US5976129A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Endoscopic surgical instrument
Assignee: Circon Corp
•
Filing: 1996-04-22
•
Granted: 1999-11-02
•
Expires: 2016-04-22
Abstract
Abstract An improved electrode apparatus for use with an endoscopic surgical instrument provides an adjustable volume of tissue ablation and may be used with an RF energy source in either monopolar or bipolar output mode. The electrode apparatus may be used in any endoscopic surgical application, and provides a new method for any endoscopic treatment involving soft tissue ablation, including hysteroscopic and laparoscopic treatment of uterine fibroids/myomas. An improved electrode for use with an endoscopic surgical instrument providing for vaporization and coagulation, or cutting and coagulation of tissue. A field enhancement tip having outwardly projecting surfaces serves to provide an intense localized RF field for vaporizing of surface tissue and simultaneously coagulating the underlying tissue. An alternate electrode embodiment combines a cutting electrode tip followed by a coagulation tip to reduce bleeding.
Inventors
- 👤 Ashvin H. Desai
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 17:54
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B18/00; A61B18/04; A61B18/12; A61B18/14; A61B18/149; A61B18/1477; A61B17/00; A61B17/34; A61B17/3498; A61B2018/00315; A61B2018/00505; A61B2018/00517; A61B2018/00571; A61B2018/00607; A61B2018/00636; A61B2018/00696; A61B2018/00755; A61B2018/00773; A61B2018/00875; A61B2018/0091; A61B2018/00916; A61B18/1206; A61B2018/1246; A61B2018/126; A61B18/18; A61B18/1815; A61B2018/1861; A61B2218/00; A61B2218/001; A61B2218/002; A61B2218/007; A61N; A61N5/00; A61N5/06; A61N5/0601; A61N5/0613; A61N5/062
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 45
Claim 1
Independent Claim
53 words
An RF electrode device comprising: (a) one or more field enhancement tip means including a rotatably mounted roller means having RF energy director means for providing an RF power density for simultaneous vaporization and coagulation of body tissues; and (b) connector means for connecting said RF electrode device to an RF power supply.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
53 words
An RF electrode device comprising: (a) one or more field enhancement tip means including a rotatably mounted roller means having RF energy director means for providing an RF power density for simultaneous vaporization and coagulation of body tissues; and (b) connector means for connecting said RF electrode device to an RF power supply.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
An RF electrode device as recited in claim 1 wherein said RF energy director means is a plurality of outwardly projecting surfaces.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
35 words
An RF electrode device as recited in claim 1 wherein said energy director means is a helix shaped protrusion from said roller means, an outer extremity of said helix shaped protrusion being a narrow ridge.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
36 words
An RF electrode device as recited in claim 1 wherein said roller means is a plurality of disks, and said energy director means is a narrow edge on a major diameter of each of said disks.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
An RF electrode device as recited in claim 4 further comprising an elongated stem for positioning said field enhancement tip means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
32 words
An RF electrode device as recited in claim 5 wherein said elongated stem includes conductor means extending from a connecting end to an opposite junction end making connection to said tip means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
22 words
An RF electrode device as recited in claim 6 further comprising installation means for electrically insulating a length of said conductor means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
An RF electrode device as recited in claim 5 further comprising connection means for connecting said elongated stem to said tip means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
An RF electrode device as recited in claim 1 wherein said energy director means includes surface material means for minimizing tissue sticking.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
16 words
An RF electrode device as recited in claim 9 wherein said surface material means is gold.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
16 words
An RF electrode device as recited in claim 9 wherein said surface material means is silver.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
19 words
An RF electrode device as recited in claim 1 wherein said roller means includes a plurality of roller bars.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
17 words
An RF electrode device as recited in claim 9 further comprising: cutting electrode means for cutting tissue.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
36 words
An RF electrode device as recited in claim 13 wherein said connector means includes means for electrically connecting said cutting electrode means and said field enhancement tip means to said RF power supply for monopolar operation.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
36 words
An RF electrode device as recited in claim 13 wherein said connector means includes means for electrically connecting said cutting electrode means and said field enhancement tip means to said RF power supply for bi-polar operation.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
24 words
An RF electrode device as recited in claim 9 wherein said field enhancement tip means further includes a plurality of electrode tips spaced apart.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
70 words
An RF electrode device as recited in claim 1 wherein said connector means includes a first connector means for connecting a first set of one or more of said tip means to an active side of said RF power supply, and a second connector means for connecting a second set of one or more of said tip means to a return side of said RF power supply for bipolar operation.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
16 words
An RF electrode as device in claim 1 wherein said connector means is for monopolar operation.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
21 words
An integrated RF electrode device comprising: (a) first electrode means for cutting tissue; and (b) second electrode means for coagulating tissue.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
21 words
An integrated RF electrode device comprising: (a) first electrode means for cutting tissue; and (b) second electrode means for coagulating tissue.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
24 words
An RF electrode device as recited in claim 19 further comprising connector means for connecting said RF electrode apparatus to an RF power supply.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
30 words
An RF electrode device as recited in claim 20 wherein said connector means includes means for electrically connecting said cutting electrode means and said coagulation electrode means for monopolar operation.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
54 words
An RF electrode tip module comprising: (a) one or more field enhancement tip means including a rotatably mounted roller means having RF energy director means for providing an RF power density for simultaneous vaporization and coagulation of body tissues; and (b) connector means for connection said RF electrode device to an RF power supply.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
54 words
An RF electrode tip module comprising: (a) one or more field enhancement tip means including a rotatably mounted roller means having RF energy director means for providing an RF power density for simultaneous vaporization and coagulation of body tissues; and (b) connector means for connection said RF electrode device to an RF power supply.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
23 words
An RF electrode tip module as recited in claim 19 wherein said RF energy director means is a plurality of outwardly projecting surfaces.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
36 words
An RF electrode tip module as recited in claim 22 wherein said energy director means is a helix shaped protrusion from said roller means, an outer extremity of said helix shaped protrusion being a narrow ridge.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
37 words
An RF electrode tip module as recited in claim 22 wherein said roller means is a plurality of disks, and said energy director means is a narrow edge on a major diameter of each of said disks.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
23 words
An RF electrode tip module as recited in claim 19 wherein said energy director means includes surface material means for minimizing tissue sticking.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
17 words
An RF electrode tip module as recited in claim 14 wherein said surface material means is gold.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
17 words
An RF electrode tip module as recited in claim 14 wherein said surface material means is silver.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
20 words
An RF electrode tip module as recited in claim 19 wherein said roller means includes a plurality of roller bars.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
18 words
An RF electrode tip module as recited in claim 22 further comprising: cutting electrode means for cutting tissue.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
35 words
An RF electrode tip module as recited in claim 30 wherein said connector means includes means for electrically connecting said cutting electrode means and said field enhancement tip means to said stem for monopolar operation.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
31 words
An RF electrode tip as recited in claim 30 wherein said connector means includes means for electrically connecting said cutting electrode means and said field enhancement tip means for bipolar operation.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
25 words
An RF electrode tip module as recited in claim 22 wherein said field enhancement tip means further includes a plurality of electrode tips spaced apart.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
70 words
An RF electrode tip module recited in claim 22 wherein said connector means includes a first connector means for connecting a first set of one or more of said tip means to an active side of said RF power supply, and a second connector means for connecting a second set of one or more of said tip means to a return side of said RF power supply for bipolar operation.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
18 words
An RF electrode tip as recited in claim 22 wherein said means for connecting is for monopolar operation.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
21 words
An RF electrode tip module comprising: (a) first electrode means for cutting tissue; and (b) second electrode means for coagulating tissue.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
21 words
An RF electrode tip module comprising: (a) first electrode means for cutting tissue; and (b) second electrode means for coagulating tissue.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
25 words
An RF electrode tip module as recited in claim 36 further comprising: connector means for connecting said RF electrode tip module to an electrode stem.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
18 words
An RF electrode tip module as recited in claim 37 wherein said connector means is for monopolar operation.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
18 words
An RF electrode tip module as recited in claim 37 wherein said connector means is for bipolar operation.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
47 words
An RF electrode device comprising: field enhancement tip means including a surface having a plurality of protrusions, each said protrusion having an extremity of reduced dimensions for enhancing RF field intensity in the vicinity of said extremities when an RF signal is applied to said tip means.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
47 words
An RF electrode device comprising: field enhancement tip means including a surface having a plurality of protrusions, each said protrusion having an extremity of reduced dimensions for enhancing RF field intensity in the vicinity of said extremities when an RF signal is applied to said tip means.
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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) | 2002-11-01 | 2003-05-03 | 2003-11-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-11-01 | 2007-05-03 | 2007-11-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-11-01 | 2011-05-03 | 2011-11-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |