Bipolar coagulation instrument

Claim 2

A bipolar microcoagulation instrument comprising, in combination, a pair of microcoagulation electrodes having spread-apart ends subjected to a biasing force tending to maintain the ends spread apart; means for connecting the electrodes to the terminals of a high-frequency voltage source; an outer tube surrounding the microcoagulation electrodes, the spread-apart ends of the electrodes projecting outwards from inside the outer tube, and the outer tube being shiftable relative to the electrodes at least against the ends of the electrodes and at least partly over the ends of the electrodes to press together the ends of the electrodes; activating means including handles for thusly shifting the outer tube; and means for rotating the electrodes relative to the outer tube and the handles of the activating means.

Claim 3

The instrument defined in claim 1, wherein the inner diameter of the outer tube is less than the outer spacing of the spread-apart ends of the electrodes.

Claim 4

The instrument defined in claim 1, the instrument including holding means for holding the electrodes in place, the activating means including two handles, at least one of which is swingable relative to the other in approximately the direction of the elongation of the electrodes, one of the handles being connected with the shiftable outer tube for transmitting shifting movement to the outer tube, and the other of the handles being connected to the holding means for the electrodes.

Claim 5

The instrument defined claim 3, the instrument having a distal end at which the spread-apart ends of the electrodes are located and also having a proximal end, the microcoagulation electrodes being provided with insulation insulating them from other proximally of the ends thereof, and further including a guide tube surrounding the two microcoagulation electrodes and extending along the length of the electrodes but ending proximally of the ends thereof, the outer tube surrounding the guide tube and being shiftable by the activating means along the latter for effecting pressing together of the ends of the electrodes, further including a member which surrounds the guide tube and the electrodes accommodated therein at the proximal end of the instrument and is connected to the guide tube non-rotatable relative to the guide tube, the means for rotating including a rotation control knob connected to the member for effecting rotation of the member.

Claim 6

The instrument defined in claim 3, the instrument further including an intermediate shifting element and a linkage arm, wherein the one of the handles which is connected with the shiftable outer tube for transmitting shifting movement to the outer tube is connected thereto via the intermediate shifting element and is swingably connected to the outer handle by means of the linkage arm.

Claim 7

The instrument defined in claim 5, wherein the one of the handles which is connected to the holding means is comprised of a portion having a guide slit, and wherein the shifting element is mounted for guided shifting movement within the guide slit.

Claim 8

The instrument defined in claim 6, wherein the portion of the handle having the guide slit is located above the guide slit and is of generally round transverse cross-sectional configuration and surrounds and guides the outer tube.

Claim 9

The instrument defined in claim 3, the instrument having a distal end at which the spread-apart ends of the electrodes are located and also having a proximal end, wherein the one of the handles which is connected with the shiftable outer tube for transmitting movement to the outer tube is the more proximal one of the handles.

Claim 10

The instrument defined in claim 1, wherein the electrodes are metal wires provided with shrunk-tube insulation covering the electrodes except at their spread-apart ends.

Claim 11

The instrument defined in claim 1, the instrument having a distal end at which the spread-apart ends of the electrodes are located and also having a proximal end, the microcoagulation electrodes being provided with insulation insulating them from each other proximally of the ends thereof, and further including a guide tube surrounding the two microcoagulation electrodes and extending along the length of the electrodes but ending proximally of the ends thereof, the outer tube surrounding the guide tube and being shiftable by the activating means along the latter for effecting pressing together of the ends of the electrodes.

Claim 12

The instrument defined in claim 18, wherein the insulated microcoagulation electrodes along the length of the guide tube and within the guide tube extend in physical but not electrical contact with each other, and wherein the ends of the microcoagulation electrodes are bent with the electrodes each extending distally of the respective bend in direction away from the other electrode to form an intermediate space through which the ends of the electrodes must move to contact each other.

Claim 13

The instrument defined in claim 11, wherein the ends of the electrodes distally of the respective bends extend at least approximately parallel to each other.

Claim 14

The instrument defined in claim 10, wherein the guide tube extends proximally of the proximal end of the outer tube, and further including a hollow sleeve member surrounding and connected to such proximal portion of the guide tube non-rotatable relative to such portion, the means for rotating including a rotation control knob connected to the hollow sleeve member with a releasable clamp action.

Claim 15

The instrument defined in claim 13, further including a collet surrounding the hollow sleeve member, a clamping nut surrounding the collet and having an internal conical clamping surface bearing upon the collet and having an external thread, and a tightening nut surrounding the clamping nut and in screwthreaded engagement with the external thread of the clamping nut.

Claim 16

The instrument defined in claim 14, wherein the clamping nut and the hollow sleeve member are configurated such that the clamping nut can be pushed onto the hollow sleeve member prior to the insertion of the electrodes into the hollow sleeve member, wherein the holding means for the electrodes at its rear end has a diameter larger than that corresponding to the internal diameter of the clamping nut and the internal diameter of the abutment inside the tightening nut.

Claim 17

The instrument defined in claim 14, wherein the means for connecting the electrodes to the terminals of a high-frequency voltage source comprises; connector contacts at the proximal ends of the electrodes, and wherein the clamping nut surrounds the connector contacts.

Claim 18

The instrument defined in claim 1, wherein the ends of the microcoagulation electrodes are bent relative to the direction of the elongation of the outer tube and of the parts of the electrodes contained within the outer tube.