Adapter and method for converting gas-enhanced electrosurgical coagulation instrument for cutting

摘要

An adapter includes a coupling mechanism that mates with a protruding nozzle of a gas-enhanced electrosurgical coagulation handpiece to convert the coagulation handpiece into a gas-enhanced electrosurgical cutting instrument. An adapter electrode and flow passageways of the adapter conduct electrical energy and gas from the nozzle of the coagulation handpiece to a protruding cutting end portion of an adapter electrode.

主权项

1. An adapter to convert a gas-enhanced electrosurgical coagulation handpiece into a cutting instrument, the coagulation handpiece including a protruding hollow nozzle having an exterior surface and an interior passageway through which a stream of gas flows to tissue at a surgical site from a distal end of the nozzle, the coagulation handpiece also including a handpiece electrode within the interior passageway of the nozzle and from which electrical energy is conducted into the gas stream flowing from the distal end of the nozzle to the surgical site during gas enhanced electrosurgical coagulation, the adapter comprising:
a main body having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end of the main body formed generally as a tube within which to receive the distal end of the nozzle of the coagulation handpiece, wherein the tube includes a plurality of longitudinally extending slots which divide the tube into a plurality of longitudinally extending legs, the main body also including a coupling mechanism to secure the tube to the external surface of the protruding nozzle of the coagulation handpiece and thereby secure the adapter to the nozzle, wherein the coupling mechanism includes the plurality of legs and a collar which surrounds at least some portion of the plurality of legs to apply inward transverse force against the legs while in contact with the exterior surface of the nozzle to secure the adapter to the nozzle, the main body further including at least one flow passageway for conducting substantially all of the gas stream entering the tube from the interior passageway of the nozzle through the main body to the distal end of the main body when the distal end of the nozzle is received in the tube and the tube is secured to the external surface of the nozzle by the coupling mechanism; an adapter electrode supported by the main body, the adapter electrode extending longitudinally through the main body, the adapter electrode including a proximal end portion within the tube and a distal cutting end portion which extends distally beyond the main body, the proximal end portion of the adapter electrode extending into the interior passageway of the nozzle to contact the handpiece electrode when the distal end of the nozzle is received in the tube and the tube is secured to the external surface of the nozzle by the coupling mechanism, the contact of the adapter electrode with the handpiece electrode conducting electrical energy from the handpiece electrode to the adapter electrode, the distal cutting end portion of the adapter electrode transferring the electrical energy conducted from the adapter and handpiece electrode, and the distal cutting end portion of the adapter electrode located relative to the at least one flow passageway to be surrounded by gas flowing from the at least one flow passageway; and an internal seal located within the tube to contact the distal end of the nozzle to confine the gas flow from the internal passageway of the nozzle into the at least one flow passageway of the main body when the distal end of the nozzle is received in the tube and the adapter is secured to the nozzle.