US 6,231,571 B1 · Electrosurgical handpiece for treating tissue

Abstract

An electrosurgical handpiece that is bipolar or unipolar in operation and that is configured for use in MIS. The bipolar operation confines the electrosurgical currents to a small active region between the active ends of the bipolar electrode and thus reduces the possibility that excessive heat will be developed that can damage patient tissue. The position of the active region can be controlled to avoid patient tissue that may be more sensitive to excessive heat. In one embodiment, the handpiece is constructed with a flexible end controllable by the surgeon so as to allow the surgeon to manipulate the end as desired during the surgical procedure. This feature allows the surgeon to position the active electrode end at the optimum location within, say, a herniated disk to remove undesired regions and to provide controlled heat to shrink the tissue during surgery. In another embodiment, the handpiece is constructed to contain both a bipolar as well as a unipolar electrode, with provision made for selectively operating either of the electrodes. In still another embodiment, a replaceable element for the handpiece comprises scissors.

Claims13

Dependent claims

An electrosurgical bipolar handpiece comprising:

(a) an elongated tubular first member having a first end and a remote flexible second end,
(b) an elongated tubular second member located within the first member, said second member comprising an electrically-insulating tube having a first end and a remote flexible second end adjacent the first member's second end and comprising electrically-insulating means dividing the second tube into first and second compartments,
(c) first and second electrically-conductive wires each positioned, respectively, in the first and second compartments and electrically-insulated from each other,
(d) first means connected to the first member at its first end for applying electrosurgical bipolar currents to the first and second wires,
(e) second means connected to the first member at its first end for selectively flexing the remote flexible end of the first member relative to the first end of the first member together with the remote flexible end of the second member,
(f) active electrically-insulated electrosurgical electrodes connected to the first and second wires and extendable at the remote flexible end, said electrosurgical electrodes flexing together with the remote flexible ends when the second means is operated while maintaining them electrically-insulated.

3 more elements

A procedure for surgically treating tissue comprising:

(I) providing an electrosurgical handpiece comprising:
(a) an elongated tubular first member having a first end and a remote flexible second end,
(b) an elongated tubular second member located within the first member, said second member comprising an electrically-insulating tube having a first end and a remote flexible second end adjacent the first member's second end and containing an electrically-insulating divider dividing the second tube into first and second compartments,
(c) first and second electrically-conductive wires each positioned, respectively, in the first and second compartments and electrically-insulated from each other,
(d) first means connected to the first member at its first end for applying electrosurgical bipolar currents to the first and second wires,
(e) second means connected to the first member at its first end for selectively flexing the remote flexible end of the first member relative to the first end of the first member together with the remote flexible end of the second member,
(f) active electrically-insulated electrosurgical electrodes connected to the first and second wires and selectively extendable out of their respective compartments at the remote flexible end, said electrosurgical electrodes flexing together with the remote flexible ends when the second means is operated while maintaining them electrically-insulated,
(II) inserting the first tubular member into a patient in the vicinity of tissue to be treated,
(III) flexing the remote flexible end to position the electrosurgical electrodes at the tissue to be treated,
(IV) applying electrosurgical currents to the first end to provide a bipolar discharge to generate heat at and treat the tissue.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Electrosurgical handpiece for treating tissue

Life of this patent

Electrosurgical handpiece for treating tissue

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims13