AU2008203348B2

AU2008203348B2 - Electrosurgical device

Info

Publication number: AU2008203348B2
Application number: AU2008203348A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Mark Verchuur
Original assignee: KILLARA IP Pty Ltd
Current assignee: KILLARA IP Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2007-07-27
Filing date: 2008-07-25
Publication date: 2012-12-20
Anticipated expiration: 2028-07-25
Also published as: AU2008203348A1

Abstract

An electrosurgical device having a conduit for evacuating gases.from a surgical site, electrical means for electrically connecting the conduit to an electrical power supply, and an electrode for delivering electricity to the surgical site. At least one of the conduit 5 and the electrode is at least partly receivable within the other and each has a contacting surface for contacting the contacting surface of the other for electrically and mechanically connecting the electrode and the conduit when so received. At least one of the contacting surfaces has at least one discontinuity to allow for resilient deformation of at least one of the conduit and the electrode. 190 ( 180 190 100 Fig 1 30 Fig 2 30 ,Fig 3 100g 110 120 '''' '' L 70 90 Fig 4

Description

AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 DRAFT COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR THE INVENTION ENTITLED: Electrosurgical Device Applicant: Killara Pty Ltd The invention is described in the following statement: 1 Electrosurgical Device Field of the invention The invention relates to an electrosurgical device. Background of the invention 5 Electrosurgery (sometimes referred to as surgical diathermy) employs the passage of high frequency, oscillating electric currents through tissue between two electrodes to fulgurate, desiccate, or cut tissue. The use of electrosurgery by surgeons on their patients has resulted in many advantages, as well as associated hazards. During electrosurgery smoke from burnt tissue can obscure the surgeon's view of the 10 surgical site and is a health risk to the patient and the surgical team: The smoke contains chemical by-products, as well as viral and/or bacterial contaminants. It is therefore desirable to evacuate the smoke from the surgical site. The (Australian) Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recommends that smoke evacuation systems be used to reduce potential acute and chronic health risks to both 15 patients and personnel. Smoke can be evacuated by a separate suction device, for example operated by a nurse, in addition to the electrosurgery device operated by the surgeon. In practice it has been found that evacuation is more effective if the evacuation device is positioned close to the electrode. For this purpose a variety of electrosurgical devices having 20 evacuation shrouds surrounding the electrode have been developed. For example US patent no. 5,224,944 shows an evacuation assembly attachable to an electrosurgical tool to provide such a shroud. Such arrangements add to the weight, bulk and complexity of the device. This increases the cost of the device, makes the device harder to clean and more difficult for the surgeon to manipulate accurately. 25 Although not well known, the device of UK patent application GB 2 398 742 represents a significant advance over these earlier devices. It includes an electrode F with a cylindrical tubular body receivable within evacuation conduit A. A metal to metal contact 2 between the electrode and the conduit electrically connects the electrode. The connection between the electrode and the conduit is thought to be unreliable. The electrode can fall out of the conduit or become stuck. It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide an electrosurgical device having an 5 improved connection of the electrode. Reference to any prior art or background information in this specification is not, and should not be taken as, an acknowledgment or any form of suggestion that this prior art or background information forms part of the common general knowledge in Australia or any other jurisdiction; or that this prior art or background information could reasonably 10 be expected to be ascertained, understood and regarded as relevant by a person skilled in the art. Summary of the invention It has been discovered that the connection between the conduit and the electrode is reliant on the precise size and shape of the conduit and electrode such that normal 15 manufacturing tolerances, normal wear and tear, or the ingress of dust and debris can adversely affect the connection. It has also been discovered that the reliance on precise size and shape can be reduced, thereby improving the connection, by introducing a discontinuity in the contact between the electrode and the conduit to increase the resilience of one or both components. 20 Accordingly, the invention provides an electrosurgical device having a conduit for evacuating gases from a surgical site, means for electrically connecting the conduit to an electrosurgical generator, and an electrode for delivering high frequency electrical energy or radio frequency waves to the surgical site to cut or coagulate, at least one of the conduit and the electrode being at least partly receivable 25 within the other and each having a contacting surface for contacting the contacting surface of the other for electrically and mechanically connecting the electrode and the conduit when so received, 2A characterised in at least one of the contacting surfaces having at least one discontinuity to allow for resilient deformation of at least one of the conduit and the electrode. The conduit can be housed in a casing shaped for pencil-like gripping and having a 5 length. The conduit can extend substantially the full length of the casing. Preferably the 3 casing is constructed of an electrically insulating material, eg. plastic, and most preferably there is provided an insulating sheath intermediate the conduit and the casing. The electrical means can also be housed in the casing. Preferably the electrode includes a tubular body, most preferably a substantially 5 cylindrical tubular body, for engagement with the conduit, the tubular body having a lengthwise slot, or most preferably only one lengthwise slot. Advantageously the electrode is receivable within the conduit. The electrical means can include controls operable to regulate the operation of the device, for example "on", "off', "cut" or "coagulate". 10 In another aspect of the invention there is provided an electrode for an electrosurgical device, the electrosurgical device having a conduit for evacuating gases from a surgical site, and means for electrically connecting the conduit to an electrosurgical generator; at least one of the conduit and the electrode being at least partly receivable within the other and each having a contacting surface for contacting the contacting 5 surface of the other for electrically and mechanically connecting the electrode and the conduit when so received, characterised in the contacting surface of the electrode having at least one discontinuity to allow for resilient deformation of the electrode. Brief description of the drawings 20 Figure 1 is an end view of an electrode according to a preferred form of the invention; Figure 2 is a side view of the electrode of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a perspective view of the electrode of Figure 1; and Figure 4 is a schematic partly exploded perspective view of an electros!urgical device according to a preferred form of the invention.

4 Detailed description of the embodiments As shown in figures 1 to 3 the electrode 10 consists of a tubular substantially cylindrical body 20 defining a passage 50, and a tip 30 extending from a wall of the main body 20. The electrode 10 is formed of 0.6mm thick sheet metal. The sheet is rolled to form 5 cylindrical body 20, but the free ends 180,190 do not meet, leaving slot 40 opposite tip 30. Tip 30 is formed by twisting a tab projecting from the cylindrical body 20. As illustrated in figure 4, the device 70 includes a casing 60 (shown in outline only) which has a convenient shape for pencil like gripping. Conduit 90 which is formed of metal and therefore is an electrical conductor, runs 10 lengthwise through the casing 60 and is open to receive electrode 10 at a front end 80, and at a rear end 100 is connected to vacuum hose 110 which conveniently also houses power supply lead 120. An insulating sheath 200 covers the full length of conduit 90 thereby electrically isolating conduit 90 from casing 60 and vacuum hose 110. 15 On a top surface of casing 60 are positioned electrical components 130, including buttons 140,150 and wire 160. The electrical components are connected to an electrosurgical generator (not shown) via power supply lead 120 and to conduit 90 via wire 160. An electrosurgical generator receives power, typically from a mains supply and 20 produces the high-frequency electrical energy, or radio frequency waves required for electrosurgery. In response to either of buttons 140 and 150 the electrosurgical generator produces an output to energise conduit 90 for "cut" and "coagulate" functions respectively. The buttons 140 and 150 are conveniently labelled and colour coded (not shown) for easy 25 identification. The electrode 10 is sized to be resiliently receivable within the conduit 90 so that passage 50 aligns with conduit 90 to provide a gas extraction path. Conduit 90 includes 5 an internal stop (not shown) to abut a rear edge 170 of electrode 10 when the electrode is correctly positioned within the conduit 90 thereby preventing retreat of the electrode 10 into conduit 90. A conformal contact between the outside of the electrode and the inside of the conduit 5 provides a good electrical connection and good mechanical retention. The slot 40 allows the free ends 180 and 190 to resiliently move relative to each other thereby greatly improving the resilience of the cylindrical body 20. This improved resilience allows the cylindrical body 20 to accommodate variations in the size and shape of the cylindrical body 20 or the conduit 90 thereby greatly improving the 10 connection therebetween. The illustrated embodiment includes a single discontinuity (slot 40), but workable embodiments within the scope of the invention can have more discontinuities. For example, the cylindrical body might have three slots defining 3 prongs that are engageable with the conduit. This simple press fit construction allows for easy 15 replacement of the electrode. In use the casing 60 is gripped by a surgeon in a pencil-like fashion. One of buttons 140 and 150 is depressed to energise electrode 10 (via wire 160 and conduit 90). Current is passed from the electrode 10 to a surgical site (not shown). A vacuum is applied to vacuum hose 110 by a vacuum source (not shown) such that gases generated at the 20 surgical site are evacuated via passage 50, conduit 90 and vacuum hose 110. A relatively short electrode 10 is illustrated. This style of electrode is useful for making initial incisions and other operations close to the skin of the patient. Longer electrodes, for example about 165mm in overall length, are useful for operating on deeper tissues. In the case of such longer electrodes a substantial portion of the electrode which in use 25 extends from the first end 80 of conduit 90 to an operative end portion of the electrode may be insulated (e.g. sheathed in a non-conductive material). It will be understood that the invention disclosed and defined in this specification extends to all alternative combinations of two or more of the individual features 6 mentioned or evident from the text or drawings. All of these different combinations constitute various alternative aspects of the invention.

Claims

1. An electrosurgical device having a conduit for evacuating gases from a surgical site, means for electrically connecting the conduit to an electrosurgical generator, and an electrode for delivering high frequency electrical energy or radio frequency waves to 5 the surgical site to cut or coagulate, at least one of the conduit and the electrode being at least partly receivable within the other and each having a contacting surface for contacting the contacting surface of the other for electrically and mechanically connecting the electrode and the conduit when so received, 10 characterised in at least one of the contacting surfaces having at least one discontinuity to allow for resilient deformation of at least one of the conduit and the electrode.

2. The electrosurgical device of claim 1 wherein the electrode includes a tubular body for engagement with the conduit, the tubular body having a lengthwise slot. 15

3. The electrosurgical device of claim 2, the tubular body being substantially cylindrical.

4. The electrosurgical device of claim 2 or 3, the tubular body having only one lengthwise slot.

5. The electrosurgical device of any one of the proceeding claims wherein the 20 electrode is in use received within the conduit.

6. The electrosurgical device of any one of the proceeding claims, the conduit being housed in a casing shaped for pencil-like gripping and having a length.

7. The electrosurgical device of claim 6, the conduit extending substantially the full length of the casing. 8

8. The electrosurgical device of claim 5, 6 or 7 the casing being constructed of an electrically insulating material.

9. The electrosurgical device of claim 6, 7 or 8 having an insulating sheath intermediate the conduit and the casing. 5

10. The electrosurgical device of any one of claim 6 to 9, the means for electrically connecting the conduit to an electrosurgical generator being housed in the casing.

11. The electrosurgical device of any one of the proceeding claims, the means for electrically connecting the conduit to an electrosurgical generator including controls operable to regulate the operation of the device. 0

12. The electrosurgical device of claim 11, the controls including cut and coagulate functions.

13. An electrode for an electrosurgical device, the electrosurgical device having a conduit for evacuating gases from a surgical site, and means for electrically connecting the conduit to an electrosurgical generator; 5 at least one of the conduit and the electrode being at least partly receivable within the other and each having a contacting surface for contacting the contacting surface of the other for electrically and mechanically connecting the electrode and the conduit when so received, characterised in the contacting surface of the electrode having at least one 20 discontinuity to allow for resilient deformation of the electrode.

14. The electrode of claim 13 including a tubular body for engagement with the conduit, the tubular body having a lengthwise slot.

15. The electrode of claim 14, the tubular body being substantially cylindrical.

16. The electrode of claim 14 or 15, the tubular body having only one lengthwise slot. 9

17. The electrode of any one of claims 13 to 16 wherein the electrode is in use received within the conduit.

18. An electrosurgical device substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying figures. 5

19. An electrode substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying figures.