Electro-surgical radio-frequency instrument

A bipolar electro-surgical radio-frequency instrument for the coagulating and/or cutting of tissue comprising:

• a shaft having a longitudinal axis;
• a working tip adapted to be attached to the shaft so that it extends substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis away from the shaft, the tip including a flat elongated insulating layer having first and second parallel, plane surfaces of equal size and shape extending away from the shaft, and first and second electrodes of equal size and mirror-symmetrical shape each having one plane surface which is parallel with and of the same size as the first and second plane surfaces, respectively, of the flat insulating layer, and being attached thereto so that the transition from the plane surfaces of the electrodes to the first and second surfaces of the insulating layer is continuous and interruption-free, the insulating layer being shaped as a rod with a rectangular section and the electrodes having a symmetrical blade-like shape and a rounded lateral extension proximate an end of the tip remote from the shaft to thereby form a spatula-shaped unit comprising the insulating layer and the first and second electrodes;
• and means for connecting the electrodes to a radio frequency voltage.

A bipolar electro-surgical radio-frequency instrument for coagulating and/or mechanically surgically working on tissue, the instrument comprising:

• a shaft having a longitudinal axis, a radio-frequency voltage connection and a working tip attached to and extending substantially in the direction of the longitudinal axis away from the shaft, the tip including a flat elongated insulating layer having first and second parallel, plane surfaces of a given size and shape extending away from the shaft, and first and second electrodes of equal size and mirror-symmetrical shape each having one plane surface which is parallel with, of the same size as and abuts the first and second plane surfaces, respectively, of the flat insulating layer, peripheral surfaces of the insulating layer and the electrodes forming a continuous and interruption-free side surface of the working tip which extends transversely to the longitudinal axis from an exterior side of the first electrode facing away from the insulating layer to an exterior side of the second electrode facing away from the insulating layer so that the insulating layer is sandwiched between the electrodes, the electrodes and the insulating layer being shaped to define the working tip in the form of a mechanical-surgical instrument capable of coagulating the tissue and mechanically surgically working on the tissue.

Medical instrument for treating tissue during medical operations and adapted to be used as a bipolar electro-surgical radio-frequency instrument for coagulating and/or cutting the tissue, the instrument comprising:

• a shaft;
• a working tip connected with the shaft and shaped in the form of one of a hook and a spatula for treating the tissue during medical operations, the working tip simultaneously defining the instrument for coagulating and/or cutting the tissue and for that purpose including a flat elongated insulating layer having first and second plane surfaces of equal size and shape, a spacing between the first and second surfaces being identical over their entire extent, first and second electrodes of equal size and mirror-symmetrical shape each having a plane surface which is parallel with, of the same size as and abuts the first and second plane surfaces, respectively, of the flat insulating layer so that the insulating layer is sandwiched between the electrodes, and so that a peripheral surface of the instrument defined by peripheries of the electrodes and the insulating layer is smooth and continuous, exterior surfaces of the first and second electrodes having portions adapted to be brought into direct contact with the tissue, and means for connecting the electrodes to a radio-frequency voltage.