Bipolar electrosurgical hook probe for cutting and coagulating tissue
AssigneeGyrus Medical Limited
InventorsScott T. Latterell, Douglas S. Wahnschaffe
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A bipolar electrosurgical hook probe includes an end effector that includes first and second electrodes placed in parallel, closely-spaced relationship, each being of a relatively large surface area and a conductive reciprocally movable hook member that is movable into and out of a space between the first and second electrodes. A switch mechanism is provided by which an RF current can alternatively be made to flow between the first and second electrodes during electrocoagulation and from the hook electrode to each of the first and second electrodes when the instrument is operating in its cut mode.
Claims13
A bipolar electrosurgical cutting and coagulating probe, comprising:
- (a) an elongated, tubular barrel having a proximal end, a distal end and a lumen extending therebetween;
- (b) a handle member affixed to the proximal end of said barrel and including a manually operable actuator member mounted on a surface of the handle member;
- (c) an end effector affixed to the distal end of said barrel, said end effector comprising:
- (i) first and second electrodes placed in parallel, closely-spaced relationship, each of a relatively large surface area;
- (ii) a conductive, reciprocally, longitudinally movable hook member operatively coupled to the actuator member and said hook member having a relatively small surface area compared to the surface areas of the first and second electrodes, the hook member being movable longitudinally in and out of a space between the first and second electrodes upon manipulation of the actuator member;
- and
- (d) a plurality of elongated conductors extending through the handle member and into the lumen, one of the conductors connected electrically to the first electrode, another of the conductors connected electrically to the second electrode and still another of the conductors connected electrically to the hook member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.