US4765331A — Electrosurgical device with treatment arc of less…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 157 words

An electrosurgical device for use in the treatment of tissue comprising: a probe body including: an active member sufficiently energized to cauterize and/or dessicate tissue and/or coagulate blood having a peripheral surface extending between first and second ends and at least a pair of spaced, longitudinally extending, electrodes on said surface connected, respectively, to opposite poles of an alternating current source of electrical energy, said electrodes defining a limited active area for focusing its energy on only a restricted region of tissue adjacent thereto desired to be treated while leaving other regions of tissue unaffected, said electrodes being of suitable width and spacing for bipolar treatment and being mounted on said peripheral surface so as to cover only that part of said peripheral surface positioned within a defined arc of less than 360° having as its center the longitudinal axis of said active member; and a non-active member having a contoured peripheral surface adjacent said active member

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 157 words

An electrosurgical device for use in the treatment of tissue comprising: a probe body including: an active member sufficiently energized to cauterize and/or dessicate tissue and/or coagulate blood having a peripheral surface extending between first and second ends and at least a pair of spaced, longitudinally extending, electrodes on said surface connected, respectively, to opposite poles of an alternating current source of electrical energy, said electrodes defining a limited active area for focusing its energy on only a restricted region of tissue adjacent thereto desired to be treated while leaving other regions of tissue unaffected, said electrodes being of suitable width and spacing for bipolar treatment and being mounted on said peripheral surface so as to cover only that part of said peripheral surface positioned within a defined arc of less than 360° having as its center the longitudinal axis of said active member; and a non-active member having a contoured peripheral surface adjacent said active member

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 50 words

An electrosurgical device as set forth in claim 1 wherein there are at least two pairs of said electrodes and wherein said electrodes are of uniform width and spacing and are of a predetermined length in order to assure a desired degree of focus of treatment in the longitudinal direction.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 51 words

An electrosurgical device as set forth in claim 1 wherein there are at least two pairs of said electrodes and wherein said electrodes are of any suitable width and spacing and are of a predetermined length in order to assure a desired degree of focus of treatment in the longitudinal direction.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 34 words

An electrosurgical device as set forth in claim 3 wherein said electrodes that are at the outermost locations of the arc on said peripheral surface have generally half the width of said remaining electrodes.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 16 words

An electrosurgical device as set forth in claim 4 wherein said active member is substantially cylindrical.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 19 words

An electrosurgical device as set forth in claim 5 wherein said peripheral surface is arcuate in a longitudinal direction.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 16 words

An electrosurgical device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said active member is substantially cylindrical.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 24 words

An electrosurgical device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said contoured peripheral surface of said non-active member is arcuate in a longitudinal direction.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 89 words

A probe body as set forth in claim 1 including: a filliform assembly mounted on said non-active member coaxial with said active member and extending in a direction away therefrom, said filliform assembly including a smoothly contoured cylindrically shaped tip end having a diameter substantially less than that of said central portion; and a tightly coiled spring member extending between and fixed at its opposite ends to said non-active member and to said tip end, said spring member being substantially rigid in the longitudinal direction, but being transversely resilient.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 57 words

An electrosurgical device as set forth in claim 1 including: a handle member mounted to said elongated support member; and actuating means operatively associated with said handle member and engaged with said support member when said handle member is mounted thereon for rotating said support member about a longitudinal axis thereof while said handle member remains stationary.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 20 words

An electrosurgical device as set forth in claim 10 wherein said handle is releasably mounted to said elongated support member.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 26 words

An electrosurgical device as set forth in claim 11: wherein said support member is a shaft assembly; and wherein said handle member includes a grip portion.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 24 words

An electrosurgical device as set forth in claim 10 including: indicator means on said handle member for indicating when said electrodes are being energized.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 17 words

An electrosurgical device as set forth in claim 13 wherein said indicator means is an electric lamp.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 20 words

An electrosurgical device as set forth in claim 10 wherein said handle is releasably mounted to said elongated support member.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 52 words

An electrosurgical device as set forth in claim 1 including: a handle member mounted to said elongated support member; and actuating means operatively associated with said handle member and engaged with said support member when said handle member is mounted thereon for actuating said support member while said handle member remains stationary.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 44 words

An electrosurgical device as set forth in claim 1 including: a handle member mounted to said elongated support member; and rotational means operatively associated with said handle member for rotating said support member about a longitudinal axis thereof while said handle member remains stationary.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 40 words

An electrosurgical device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said contoured surface is so shaped that it provides tactile feedback to the operator as to when the probe body is approaching or contiguous with the area to be treated.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 77 words

An electrosurgical device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said support member has a longitudinal axis and wherein said probe body is receivable into a body cavity for movement both along the longitudinal axis and rotationally about the longitudinal axis, said support member having first markings thereon for indicating the depth of said probe body within the body cavity and/or second markings thereon for indicating the rotational position of said probe body within the body cavity.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 40 words

An electrosurgical device as set forth in claim 19 wherein said first markings are located at substantially uniform increments along said support member and wherein said second markings are located at substantially uniform increments extending longitudinally of said support member.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 29 words

An electrosurgical device as set forth in claim 20 wherein said first and second markings are formed of colors which contrast with the outer surface of said probe body.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 25 words

The electrosurgical device as in claim 1 wherein there is a contrast means provided between the peripheral surface of said probe body and said electrodes.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 36 words

The electrosurgical device as in claim 22 wherein said contrast means is provided by said probe body being of a first color and said electrodes being of a second color which contrasts with said first color.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 63 words

An electrosurgical device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said probe body is available in a plurality of shapes and sizes, each adapted for treating a specifically shaped and sized region of tissue; and including: a handle member for releasably mounting thereon said support member associated with a specific shape and size of said probe body to be selected for tissue treatment.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 30 words

An electrosurgical device as set forth in claim 1 including: an elongated support member fixed to said second end of said active member and extending in a direction away therefrom.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 26 words

An electrosurgical device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said contoured peripheral surface of said non-active member is an extreme end of said probe body.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 174 words

An electrosurgical device for use in the treatment of tissue comprising: a multipolar probe body sized to enable passage of said probe body into and within a body cavity whose tissue is to be treated; said probe body having a first end and a second end and including: an active member sufficiently energized to cauterize and/or dessicate tissue and/or coagulate blood for providing focussed treatment of tissue having a peripheral surface and a longitudinal axis extending between said first end and said second end, said active member having an energized region on said peripheral surface positioned within a defined arc of less than 360° having as its center the longitudinal axis of said active member, said energized region defining a limited active area for focusing energy on only a restricted region of tissue adjacent thereto desired to be treated while leaving other regions of tissue unaffected; and a non-active member having a rounded peripheral surface at said second end of said probe body, said rounded surface being an extreme end of said probe body.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 174 words

An electrosurgical device for use in the treatment of tissue comprising: a multipolar probe body sized to enable passage of said probe body into and within a body cavity whose tissue is to be treated; said probe body having a first end and a second end and including: an active member sufficiently energized to cauterize and/or dessicate tissue and/or coagulate blood for providing focussed treatment of tissue having a peripheral surface and a longitudinal axis extending between said first end and said second end, said active member having an energized region on said peripheral surface positioned within a defined arc of less than 360° having as its center the longitudinal axis of said active member, said energized region defining a limited active area for focusing energy on only a restricted region of tissue adjacent thereto desired to be treated while leaving other regions of tissue unaffected; and a non-active member having a rounded peripheral surface at said second end of said probe body, said rounded surface being an extreme end of said probe body.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 42 words

An electrosurgical device as set forth in claim 27 wherein said active member includes: at least two electrically isolated electrodes mounted on said peripheral surface, each of said electrodes including a conductor for connecting said electrodes to a source of electrical energy.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 25 words

The electrosurgical device as in claim 28 wherein there is a contrast means provided between the peripheral surface of said active member and said electrodes.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 36 words

The electrosurgical device as in claim 29 wherein said contrast means is provided by said peripheral surface being of a first color and said electrodes being of a second color which contrasts with said first color.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 152 words

An electrosurgical device as set forth in claim 27 wherein said active member includes: at least first and second electrically isolated conductors mounted on said peripheral surface including means for connecting said conductors to a source of electrical energy, each of said conductors comprising at least two electrodes with said electrodes of said first conductor being separated from and interposed with said electrodes of said second conductor with a spacing therebetween, said electrodes being so distributed and respectively so sized in width and length as to extend in spaced apart relationship to respective locations at said first end spaced from said support member and at said second end spaced from said non-active member, the ratio of the width of said electrodes to the spacing between said adjacent electrodes being so selected as to enable effective bipolar treatment of tissue with effectively omnidirectional probe body orientations relative to the tissue to be treated.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 87 words

An electrosurgical device as set forth in claim 27 including: a plurality of pairs of first and second electrically isolated electrodes mounted on said perpheral surface of said active member, each of said electrodes including a conductor for connection to a source of electrical energy, said first electrodes being of an opposite polarity from said second electrodes, said electrodes being of suitable width and spacing for effective bipolar treatment and of a predetermined length to assure a desired degree of focus of treatment in the longitudinal direction.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 188 words

An electrosurgical device for use in the treatment of tissue comprising: a probe including: a body member having a peripheral surface extending between first and second ends and at least a pair of spaced, longitudinally extending, electrodes on said surface connected, respectively, to opposite poles of a source of electrical energy; a cap member having a contoured peripheral surface mounted to said first end of said active member, said contoured surface being an extreme end of said probe body; said device including an elongated support member fixed to said second end of said body member and extending in a direction away therefrom wherein said electrodes are of suitable width and spacing to provide effective bipolar treatment and are mounted on said peripheral surface so as to cover only that part of said peripheral surface positioned within a defined arc of less than 360° having as its center the longitudinal axis of said body members, whereby the energy being emitted from said electrodes can be focussed on a restricted area selected for treatment, and at least a pair of said electrodes extending from the body onto said cap member.

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 188 words

An electrosurgical device for use in the treatment of tissue comprising: a probe including: a body member having a peripheral surface extending between first and second ends and at least a pair of spaced, longitudinally extending, electrodes on said surface connected, respectively, to opposite poles of a source of electrical energy; a cap member having a contoured peripheral surface mounted to said first end of said active member, said contoured surface being an extreme end of said probe body; said device including an elongated support member fixed to said second end of said body member and extending in a direction away therefrom wherein said electrodes are of suitable width and spacing to provide effective bipolar treatment and are mounted on said peripheral surface so as to cover only that part of said peripheral surface positioned within a defined arc of less than 360° having as its center the longitudinal axis of said body members, whereby the energy being emitted from said electrodes can be focussed on a restricted area selected for treatment, and at least a pair of said electrodes extending from the body onto said cap member.

Claim 37

Dependent Claim 39 words

The electrosurgical device as in claim 33 wherein the body member has a pair of electrodes each of which has at least two electrode strip branches and less than all electrode strip branches extend onto the partially cap area.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1991-08-23	1992-02-22	1992-08-23	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1995-08-23	1996-02-22	1996-08-23	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1999-08-23	2000-02-22	2000-08-23	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Electrosurgical device with treatment arc of less than 360 degrees

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