EP0310431A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for providing enhanced tissue fragmentation and/or hemostasis
Assignee: Covidien AG
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Filing: 1988-09-30
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2008-09-30
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus having a vibratable tip (22) for ultrasonically disintegrating tissue in a surgical procedure and for aspirating the disintegrated tissue and fluid away from the surgical site (12) through an opening (24) in the tip. A connection (42) to the electrosurgical unit provides for delivery of RF cutting current, RF coagulating current or a blend thereof to the tip so that electrosurgical procedures can be conducted separately or simultaneously with ultrasonic aspiration through the tip. It thus is now possible, for example, to electrocauterize simultaneously with ultrasonic fragmentation with a single handheld surgical device. The simultaneous delivery of ultrasonic vibrations and RF current to the tip also has been found to increase the tissue fragementation rate.
Inventors
- 👤 Alan Broadwin
- 👤 Charles Vassallo
- 👤 Joseph N. Logan
- 👤 Robert W. Hornlein
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 15:20
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B18/00; A61B18/04; A61B18/12; A61B18/14; A61B17/00; A61B2017/00973; A61B17/32; A61B17/320068; A61B2017/320069; A61B2017/32007; A61B2018/00005; A61B2018/00011; A61B2018/00053; A61B2018/00059; A61B2018/00071; A61B2018/00077; A61B2018/00571; A61B2018/00589; A61B2018/0091; A61B2018/00916; A61B2018/00958; A61B2217/00; A61B2217/002; A61B2217/005; A61B2217/007; H; H01; H01H; H01H2300/00; H01H2300/014
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
122 words
A surgical apparatus for performing one or more surgical procedures at a surgical site on a patient comprising: a handpiece (16), a tool (20) supported by said handpiece, said tool having a vibratable tool tip (22), an RF current means (40) for providing an RF current to said tool tip for conducting therewith an electrosurgical procedure at the surgical site (12), a vibrating means (38) for ultrasonically vibrating said tool tip, said tool having a tool passageway (26) therethrough communicating with said tip opening, and an aspirating means (28) for applying a suction pressure on said tool passageway for aspirating tissue particles and fluid at the surgical site through said tip opening through said tool passageway and away from the surgical site.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
122 words
A surgical apparatus for performing one or more surgical procedures at a surgical site on a patient comprising: a handpiece (16), a tool (20) supported by said handpiece, said tool having a vibratable tool tip (22), an RF current means (40) for providing an RF current to said tool tip for conducting therewith an electrosurgical procedure at the surgical site (12), a vibrating means (38) for ultrasonically vibrating said tool tip, said tool having a tool passageway (26) therethrough communicating with said tip opening, and an aspirating means (28) for applying a suction pressure on said tool passageway for aspirating tissue particles and fluid at the surgical site through said tip opening through said tool passageway and away from the surgical site.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
35 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said RF current means includes a switching means (50) for switching the RF current provided to said tool tip between and RF coagulating current and an RF cutting current.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
42 words
Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said switching means comprises a manifold adapted to be secured to said handpiece and a switch assembly connected to said manifold and movable therewith when securing said manifold to or removing said manifold from said handpiece.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said switch assembly is integrally formed with said manifold.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
41 words
Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said switching means comprises a nosecone adapted to be fitted onto and secured to said handpiece, a switch secured to said nosecone, and a cable means for operatively connecting said switch to an electrosurgical unit.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said switching means includes a securing means for securing said nosecone to said handpiece.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
27 words
Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said RF coagulating current is about 500 KHz and said RF cutting current is about 500 KHz.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
51 words
Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims which includes connecting means for operatively connecting said handpiece to an electrosurgical unit which generates the RF current, said connecting means including a selecting means for selecting between cutting and coagulating modes of the RF current to be delivered to said tip.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
47 words
Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims having irrigating means associated with said handpiece, said irrigating means including an irrigating fluid passageway at least a part of which is supported by said handpiece, and said passageway having a passageway exit port adjacent to said tip.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
32 words
Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said RF current means includes an acoustic vibrator component supported by said handpiece and operatively connectable to a source of RF energy.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
24 words
Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims which includes mechanical connecting means for operatively connecting said acoustic vibrator component to said tip.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
44 words
Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 10 having conducting fluid connecting means for operatively connecting said acoustic vibrator component to said tip, said conducting fluid connecting means using a surgical site irrigating fluid for conducting the RF energy to the tip.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
46 words
Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said RF current means is adapted to deliver RF current to said tool tip in an electrosurgical procedure on tissue at the surgical site while said vibrating means is ultrasonically fragmenting tissue at the surgical site.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
50 words
Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said RF current means includes an electrical filtering means for preventing malfunctioning of the logic controls of said apparatus when said coupling means is coupling of said tool tip with the electrosurgical unit and the electrosurgical unit is being activated.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
60 words
A method for conducting hemostasis at a surgical site on a patient comprising: applying an RF coagulating current to the tip of an ultrasonic surgical aspirating instrument, positioning the tip electrode at the surgical site, and thereafter, manipulating the tip at the surgical site as needed as the RF coagulating current is delivered by the tip to the surgical site.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
60 words
A method for conducting hemostasis at a surgical site on a patient comprising: applying an RF coagulating current to the tip of an ultrasonic surgical aspirating instrument, positioning the tip electrode at the surgical site, and thereafter, manipulating the tip at the surgical site as needed as the RF coagulating current is delivered by the tip to the surgical site.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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