A tissue sensing device for use with an electrosurgical knife is proposed which comprises a proximal end portion, a distal end portion and a grip portion there between. The proximal end portion is configured for attachment to a housing of the electrosurgical knife. The distal end portion is configured for movably supporting a blade of the knife. A distal end of an optical fiber is arranged at the distal end portion of the device and a proximal end of the optical fiber is connectable to an optical console, so that optical measurements can be performed at the distal end portion.

This endoscopic energy treatment instrument includes: a treatment instrument insertion part having flexibility and having a power reception part that is capacitively coupled by facing to a power transmission electrode arranged in a treatment instrument channel provided in an endoscope; a treatment part that is arranged on a distal end of the treatment instrument insertion part, and that uses electric power supplied from the power reception part to perform energy treatment; and a cleaning part that is arranged on the treatment instrument insertion part between the power reception part and the treatment part so as to be able to come into contact with the treatment instrument channel, the cleaning part being configured to clean an inside of the treatment instrument channel in accordance with a movement of the treatment instrument insertion part.

A tissue sensing device for use with an electrosurgical knife is proposed which comprises a proximal end portion, a distal end portion and a grip portion there between. The proximal end portion is configured for attachment to a housing of the electrosurgical knife. The distal end portion is configured for movably supporting a blade of the knife. A distal end of an optical fiber is arranged at the distal end portion of the device and a proximal end of the optical fiber is connectable to an optical console, so that optical measurements can be performed at the distal end portion.

A surgical device may include a housing configured for handling by a user and comprising a plurality of operator interfacing features. The device may also include a patient interfacing tip arranged at, or spaced apart from, a distal end of the housing and controllable by the operator interfacing features. The patient interfacing tip may include a pair of jaws configured to grasp tissue, an electrode on each jaw configured to seal tissue, and an articulating blade configured to cut tissue in a grasp of the pair of jaws. The device may also include an optical element extending from the housing to the patient interfacing tip and configured to emit laser energy to cut tissue, wherein the pair of jaws, electrode, and articulating blade are adapted for coarse cutting of tissue and the optical element is configured for precise cutting of tissue.

A method for separating at least two dissimilar materials includes providing an electrode having a contact surface, placing the contact surface in contact with at least one material of the at least two dissimilar materials; and sliding the contact surface across and in contact with the at least one material of the at least two dissimilar materials while applying electrosurgical currents via the contact surface to thereby separate the at least two dissimilar materials.

An end effector of an electrosurgical device may include one or more electrodes and a movable electrode scraper having a plurality of features in mechanical communication with a surface of the one or more electrodes and configured to move across the surface of the electrodes thereby removing biological debris adhering to the surface of the electrodes. The electrosurgical device may include a diverter in mechanical communication with the one or more electrodes. The scraper may also be configured to move across the surface of the diverter. The scraper may be operated by the action of an extendable mechanism in mechanical communication with a shaft of the electrosurgical device. An end effector of an electrosurgical device may include one or more electrodes and a movable electrode sleeve configured to movably cover the one or more electrodes.

A method for treating surface tissue of a patient includes: providing an electrode having a contact surface, wherein the contact surface has a curved profile; placing the contact surface in contact with surface tissue of the patient; and sliding the contact surface across and in contact with the surface tissue while applying electrosurgical currents to the surface tissue via the contact surface to thereby vaporize and ablate the surface tissue and form a treated band of the surface tissue.

A method for treating surface tissue of a patient includes: providing an electrode having a contact surface, wherein the contact surface has a curved profile; placing the contact surface in contact with surface tissue of the patient; and sliding the contact surface across and in contact with the surface tissue while applying electrosurgical currents to the surface tissue via the contact surface to thereby vaporize and ablate the surface tissue and form a treated band of the surface tissue.

An apparatus for operating on tissue includes an elongate shaft extending distally from a body and an end effector at a distal end of the elongate shaft. The end effector includes a first jaw that is selectively pivotable toward and away from a second jaw to capture tissue and a firing beam. The firing beam is configured to advance relative to the first and second jaws to sever captured tissue and retract relative to the first and second jaws after the captured tissue has been severed. The apparatus further includes a debris removal element in communication with the firing beam. The debris removal element is configured to engage at least a portion of the firing beam at least during retraction of the firing beam relative to the first and second jaws to thereby remove at least some debris from the firing beam.

A tissue sensing device for use with an electrosurgical knife is proposed which comprises a proximal end portion, a distal end portion and a grip portion there between. The proximal end portion is configured for attachment to a housing of the electrosurgical knife. The distal end portion is configured for movably supporting a blade of the knife. A distal end of an optical fiber is arranged at the distal end portion of the device and a proximal end of the optical fiber is connectable to an optical console, so that optical measurements can be performed at the distal end portion.