US4196734A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Combined electrosurgery/cautery system and method
Assignee: Valleylab Inc
•
Filing: 1978-02-16
•
Granted: 1980-04-08
•
Expires: 1998-02-16
Abstract
Abstract A combined electrosurgery/cautery system wherein a common heater/electrode element is employed to effect electrosurgical and cautery procedures.
Inventors
- 👤 Frank W. Harris
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 14:07
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B18/00; A61B18/04; A61B18/12; A61B18/1206; A61B18/1233; A61B2018/1273
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 41
Claim 1
Independent Claim
163 words
A combined electrosurgery and cautery system for use with a patient, said system comprising a combined heater and electrode element; cautery power supply means for applying a first electrical current through said combined heater and electrode element to heat said element, said cautery power supply means including means for passing said first current through said element back to the cautery power supply means without passing through said patient so that tissue of said patient is necrosed by said first current in response to the element being positioned adjacent the tissue; electrosurgical generator means for applying a second electrical current to said combined heater and electrode element, said electrosurgical generator means including means for passing said second current through said patient back to the electrosurgical generator means where said electrosurgical generator means produces a voltage on said element, the magnitude of which is sufficiently high to permit arcing from the element to the patient after said tissue has been necrosed by said first current.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
163 words
A combined electrosurgery and cautery system for use with a patient, said system comprising a combined heater and electrode element; cautery power supply means for applying a first electrical current through said combined heater and electrode element to heat said element, said cautery power supply means including means for passing said first current through said element back to the cautery power supply means without passing through said patient so that tissue of said patient is necrosed by said first current in response to the element being positioned adjacent the tissue; electrosurgical generator means for applying a second electrical current to said combined heater and electrode element, said electrosurgical generator means including means for passing said second current through said patient back to the electrosurgical generator means where said electrosurgical generator means produces a voltage on said element, the magnitude of which is sufficiently high to permit arcing from the element to the patient after said tissue has been necrosed by said first current.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
34 words
A system as in claim 1 including current limiting means for limiting said second electrical current through said patient to an arcing only value at which desiccation of the patient's tissue is not likely.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
18 words
A system as in claim 2 where said arcing only value is not more than about 200 ma.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
66 words
A system as in claim 2 where said electrosurgical generator means includes power adjusting means for adjusting the output power delivered to said combined heater and electrode element and where said current limiting means includes feedback means for providing a feedback signal from said element, said power adjusting means being responsive to said feedback signal to thereby limit said second current to said arcing only value.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
59 words
A system as in claim 2 including a first isolation transformer, the primary winding of which is connected to said electrosurgical generator meanns and the secondary winding of which is connected to said combined heater and electrode element and where the output impedance of said transformer is sufficiently high to limit said second current to said arcing only value.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
85 words
A system as in claim 1 including a handpiece adapted for manual manipulation, said combined heater and electrode element being mounted on said handpiece and a current step-up transformer disposed within said handpiece, the secondary winding of said transformer being connected across said element and first and second wires connected from said cautery power supply means to the respective ends of the primary winding of said transformer whereby said wires may be of a fine gauge due to the current step-up effected by the transformer.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
28 words
A system as in claim 6 where said cautery power supply means is an alternating current source, the frequency of which is high enough to avoid neuromuscular stimulation.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
17 words
A system as in claim 7 where the frequency of said alternating current is about 120 KHz.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
37 words
A system as in claim 8 including an isolating transformer, the primary winding of which is connected to said cautery power supply means and the secondary of which is respectively connected to said first and second wires.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
21 words
A system as in claim 6 where said electrosurgical generator means is connected to one of said first and second wires.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
17 words
A system as in claim 1 including means for isolating said cautery power supply means from ground.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
17 words
A system as in claim 1 where said cautery power supply means is an alternating current source.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
23 words
A system as in claim 1 wherre said combined heater and electrode element comprises a resistance wire wound about an electrically insulative core.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
12 words
A system as in claim 13 where said core comprises glass fibers.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
53 words
A system as in claim 1 where said combined heater and electrode element comprises a substrate of electrically insulating material, an electrically conductive wire deposited thereon, said wire being connected to said cautery power supply means and said electrosurgical generator means and a high resistivity, conductive covering disposed over said electrically conductive wire.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
26 words
A system as in claim 15 where said substrate comprises a ceramic material, said wire comprises a nickel alloy and said cover comprises a carbon film.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
17 words
A system as in claim 1 where said combined heater and electrode element has a loop configuration.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
39 words
A system as in claim 17 including means for moving the loop in a predetermined direction whereby the loop may be encircled about a growth or the like on the patient to thereby effect electrosurgical removal of the growth.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
15 words
A system as in claim 17 where said loop configuration is an elongated hairpin configuration.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
36 words
A system as in claim 1 including means for regulating the amount of said first current passing through said combined heater and electrode element to thereby maintain the temperature of said element at a predetermined value.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
23 words
A system as in claim 20 including means for establishing the predetermined value of the temperature of said combined heater and electrode element.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
31 words
A system as in claim 21 where said temperature establishing means includes means for setting the temperature of said element to a value which will cause desiccation of the patient's tissue.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
31 words
A system as in claim 22 where said temperature establishing means includes means for setting the temperature of said element to a value which will cause cutting of the patient's tissue.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
17 words
A system as in claim 1 where said cautery power supply means is a direct current source.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
32 words
A system as in claim 24 including a handpiece upon which is disposed said combined heater and electrode element and where said direct current source comprises a battery disposed within said handpiece.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
12 words
A system as in claim 25 including means for recharging said battery.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
41 words
A system as in claim 1 including a return electrode adapted for contact with said patient, said return electrode being connected to said electrosurgical generator means to thereby provide a return path for said second current to said electrosurgical generator means.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
27 words
A system as in claim 27 where the surface area of said return electrode adapted for contact with said patient is no more than 60 square centimeters.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
17 words
A system as in claim 28 where said surface area is no more than 10 square centimeters.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
79 words
A system as in claim 27 including switching means having a first position in which said return electrode is connected to said electrosurgical generator means and a second position in which said electrosurgical generator means is disconnected from said return electrode and connected to ground so that, when no return electrode is employed, a return path for said second current is provided through said patient to said ground and then from said ground back to the electrosurgical generator means.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
58 words
A system as in claim 1 including means for providing the intended return path for said second current through said patient to ground and then from said ground back to the electrosurgical generator means whereby a large area return electrode does not have to be applied to said patient to provide a return path for said second current.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
21 words
A system as in claim 1 where said combined heater and electrode element comprises a cautery heater and an electrosurgical electrode.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
19 words
A system as in claim 32 where cautery heater and said electrosurgical electrode are one and the same element.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
87 words
An electrosurgical method comprising placing a combined heater and electrode element adjacent tissue to a patient to be treated; passing a first current through said combined heater and electrode element to effect necrosis of said tissue where said first current is passed through said element without passing through said tissue; and passing a second current through said combined heater and electrode element and through said patient so that an arc is established between said element and said patient after the tissue is necrosed by said first current.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
87 words
An electrosurgical method comprising placing a combined heater and electrode element adjacent tissue to a patient to be treated; passing a first current through said combined heater and electrode element to effect necrosis of said tissue where said first current is passed through said element without passing through said tissue; and passing a second current through said combined heater and electrode element and through said patient so that an arc is established between said element and said patient after the tissue is necrosed by said first current.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method as in claim 34 where the magnitude of said second current is less than that which is needed to initiate said arc.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method as in claim 35 where said magnitude of the second current is not more than about 200 ma.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method as in claim 34 where said second current comprises a sine wave suitable for cutting said tissue.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method as in claim 34 where said second current comprises bursts of high frequency electrical energy suitable for fulguration of said tissue.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method as in claim 34 where said second current passes directly from said patient without passing through a return electrode.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1983-04-08 | 1983-10-08 | 1984-04-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1987-04-08 | 1987-10-08 | 1988-04-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1991-04-08 | 1991-10-08 | 1992-04-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |