Electrosurgical probe apparatus

Claim 2

An electrosurgical treatment system for use in the treatment of tissue comprising: electrosurgical probe means including an elongated substrate member having a peripheral surface of dielectric material and a longitudinal axis extending between a working end and an attachment end and at least a pair of electrically isolated electrodes on said peripheral surface of said substrate member and extending continuously between an active region at said working end and an electrical terminal region at said attachment end for connection/disconnection, respectively, to opposite poles of a source of electrical energy; an outermost dielectric covering on said substrate member at a region extending intermediate said attachment end and said working end and overlying said electrodes as a continuous peripheral band between said active region and said electrical terminal region to electrically isolate said intermediate region; a source of electrical energy selectively operable at a first range of operating parameters and at a second range of operating parameters; and connection/disconnection means including electrically conductive contact members releasably engageable with said attachment end of said probe means and connected to said source of electrical energy for selectively coupling said probe means to said source, in one instance for operation at the first range of operating parameters and in another instance for operation at the second range of operating parameters.

Claim 3

An electrosurgical treatment system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said probe means includes: a first elongated substrate member for treating one type of tissue including a first pair of contact areas thereon engageable with associated ones of said contact members of said connection/disconnection means for operating said active region of said first substrate member at the first range of operating parameters; and a second elongated substrate member for treating another type of tissue different from the one type of tissue treated by said first substrate member including a second pair of contact areas thereon engageable with associated ones of said contact members of said connection/disconnection means for operating said active region of said second substrate member at the second range of operating parameters.

Claim 4

An electrosurgical treatment system as set forth in claim 2 wherein each of said substrate members is tubular, having a rounded peripheral surface.

Claim 5

An electrosurgical treatment system as set forth in claim 3 including: a handle member for supporting each of said substrate members in an operative position; a housing having a centrally disposed longitudinally extending bore therethrough mounted on said handle member for rotation about an axis generally coincident with the bore, said housing adapted to receive said attachment end of each of said substrate members; key means mounted to said housing within the bore and engageable with each of said substrate members such that rotation of said housing is imparted thereto; and wherein each of said substrate members has at least first, second and third circumferentially spaced, longitudinally extending, contact surfaces adjacent said attachment end, said electrodes of said first substrate member extending onto said first and second contact surfaces to thereby define first and second contact areas, respectively, said electrodes of said second substrate member extending onto said second and third contact surfaces to thereby define second and third contact areas, respectively; and including: at least first, second, and third contact members fixed to said housing, said first and second contact members being engageable with said first and second contact areas when said first substrate member is in the operative position, said first and second contact areas being connected, respectively to opposite poles of a source of electrical energy operable at the first range of operating parameters; said second and third contact members being engageable with said second and third contact areas when said second substrate member is in the operative position, and second and third contact areas being connected, respectively, to opposite poles of a source of electrical energy operable at the second range of operating parameters.

Claim 6

An electrosurgical treatment system as set forth in claim 4 wherein said key means includes: a pin fixed to said housing and extending into the bore thereof; and wherein each of said substrate members has a longitudinal groove at said attachment end positioned to slidably receive said pin.

Claim 7

An electrosurgical treatment system as set forth in claim 2 wherein said contact areas on said substrate members are spaced apart on the peripheral surface of said attachment end.

Claim 8

An electrosurgical treatment system as set forth in claim 6 wherein said first pair of contact areas include first and second contact areas; and wherein said second pair of contact areas include first and third contact areas; said first contact areas being common to said first and second pairs of contact areas.

Claim 9

An electrosurgical treatment system as set forth in claim 7 including: a housing adapted to receive said attachment end of each of said substrate members; key means intermediate each of said substrate members and said housing for preventing rotational movement therebetween and for aligning said first and second contact members with said first and second contact areas and for aligning said second and third contact members with said second and third contact areas.

Claim 10

An electrosurgical treatment system as set forth in claim 2 including: detecting means for detecting the presence at said connection/disconnection means of said first substrate member and of said second substrate member, respectively, and for transmitting a signal to said source according to the specific one of said substrate members present at said connection/disconnection means; and wherein said source includes means responsive to the signal from said detecting means for operating at said first range of operating parameters when said first substrate member is present at said connection/disconnection means, and for operating at said second range of operating parameters when said second substrate member is present at said connection/disconnection means.

Claim 11

An electrosurgical treatment system as set forth in claim 9 wherein the operating parameter is electrical impedance.

Claim 12

An electrosurgical treatment system as set forth in claim 2 including: detecting means for the presence at said connection/disconnection means of said first substrate member and of said second substrate member, respectively, and for transmitting a signal to said source according to the specific one of said substrate members present at said connection/disconnection means; and wherein said contact members include first and second contacts having electrical continuity, respectively, with opposite poles of said source of electrical energy; wherein said contact members include a third contact, said third contact and said second contact having electrical continuity, respectively, with opposed continuity sensing terminals of said detecting means; wherein said contact areas on said first probe member are engaged with said first and second contacts, respectively, when said first probe member is present at said connection/disconnection means; wherein said contact areas on said second probe member are engaged with said first and second contacts, respectively, when said second probe member is present at said connection/disconnection means; and wherein said first probe member includes conductive means on said peripheral surface engageable with said second and third contact members to thereby complete the circuit with said detecting means.

Claim 13

An electrosurgical treatment system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said electrodes cover selected portions of said peripheral surface at said active region; whereby the energy emitted from said electrodes can be directed on a selected tissue area for treatment.

Claim 14

An electrosurgical treatment system as set forth in claim 12 wherein said peripheral surface is curved in at least one of a longitudinal direction at said active region, and circumferentially.

Claim 15

An electrosurgical treatment system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said substrate member is generally cylindrical.

Claim 16

An electrosurgical treatment system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said electrodes are of suitable width and spacing for bipolar treatment and are formed on said peripheral surface at said active region so as to cover only that part of said peripheral surface positioned within a defined arc having as its center the longitudinal axis of said substrate member; whereby the energy being emitted from said electrodes can be directed on a selected area of tissue to be treated.

Claim 17

An electrosurgical treatment system as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of said electrodes branches into a plurality of electrode fingers at said active region, said fingers of one of said electrodes being interposed with said fingers of the other of said electrodes.

Claim 18

An electrosurgical treatment system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said working end of said substrate member terminate at a blunt surface containing said active region lying in a plane generally transverse to the longitudinal axis of said substrate member.

Claim 19

An electrosurgical treatment system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said working end is enlarged relative to the remainder of said substrate member; and wherein said electrodes cover selected portions of said peripheral surface at said active region; whereby the energy emitted from said electrodes can be directed on a selected tissue area to be treated.

Claim 20

An electrosurgical treatment system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said working end is enlarged eccentrically relative to the longitudinal axis of said substrate member, said active region lying in a plane generally parallel to and spaced from a plane containing the longitudinal axis of said substrate member.

Claim 21

An electrosurgical treatment system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said substrate member is adapted to be inserted into a body cavity for movement both along the longitudinal axis and rotationally about the longitudinal axis; and includes at least one of: first markings thereon for indicating the depth of said substrate member within the body cavity and; second markings thereon for indicating the rotational position of said substrate member within the body cavity.

Claim 22

An electrosurgical treatment system as set forth in claim 1 including: switch means for selectively connecting electrically said source and said active region of said probe means when said attachment end is engaged with said connection/disconnection means.

Claim 23

An electrosurgical treatment system as set forth in claim 1 including: a handle member for operatively supporting said probe means, said connection/disconnection means being mounted on said handle member.

Claim 24

An electrosurgical treatment system for use in the treatment of tissue comprising: electrosurgical probe means including: a first elongated substrate member for treating one type of tissue; and a second elongated substrate member for treating another, different, type of tissue; said first and second elongated substrate members each having a peripheral surface of dielectric material and a longitudinal axis extending between a working end and an attachment end and at least a pair of electrically isolated electrodes on said peripheral surface and extending continuously between an active region at said working end and an electrical terminal region at said attachment end for connection/disconnection, respectively, to opposite poles of a source of electrical energy; a source of electrical energy selectively operable at a first range of operating parameters and at a second range of operating parameters; and connection/disconnection means including electrically conductive contact members releasably engageable with said attachment end of said probe means and connected to said source of electrical energy for selectively coupling said probe means to said source, in one instance for operation at the first range of operating parameters and in another instance for operation at the second range of operating parameters; said first substrate member including a first pair of contact areas thereon spaced apart on the peripheral surface of said attachment end engageable with associated ones of said contact members of said connection/disconnection means for operating said active region of said first substrate member at the first range of operating parameters; said second substrate member including a second pair of contact areas thereon spaced apart on the peripheral surface of said attachment end engageable with associated ones of said contact members of said connection/disconnection means for operating said active region of said second substrate member at the second range of operating parameters; said first pair of contact areas including first and second contact areas; said second pair of contact areas including first and third contact areas; said first contact areas being common to said first and second pairs of contact areas.

Claim 25

An electrosurgical treatment system for use in the treatment of tissue comprising: electrosurgical probe means including: a first elongated substrate member for treating one type of tissue; and a second elongated substrate member for treating another, different, type of tissue; said first and second elongated substrate members each having a peripheral surface of dielectric material and a longitudinal axis extending between a working end and an attachment end and at least a pair of electrically isolated electrodes on said peripheral surface and extending continuously between an active region at said working end and an electrical terminal region at said attachment end for connection/disconnection, respectively, to opposite poles of a source of electrical energy; a source of electrical energy selectively operable at a first range of operating parameters and at a second range of operating parameters; and connection/disconnection means including electrically conductive contact members releasably engageable with said attachment end of said probe means and connected to said source of electrical energy for selectively coupling said probe means to said source, in one instance for operation at the first range of operating parameters and in another instance for operation at the second range of operating parameters; said first substrate member including a first pair of contact areas thereon spaced apart on the peripheral surface of said attachment end engageable with associated ones of said contact members of said connection/disconnection means for operating said active region of said first substrate member at the first range of operating parameters; said second substrate member including a second pair of contact areas thereon spaced apart on the peripheral surface of said attachment end engageable with associated ones of said contact members of said connection/disconnection means for operating said active region of said second substrate member at the second range of operating parameters; said first pair of contact areas including first and second contact areas; said second pair of contact areas including first and third contact areas; said first contact areas being common to said first and second pairs of contact areas.

Claim 26

An electrosurgical treatment system as set forth in claim 23 including: an outermost dielectric covering on said first and second substrate members at a region extending intermediate said attachment end and said working end and overlying said electrodes as a continuous peripheral band between said active region and said electrical terminal region to electrically isolate said intermediate region.