# US 8,540,730 B1 · Surgical instrument for performing electrosurgical procedures > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,540,730 B1 - Document ID: US8540730B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 11/768,162 - Filed: 2007-06-25 - Granted: 2013-09-24 - Earliest claimed: 2007-06-25 - Assignees: Paul Tolen - Applicants: Edgar Fernandez - Inventors: Edgar Fernandez - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8540730B1 ## CPC - A61B 17/50: Instruments {, other than pincettes or toothpicks,} for removing foreign bodies from the human body (surgical pincettes, i.e. surgical tweezers, A61B17/30) - A61B 18/1402: {Probes for open surgery} - A61B 2017/00747: {Dermatology} - A61B 2017/00756: {Port wine stains} - A61B 2017/00761: {Removing layer of skin tissue, e.g. wrinkles, scars or cancerous tissue} - A61B 2017/00774: {Wart} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract A surgical instrument for performing electrosurgery is provided. The instrument includes an elongated body, an electrode blade tip, and a curettage tool removably attached to the instrument. The curettage tool has two scraping tips and each tip is positioned laterally from the electrode blade tip by a distance. The curettage tool has an attachment point configured for attaching to the tool or the electrode blade. The scraping tips of the curettage tool are disposed on two divergent arms that extend from the attachment point. The two scraping tips are disposed symmetrically relative to the electrode blade tip so that both left and right handed practitioners can use the instrument. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A curettage tool adapted to couple with an electrosurgical instrument having a body, an electrode blade, and a shaft that connects the electrode blade to the body, the curettage tool comprising: an attachment member, said attachment member being adapted to removably couple the curettage tool with the shaft; a horizontal member projecting outwardly from the attachment member, said horizontal member having an end; a divergent arm extending outwardly from the end of the horizontal member; and a scraping member coupled to a distal end of the divergent arm; wherein the horizontal member and the divergent arm cooperate to position the scraping member at a fixed distance from the electrode blade when the curettage tool is coupled with the shaft. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The curettage tool of claim 1, wherein the fixed distance between the scraping member and the electrode blade is between about 1 to 5 cm when the curettage tool is coupled with the shaft. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The curettage tool of claim 1, wherein the angle between the longitudinal axis of the divergent arm and the longitudinal axis of the shaft is about 45° when the curettage tool is coupled with the shaft. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The curettage tool of claim 1, wherein the scraping member is laterally disposed relative to the electrode blade when the curettage tool is coupled with the shaft. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The curettage tool of claim 1, wherein the attachment member comprises a passageway adapted to form an interference fit with the shaft when the curettage tool is coupled with the shaft. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The curettage tool of claim 1, wherein the attachment member comprises a locking mechanism which locks the curettage tool in position relative to the electrosurgical instrument when the curettage tool is coupled with the shaft. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The curettage tool of claim 1, wherein the angle between the divergent arm and the horizontal member is greater than or equal to 90°. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The curettage tool of claim 1, wherein the angle between the divergent arm and the horizontal member is about 135°. ### Claim 9 A curettage tool adapted to couple with an electrosurgical instrument comprising a body, an electrode blade, and a shaft that connects the electrode blade to the body, the curettage tool comprising: an attachment member, the attachment member being adapted to releasably attach the curettage tool to the body, to the shaft, or to the electrode blade; a horizontal section extending outwardly from the attachment member; two divergent arms extending outwardly from the horizontal section; a tip portion connected to a distal end of each divergent arm, each tip portion having a loop configuration and a bottom scraping surface; wherein a plane defined by the bottom scraping surfaces is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the electrode blade when the curettage tool is attached to the body, to the shaft, or to the electrode blade. ### Claim 10 A curettage tool adapted to couple with an electrosurgical instrument comprising a body, an electrode blade, and a shaft that connects the electrode blade to the body, the curettage tool comprising: an attachment member, the attachment member being adapted to attach the curettage tool to the body, to the shaft, or to the electrode blade; an elongated horizontal member projecting outwardly from the attachment member; a divergent arm extending outwardly from the elongated horizontal section; a tip portion connected to a distal end the divergent arm, the tip portion comprising a curette; wherein the longitudinal axis of the divergent arm intersects the longitudinal axis of the electrode blade at an angle of about 45° to the body, to the shaft, or to the electrode blade when the curettage tool is attached to the body, to the shaft or to the electrode blade. ### Claim 11 A curettage tool adapted to couple with an electrosurgical instrument comprising a body, an electrode blade, and a shaft that connects the electrode blade to the body, the curettage tool comprising: an attachment member, the attachment member being adapted to attach the curettage tool to the body, to the shaft or to the electrode blade; a divergent arm extending outwardly from the attachment member; a tip portion connected to a distal end of the divergent arm; wherein the longitudinal axis of the divergent arm intersects the longitudinal axis of the electrode blade at an angle of about 45° when the curettage tool is attached to the body, to the shaft or to the electrode blade. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The curettage tool of claim 11 wherein the tip portion comprises a curette. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The curettage tool of claim 11 wherein the attachment member is fixed to the body, to the shaft, or to the electrode blade. ### Claim 14 A curettage tool adapted to couple with an electrosurgical instrument comprising a body, an electrode blade, and a shaft that connects the electrode blade to the body, the curettage tool comprising: an attachment member, the attachment member being adapted to attach the curettage tool to the body, to the shaft, or to the electrode blade; a divergent arm extending outwardly from the attachment member; a tip portion connected to a distal end of the divergent arm; wherein the longitudinal axis of the divergent arm intersects the longitudinal axis of the electrode blade at an angle of about 45° when the curettage tool is attached to the body, to the shaft, or to the electrode blade; wherein the tip portion has a loop configuration or a spoon configuration. ### Claim 15 A curettage tool adapted to couple with an electrosurgical instrument comprising a body, an electrode blade, and a shaft that connects the electrode blade to the body, the curettage tool comprising: an attachment member, the attachment member being adapted to attach the curettage tool to the body, to the shaft, or to the electrode blade; a divergent arm extending outwardly from the attachment member; a tip portion connected to a distal end of the divergent arm; wherein the longitudinal axis of the divergent arm intersects the longitudinal axis of the electrode blade at an angle of about 45° when the curettage tool is attached to the body, to the shaft, or to the electrode blade; wherein the tip portion is a loop having a diameter of about 3 mm.