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AssigneeAsalus Medical Instruments Limited
InventorsNeil Warren, Robin Crossley, Steven Brown, Andrew Cheer
Estimating the term…
Disclosed is apparatus 100 for the reduction or removal of smoke particles suspended in a local atmosphere A and resulting from a surgical procedure, the apparatus including or comprising two electrodes 140 and 150 each in electrical communication with or being electrically connectable to opposite poles of a source of high voltage dc electricity. A first of the electrodes 140 may be electrically connectable to a patient P. and a second 150 may be positionable within or adjacent a patient such that the two electrodes, when in communication with opposite poles of said high voltage, ionize said particles in use, for attracting said particles toward the patient or toward the second of the electrodes.
Apparatus for the reduction and removal of particles suspended in a local atmosphere and resulting from a surgical procedure at a site on a patient having a body, the apparatus including or comprising two electrodes, each in electrical communication with or being electrically connectable to opposite poles of a source of high voltage DC electricity, the first electrode being connectable to the body of the patient undergoing the surgical procedure and the second electrode comprising a conductive rod extending through an insulating elongated shield, the rod having an exposed distal end, the rod and the second electrode being adapted to be removably inserted at or near the site of the surgical procedure such that, in use, the two electrodes, when in communication with opposite poles of said high voltage DC electricity, ionise said suspended particles, for attracting said suspended particles towards the patient.
A method of reducing or removing particles suspended in a local atmosphere, during and/or after a surgical procedure, the method comprising the steps in any suitable order, of:
In connection with an apparatus for the reduction and removal of particles suspended in a local atmosphere and resulting from a surgical procedure at a site on a body of a patient, the improvement comprising two electrodes, each in electrical communication with or being electrically connectable to opposite poles of a source of high voltage DC electricity, the first electrode being connectable to the body of the patient undergoing the surgical procedure and the second electrode comprising a conductive rod extending through an insulating elongated shield, the rod having an exposed distal end, the rod and the second electrode being adapted to be removably inserted at or near the site of the surgical procedure such that, in use, the two electrodes, when in communication with the opposite poles of said high voltage DC electricity, ionise said suspended particles for attracting said suspended particles towards the patient.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.
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Applying electric currents by contact electrodes: continuous direct currents
Surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to
Particle charging or ionising stations, e.g. using electric discharge, radioactive radiation or flames: using radiation
Electrode constructions: ionising-electrodes
About 5 years 8 months of term left · ends 8 Jul 2032 (estimated)
This invention relates to the reduction or removal of particles, during or following surgical procedures, in particular, but not exclusively, the reduction or removal of smoke during or following procedures such as laparoscopic or other intracorporeal procedures or open surgery.
In this specification the words particles, smoke, smoke particles, and related terms are intended to encompass any particles, or molecules or matter suspended in an atmosphere including suspended droplets formed by heat or cold.
Particles such as smoke particles are often generated during surgical procedures. Heat can be generated, for example when electrical current is passed through tissue for cutting, when friction cutting is employed, where intense light such as light generated by lasers is used, or any technique which uses large amounts of energy.
The invention can be put into effect in numerous ways, examples only being described below, with reference to the drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1 shows a first arrangement for the removal or reduction of smoke particles from the abdomen of a patient;
FIG. 2 shows a second arrangement for the removal or reduction of smoke particles from the abdomen of a patient;
Referring to FIG. 1 there is shown a patient P who is undergoing a laparoscopic procedure. An instrument 10, is inserted into the insufflated abdomen A via a laparoscopic access port 90 and is being used to for removal of tissue T in the abdomen A of the patient P. The instrument 10 is supplied with power along a power supply route 92. The instrument 10 is producing smoke particles S. It should be noted that the term smoke particles in this description includes particles, vapour, and other matter which is mixed or suspended in the atmosphere within the abdomen A. The above mentioned features are conventional.
Apparatus 100 is provided to reduce or remove the smoke S from the abdomen A. The apparatus includes a high voltage dc electrical source 110, insulated conductors 120 and 130, a first electrode 140 in the form of a conductive pad 144, and a second electrode 150. An example of the construction of the second electrode is given below, although in its simplest form the second electrode is a conductive rod 154 which is partially insulated to prevent the rod from being touched accidentally against the patient P.
In use the conductive pad 144 of the first electrode is attached to the leg of the patient P, or other body part, using a conductive gel 148 and electrically connected to the positive pole of the high voltage source by means of insulated conductor 120. The patient's body then becomes positively charged.