US 5,562,703 AGranted

Endoscopic surgical instrument

OwnerAshvin H. Desaiinventor

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Abstract

An endoscopic surgical instrument includes a housing, single access conduit formed in the housing, an irrigation port and an evacuation port, each port being connected through independent valves to the single access conduit. The single access conduit has a first end and a second end which is terminated in an aperture formed in the housing. A closure is provided for the aperture. A viewing device, such as an endoscope, is insertable through the aperture and the single access conduit, and is extended slightly beyond the first end. An electrode assembly having two or more retractable RF electrodes spaced a predetermined distance and angle apart, is also insertable through the aperture and the single access conduit, and is extendable beyond the first end. Each RF electrode is in electrical communication with a means for supplying R.F. energy and for continuously measuring impedance across the electrodes. Also, each RF electrode is extendable beyond and completely retractable into a guiding sheath. Each RF electrode is extendable beyond its guiding sheath by a predetermined length. Also, each RF electrode may be extended in such a manner to form a predetermined angular value with the longitudinal centerline of the single access conduit.

Claims16

Dependent claims

An endoscopic surgical instrument comprising:

a) housing;
b) a single access conduit being disposed within said housing, and having a proximal end and a distal end;
c) an irrigation port formed in said housing;
d) an evacuation port formed in said housing, each of said irrigation and said evacuation ports being in fluid communication, through independent valves, with said proximal end of said single access conduit;
e) an aperture and a closure therefor, said aperture being formed in said housing, and said closure being openable to allow the ingress of microsurgical instrumentation into said proximal end of said single access conduit;
and
f) RF electrode means insertable into said aperture and into said single access conduit and having a length so as to protrude beyond said distal end of said single access conduit, said RF electrode means for engaging a body tissue portion, and for simultaneously ablating said body tissue portion and measuring an impedance value associated with said body tissue portion, said RF electrode means including
i) a first RF electrode having a distal end and a proximal end, said first RF electrode being disposed within an insulating sheath;
ii) elongated guide means encasing said first RF electrode and said insulating sheath, for guiding said first RF electrode to a predetermined angle value from the longitudinal axis of said single access conduit;
iii) electrode movement mechanism means, attached to said proximal end of said first RF electrode, for moving said first RF electrode within said guide means, said distal end of said first RF electrode is extendable beyond an open end of said guide means up to a predetermined length value and engagable with and insertable into said body tissue portion;
iv) energy source means, in electrical communication with said proximal end of said first RF electrode, for transmitting energy into said distal end of said first RF electrode when it is extended beyond said guide means and into said body tissue portion to ablate said body tissue portion;
and
v) tissue impedance measurement means, in electrical communication with said proximal end of said first RF electrode, for measuring an impedance associated with said body tissue portion engaged with said distal end of said first RF electrode when it is extended beyond said guide means.

10 more elements

A retractable RF electrode assembly for ablating and measuring the impedance of a body tissue portion, comprising:

a) a first RF electrode having a distal end and a proximal end, said first RF electrode being disposed within an insulating sheath;
b) elongated guide means encasing said first RF electrode and said insulating sheath, for guiding said first RF electrode into a predetermined angle value from the longitudinal axis of said single access conduit;
c) electrode movement mechanism means, attached to said proximal end of said first RF electrode, for moving said first RF electrode within said guide means, said distal end of said first RF electrode is extendable beyond and open end of said guide means up to a predetermined length value and engagable with and insertable into said body tissue portion;
d) energy source means, in electrical communication with said proximal end of said first RF electrode, for transmitting energy into said distal end of said first RF electrode when it is extended beyond said guide means and into said body tissue portion so as to ablate said body tissue portion;
and
e) tissue impedance measurement means, in electrical communication with said proximal end of said first RF electrode, for measuring an impedance associated with said body tissue portion engaged with said distal end of said first RF electrode when it is extended beyond said guide means.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 08/259,712Filed 14 Jun 1994
Granted: 8 Oct 1996
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification21 codes

A61B 18/1477
Probes or electrodes therefor: needle-like probes
A61B 18/149
Probes or electrodes therefor: bow shaped or with rotatable body at cantilever end, e.g. for resectoscopes, or coagulating rollers
A61M 1/774
Suction-irrigation systems: handpieces specially adapted for providing suction as well as irrigation, either simultaneously or independently
A61B 17/3498
Trocars; Puncturing needles: valves therefor, e.g. flapper valves, slide valves