US5662680A — Endoscopic surgical instrument

Claim 1

Independent Claim 181 words

An endoscopic surgical instrument comprising: a) a housing; b) a single access conduit being disposed within said housing, and having a proximal conduit end and a distal conduit end; c) an irrigation port formed in said housing; d) an evacuation port formed in said housing, each of said irrigation and said evacuation ports being in fluid communication, through independent valves, with said proximal conduit end of said single access conduit; e) an aperture and a closure therefor, said aperture being formed in said housing, and said closure being openable to allow the ingress of microsurgical instrumentation into said proximal conduit end of said single access conduit; and f) RF electrode means insertable into said aperture and into said single access conduit and having a length so as to protrude beyond said distal conduit end of said single access conduit, said RF electrode means for engaging a body tissue portion, and for simultaneously ablating said body tissue portion and measuring an impedance value associated with said body tissue portion, said RF electrode means including at least three electrodes in a non-linear pattern.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 181 words

An endoscopic surgical instrument comprising: a) a housing; b) a single access conduit being disposed within said housing, and having a proximal conduit end and a distal conduit end; c) an irrigation port formed in said housing; d) an evacuation port formed in said housing, each of said irrigation and said evacuation ports being in fluid communication, through independent valves, with said proximal conduit end of said single access conduit; e) an aperture and a closure therefor, said aperture being formed in said housing, and said closure being openable to allow the ingress of microsurgical instrumentation into said proximal conduit end of said single access conduit; and f) RF electrode means insertable into said aperture and into said single access conduit and having a length so as to protrude beyond said distal conduit end of said single access conduit, said RF electrode means for engaging a body tissue portion, and for simultaneously ablating said body tissue portion and measuring an impedance value associated with said body tissue portion, said RF electrode means including at least three electrodes in a non-linear pattern.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 32 words

An endoscopic surgical instrument as recited in claim 1, wherein said RF electrode means includes electrode movement means for extending and retracting one or more of said electrodes beyond said distal end.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 54 words

An endoscopic surgical instrument as recited in claim 2, wherein each of said electrodes has a distal electrode end, and wherein said electrode means further includes electrode diverting means for causing said distal electrode end of one or more of said electrodes to move away from one or more of the other said electrodes.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 48 words

An endoscopic surgical instrument as recited in claim 3 wherein said diverting means includes a conically tapered guide for deflecting said electrodes as said electrodes are extended by said movement means, whereby as said electrodes are extended, said distal electrode ends of said electrodes are spaced further apart.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 88 words

An endoscopic surgical instrument as recited in claim 3 wherein said diverting means includes a) one or more of said electrodes being memory electrodes constructed of memory wire and preconfigured in a non-linear shape; and b) electrode casing means having one or more guiding passageways with a proximal opening and a distal opening for guiding said memory electrodes; whereby when one of said memory electrodes has a portion extended by said movement means beyond said distal opening of said casing means, said portion returns to the pre-configured shape.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 88 words

An endoscopic surgical instrument as recited in claim 1 wherein said RF electrode means further includes a) casing means for guiding said electrodes, said casing means with a proximal opening and a distal opening; b) insulation means for electrically insulating portions of said electrodes; and c) said electrodes including two usage categories including one or more first type electrodes, and one or more second type electrodes, where active RF energy is passed on one type of electrodes and the other type is used for an electrical return path.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 43 words

An endoscopic instrument as recited in claim 6 wherein said RF electrode means further includes electrode diverting means for causing a portion of one or more of said first type electrodes to move away from one or more of said second type electrodes.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 46 words

An endoscopic surgical instrument as recited in claim 7 wherein said electrode diverting means includes said casing means having a tapered extension protruding from said distal end, whereby said portions of one or more of said first type electrodes protruding from said distal end are deflected.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 70 words

An endoscopic surgical instrument as recited in claim 7 wherein said electrode diverting means includes one or more of said first type electrodes being memory electrodes constructed of memory wire and preconfigured in a non-linear shape, whereby when a said memory electrode has a portion extended by said movement means beyond said distal end of said casing means, said portion returns to said non-linear shape and said electrode is deflected.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 122 words

An endoscopic surgical instrument as recited in claim 8 wherein said diverting means is a conically tapered section having a central axis and extending from said casing means so as to deflect said electrodes of said first type outward and away from said central axis when said electrodes are extended by said movement means, and said conically tapered section having a said passageway therethrough along said central axis for passage of an electrode of said second type, whereby as said electrodes are extended by said movement means an increasingly larger area of ablation is achievable when RF energy is applied to said electrodes, passing from said electrodes of said first type, through body tissue and to said electrode of said second type.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 121 words

An RF electrode assembly as recited in claim 7 wherein said diverting means is a conically tapered section having a central axis and extending from said casing means so as to deflect said electrodes of said first type outward and away from said central axis when said electrodes are extended by said movement means, and said conically tapered section having a passageway therethrough along said central axis for passage of an electrode of said second type, whereby as said electrodes are extended by said movement means an increasingly larger area of ablation is achievable when RF energy is applied to said electrodes, passing from said electrodes of said first type, through body tissue and to said electrode of said second type.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 36 words

An RF electrode assembly for ablating a body tissue portion, comprising: a) at least three electrodes arranged in a non-linear pattern; and b) electrode movement means for extending and retracting one or more of said electrodes.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 36 words

An RF electrode assembly for ablating a body tissue portion, comprising: a) at least three electrodes arranged in a non-linear pattern; and b) electrode movement means for extending and retracting one or more of said electrodes.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 59 words

An RF electrode assembly as recited in claim 12 wherein each of said electrodes has a proximal electrode end and a distal electrode end, and said RF electrode assembly further comprising: electrode diverting means for causing said distal electrode end of one or more of said electrodes to move away from one or more of the other said electrodes.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 45 words

An RF electrode assembly as recited in claim 13 wherein said diverting means includes a conically tapered guide for deflecting said electrodes as said electrodes are extended by said movement means, whereby as said electrodes are extended, tips of said electrodes are spaced further apart.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 88 words

An RF electrode assembly as recited in claim 13 wherein said diverting means includes a) one or more of said electrodes being memory electrodes constructed of memory wire and preconfigured in a non-linear shape; and b) electrode casing means having one or more guiding passageways with a proximal opening and a distal opening for guiding said memory electrodes, whereby when one of said memory electrodes has a portion extended by said movement means beyond said distal end of said casing means, said portion returns to the pre-configured shape.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 88 words

An RF electrode assembly as recited in claim 12 wherein said RF electrode means further includes a) casing means for guiding said electrodes, said casing means with a proximal opening and a distal opening; b) insulation means for electrically insulating portions of said electrodes; and c) said electrodes including two usage categories including one or more type A electrodes, and one or more type B electrodes, where active RF energy is passed on one of the types and the other type is used for an electrical return path.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 40 words

An RF electrode assembly as recited in claim 16 wherein said electrode means further includes electrode diverting means for causing a portion of one or more of said electrodes to move away from one or more of the other electrodes.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 44 words

An RF electrode assembly as recited in claim 17 wherein said electrode diverting means includes said casing means having a tapered extension protruding from said distal end, whereby said portion of one or more of said electrodes protruding from said distal end are deflected.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 66 words

An RF electrode assembly as recited in claim 17 wherein said electrode diverting means includes one or more of said electrodes being memory electrodes constructed of memory wire and preconfigured in a non-linear shape, whereby said memory electrode has a portion extended by said movement means beyond said distal end of said casing means, said portion returns to said non-linear shape and said electrode is deflected.

Claim 22

Independent Claim 62 words

A method for soft tissue ablation/removal, comprising: (a) directing an endoscopic instrument including RF electrode means to the target tissue; (b) advancing said RF electrode means into said tissue, said electrode means comprising at least three electrodes arranged in a non-linear pattern to engage a volume of tissue between said electrodes; (c) providing RF energy to said electrodes, thereby ablating/removing said tissue.

Claim 23

Independent Claim 62 words

A method for soft tissue ablation/removal, comprising: (a) directing an endoscopic instrument including RF electrode means to the target tissue; (b) advancing said RF electrode means into said tissue, said electrode means comprising at least three electrodes arranged in a non-linear pattern to engage a volume of tissue between said electrodes; (c) providing RF energy to said electrodes, thereby ablating/removing said tissue.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2000-09-01	2001-03-03	2001-09-02	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2004-09-01	2005-03-03	2005-09-02	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2008-09-01	2009-03-03	2009-09-02	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Endoscopic surgical instrument

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