. The device of claim 9 wherein:
the at least one fluid outlet in fluid communication with the first electrode is at least partially defined by the first electrode; and
the at least one fluid outlet in fluid communication with the second electrode is at least partially defined by the second electrode.

12. The device of claim 1 wherein:
the first electrode is laterally spaced from the second electrode.

13. The device of claim 1 wherein:
the first electrode is carried by a first tubing segment; and the second electrode is carried by a second tubing segment.

14. The device of claim 13 wherein:
the first tubing segment is electrically conductive; and
the second tubing segment is electrically conductive.

15. The device of claim 14 wherein:
the electrically conductive first tubing segment is in electrical contact with the first electrode; and
the electrically conductive second tubing segment is in electrical contact with the second electrode.

16. The device of claim 1 wherein:
the first electrode is connected at a distal end of a first tubing segment; and
the second electrode is connected at a distal end of a second tubing segment.

17. The device of claim 16 wherein:
the first electrode is mechanically joined to the first tubing segment; and
the second electrode is mechanically joined to the second tubing segment.

18. The device of claim 17 wherein:
the first electrode is welded to the first tubing segment; and
the second electrode is welded to the second tubing segment.

19. An electrosurgical device comprising:
a distal portion comprising a first electrode tip, a second electrode tip and at least one fluid outlet;
the first electrode tip comprising a first electrode having a blade portion extending longitudinally along the first electrode;
the second electrode tip comprising a second electrode having a blade portion extending longitudinally along the second electrode;
each of the first and second electrodes configured to be electrically coupled to a bipolar energy source by first and second bipolar electrical connectors in electrical communication with the first and second electrodes, respectively; and
at least one of the first and second electrodes configured to be electrically coupled to a monopolar energy source by a monopolar electrical connector in electrical communication with at least one of the first and second electrodes.

Assignees

• Medtronic Advanced Energy Llc

Inventors

• Greeley Roger D
• Earles Donald
• Flanagan David
• Bloom Eliot
• Conley Brian
• Barry Jonathan

Classifications

• A61B2018/126

  bipolar · CPC title

• A61B2018/1467

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

• A61B2018/1412

  Blade · CPC title

• A61B2018/00601

  Cutting · CPC title

• A61B2018/1253

  monopolar · CPC title