ELECTROSURGICAL DEVICE

Abstract

A surgical instrument is configured to reduce conductivity between an RF electrosurgical portion and a cutting portion. This reduces improves the efficiency and consistency of the generated RF field, with higher current densities nearest the target tissue, improving the performance of the RF electrosurgical instrument. The conductivity may be reduced using a layer of insulating material, a projecting insulating portion or a cutting portion constructed from an insulating material. Further, by providing a lubricous insulating layer shedding may be reduced, increasing the usable life of the cutting portion.

Claims

1. An electrosurgical end effector, comprising: a rotary shaver arrangement, having a rotatable tubular element with a cutting portion having a cutting blade formed therein that when in use is able to cut tissue located in an operative cutting direction; an active electrode; a second tubular element concentrically arranged around the rotatable tubular element, the second tubular element having a cutting window formed in a wall thereof such that the cutting blade of the rotatable tubular element is located within the window, wherein the outside surface of the second tubular element is a return electrode; and an insulating portion projecting distally from the distal end of the rotatable tubular element, arranged so as to reduce conductivity between the second tubular element and the first cutting portion.

2. The electrosurgical end effector according to claim 1, wherein the insulating portion is in contact with the inner distal end of the second tubular element, acting as the bearing surface between the rotatable tubular element and the second tubular element.

3. The electrosurgical end effector according to claim 1, wherein the insulating portion is one of: a ceramic; or a polymer.

4. The electrosurgical end effector according to claim 1, wherein the insulating portion is overmoulded or deposited on the distal end of the first cutting portion.

5. The electrosurgical end effector according to claim 1, wherein the insulating portion comprises a push-fit insert that is inserted into a suitable receiving geometry, wherein the suitable receiving geometry is located on one of: the distal end of the first cutting portion; or the inner distal hemisphere of the second tubular element.

6. The electrosurgical end effector according to claim 1, wherein the material of the insulating portion is lubricous.

7. An electrosurgical instrument comprising an electrosurgical end effector according to claim 1, the electrosurgical instrument comprising: a hand-piece; one or more user operable buttons on the handpiece that control the instrument; and an operative shaft, having RF electrical connections, and drive componentry for the end effector, the rotary shaver arrangement being operably connected to the drive componentry to drive the rotary shaver to operate in use, and the active electrode being connected to the RF electrical connections.

8. An electrosurgical system comprising an electrosurgical instrument according to claim 7, and further comprising: an RF electrosurgical generator; and a suction source; the arrangement being such that in use the RF electrosurgical generator supplies an RF coagulation or ablation signal via the RF electrical connections to the active electrode, to permit tissue coagulation or ablation.

9. An electrosurgical end effector, comprising: a rotary shaver arrangement, having a rotatable tubular element with a cutting portion having a cutting blade formed therein that when in use is able to cut tissue located in an operative cutting direction; an active electrode; a second tubular element concentrically arranged around the rotatable tubular element, the second tubular element having a cutting window formed in a wall thereof such that the cutting blade of the rotatable tubular element is located within the window, wherein the outside surface of the second tubular element is a return electrode; and an insulating layer arranged so as to reduce the conductivity between the second tubular element and the first cutting portion.

10. The electrosurgical end effector according to claim 9, wherein the insulating layer is one of: a surface treatment, such as an anodized layer; a polymer layer; or a diamond like carbon, DLC, layer.

11. The electrosurgical end effector according to claim 9, wherein the material of the insulating layer is lubricous.

12. The electrosurgical end effector according to claim 9, wherein the insulating layer is a layer covering one or more of: the rotatable tubular element; the distal end of the rotatable tubular element; the internal radius of the second tubular element; and/or the external radius of the second tubular element.

13. The electrosurgical end effector according to claim 9 wherein the rotatable tubular element is constructed of a non-conductive material, such as ceramic, wherein the surface of the non-conductive material acts as the insulating layer.

14. An electrosurgical instrument comprising an electrosurgical end effector according to claim 9, and further comprising: a hand-piece; one or more user operable buttons on the handpiece that control the instrument; and an operative shaft, having RF electrical connections, and drive componentry for an end effector, the rotary shaver arrangement being operably connected to the drive componentry to drive the rotary shaver to operate in use, and the active electrode being connected to the RF electrical connections.

15. An electrosurgical system comprising an electrosurgical end effector according to claim 9, and further comprising: an RF electrosurgical generator; and a suction source; the arrangement being such that in use the RF electrosurgical generator supplies an RF coagulation or ablation signal via the RF electrical connections to the active electrode, to permit tissue coagulation or ablation.

16. An electrosurgical system comprising an electrosurgical instrument according to claim 14, and further comprising: an RF electrosurgical generator; and a suction source; the arrangement being such that in use the RF electrosurgical generator supplies an RF coagulation or ablation signal via the RF electrical connections to the active electrode, to permit tissue coagulation or ablation.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] Embodiments of the invention will now be further described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts, and wherein:

[0022] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an electrosurgical system including an electrosurgical instrument according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] FIG. 2 is a side view of an electrosurgical instrument according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] FIG. 3 is view of the tip of FIG. 2, showing the electrosurgical end effector, wherein the RF function is facing upwards.

[0025] FIG. 4 is cross-sectional view of the distal end of the electrosurgical end effector.

[0026] FIGS. 5a and 5b are plan views showing the hollow conductive tube and the rotatable shaver element.

[0027] FIG. 6 is a view of the distal end of the rotating shaver blade, with an insulating portion.

[0028] FIG. 7 is a view of the distal end of the rotating shaver blade, with a push-fit or snap-fit insulating portion.

[0029] FIG. 8 is a side view of the rotating shaver blade, with an insulating layer.

[0030] FIG. 9 is a side view of the rotating shaver blade, with an insulating layer on the distal end of the rotating shaver blade.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0031] Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows electrosurgical apparatus including an electrosurgical generator 1 having an output socket 2 providing a radio frequency (RF) output, via a connection cord 4, for an electrosurgical instrument 12. The instrument 12 has a suction tube 14 which is connected to a suction source 10. Activation of the generator 1 may be performed from the instrument 12 via a handswitch (not shown) on the instrument 12, or by means of a footswitch unit 5 connected separately to the rear of the generator 1 by a footswitch connection cord 6. In the illustrated embodiment, the footswitch unit 5 has two footswitches 5a and 5b for selecting a coagulation mode or a cutting or vaporisation (ablation) mode of the generator 1 respectively, although in some embodiments of the electrosurgical instrument 12 described herein it is envisaged that only one or other of the coagulation or ablation modes would be used, with cutting being provided mechanically by way of a rotating tube having a sharpened cut-out portion, described further below. The generator front panel has push buttons 7a and 7b for respectively setting ablation (cutting) or coagulation power levels, which are indicated in a display 8. Push buttons 9 are provided as an alternative means for selection between the ablation (cutting) and coagulation modes.

[0032] FIG. 2 shows the electrosurgical instrument 12 forming the basis of an embodiment of the present invention. The instrument 12 includes a proximal handle portion 22, a hollow shaft 24 extending in a distal direction away from the proximal handle portion, and an end effector assembly 26 at the distal end of the outer shaft. A power connection cord 4 connects the instrument to the RF generator 1, whereas tube 14 connect the instrument to the suction source 10. The instrument may further be provided with activation buttons (not shown), to allow the surgeon operator to activate either the mechanical cutting function of the end effector, or the electrosurgical functions of the end effector, which in this embodiment typically comprise coagulation or ablation.

[0033] FIG. 3 shows an example of the RF side of the electrosurgical end effector 26. The instrument comprises an active electrode 32, the opening to the primary suction channel 42 and the outer insulating sheath 34.

[0034] FIG. 4 shows the end effector assembly 26 in more detail, comprising an opposite sided shaver arrangement. The end effector comprises a series of concentrically arranged tubes, with outer insulating sheath 34 containing a hollow conductive tube 36, having at is distal end an opening cut out of one side thereof to act as a cutting window 66. The edges of the cutting window 66 may be sharpened to provide scissor action in use against a cutting edge 38 of a cylindrical rotatable shaver element 40. The hollow, conductive tube 36 acts as a return electrode and concentrically surrounds a rotatable cylindrical shaver element 40. By ‘concentrically surrounds’ we mean that the shaver element 40 is inside and coaxial with the tube 36. The proximal part of the tube 36 is covered with the insulating sheath 34. The distal part of the tube 36 has the opening which acts as the cutting window 66. The shaver blade itself is a hollow cylinder of C-shape cross-section at the distal end, meaning a hollow cylinder which has a segment cut out for a portion of the distal end. The cut out portion is sharpened and serrated, to form the cutting edge 38.

[0035] As just noted, at the distal end of the end effector, the shaver blade 40 has a sharp cutting edge 38, which may be serrated or shaped into points to provide cutting teeth. The hollow shaver blade 40 in use defines an internal suction lumen 62, which extends along the shaft 24 and ultimately connects to the suction source 10. That is, as explained further below, the shaver blade 40 is operative when in use to cut tissue that it is presented against and which is located in a direction to the side of the shaft of the instrument i.e. in a direction orthogonal to the long axis of the instrument. The active electrode 32, operatively faces in the opposite direction to the operative direction of the shaver blade 40, so that in use the user may turn the electrosurgical instrument 180 degrees to coagulate or ablate tissue that was cut using the shaver element.

[0036] In more detail, to electrosurgically coagulate or ablate tissue, the user manipulates the instrument 12 such that the active electrode 32 is adjacent to the tissue to be treated, and activates the generator 1 to supply RF power to the active electrode 32, via the connection cord 4. The RF signal supplied is dependent on whether the active electrode is to simply coagulate (dessicate) tissue, or to ablate the tissue, wherein a higher power RF signal is used for tissue ablation than tissue coagulation. The active electrode 32 and the return electrode 36 act in a bipolar electrode arrangement. The suction lumen 62 is connected to the suction source 10 such that fluid, tissue fragments, bubbles or other debris in the vicinity of the electrode 32 can be aspirated from the surgical site. During operation, rather than entire RF current flowing along the preferred pathway from the active tip 32 to the hollow conductive tube 36 which acts as a return electrode, there may be a current that does not follow the preferred pathway and reduces system performance. This problem is exacerbated by the positioning of the suction lumen 62 and the primary suction channel 42, which, as described above, acts to remove debris from the vicinity of both the electrode and the cutting window.

[0037] The line bb indicates the shorter preferential RF tracking path between the active electrode 32 and the return electrode 36. The line cc1 indicates the longer, unintended tracking path through the primary suction channel 42 to the inner blade edge. The line cc2 indicates the longer, unintended tracking path through the primary suction channel 42 to the outer blade—whilst still flowing between the electrodes, this reduces current density at the point of electrosurgical application. So as to improve the efficiency and consistency of the generated RF field, it is preferable to reduce current conducted to the rotatable shaver element (path cc1) or along the longer path to the return electrode (path cc2). Due to the nature of the scissor action and positioning of the active electrode, the distal ends of the rotatable shaver element 40, the hollow conductive tube 36 and the active RF electrode 32 are in close proximity. This provides a path for a portion of the RF current to pass from the active tip 32, through the primary suction channel 42, to the rotatable shaver element 40.

[0038] So as to improve the performance of the RF function of the electrosurgical instrument 12, it is desirable to increase the efficiency and consistency of the RF field. This may be achieved by reducing electrical conductivity between the electrodes 32, 36, and the rotatable shaver element 40, reducing the current conducted by the rotatable shaver element 40. In some instances, this may include providing electrical isolation between the electrodes 32, 36, and the rotatable shaver element 40 to prevent or reduce the RF current flowing to the rotatable shaver element 40. This results in an increased proportion of the RF current following the desired path (bb) from the active electrode 32 to the return electrode 36.

[0039] FIG. 5a shows a simplified plan view of the end effector assembly 26 including only the hollow conductive tube 36 and the rotatable shaver element 40. Other parts of the end effector have not been included here so as to simplify understanding of the concept. As can be seen, the distal end of the rotatable shaver element 36 may be in contact with or close proximity to the hollow conductive tube 36 at point 402. So as to prevent a current flowing from the hollow conductive tube 36 to the rotatable shaver element 40, FIG. 5b includes an insulating portion 400. This insulating portion 400 is made of an insulating material, such as a polymer or ceramic. As shown in FIG. 6, the insulating portion 400 is attached to and projects distally from the distal end of the rotatable shaver element 40. Alternatively, the insulating portion 400 may be attached to the concave hemispherical surface of the hollow conductive tube 36 and project towards the convex hemispherical distal end of the rotatable shaver element. The insulating portion 400 may be over-moulded or deposited on the surface of the rotatable shaver element 40. The insulating portion prevents contact between the distal end of the rotatable shaver element 40 and the concave hemispherical distal end of the hollow conductive tube 36. Instead, the bearing surface between the rotatable shaver element 40 and the hollow conductive tube 36 is the insulating portion 400. This reduces conductivity, by ensuring that any contact area between the rotatable shaver element 40 and the hollow conductive tube 36 is an insulating material.

[0040] As described earlier, the rotatable shaver element 40 and the hollow conductive tube 36 are in closest proximity at the distal tip of the electrosurgical instrument 12, so that they may act to provide a scissor action. Therefore, reducing conductivity at the distal tip will have the most profound effect on overall conductivity between the electrodes and the rotatable shaver element. In the embodiment of FIG. 5b, the insulating portion 400 provides a physical insulating separation at the distal end, as well as resulting in a gap 404 between the remaining surfaces of the rotatable shaver element 40 and the hollow conductive tube 36. This gap provides a further insulating mechanism. FIG. 7 shows a push-fit (or snap-fit) insert 500 that is attached to a hole 502 (or any suitable receiving geometry such as a groove or slot) in the distal end of the rotatable shaver element 40. This enables easy positioning of the push-fit insert 500 on the distal end of the rotatable shaver element 40. This brings the same advantages as the insulating portion 400 described above.

[0041] FIG. 8 shows the rotatable shaver element 40 with an insulating layer 600 provided over its surface. This is an alternative technique to the use of a distally projecting insulating portion 400, and reduces the conductivity between the RF electrodes and the rotatable shaver element.

[0042] FIG. 9 shows the rotatable shaver element 40 with an insulating layer 700 provided on only the distal tip. As described above, due to proximity to the electrodes, providing insulation at the distal end of the rotatable shaver element 40 has the greatest effect on reducing conductivity. Beneficially, this requires a smaller portion of the rotatable shaver element 40 being covered with an insulating layer, which may reduce the amount of material required, or decrease the time required to apply the insulating layer.

[0043] Rather than placing the insulating layer on the rotatable shaver element 40, it may instead be placed on the hollow conductive tube 36. The layer may be applied to only the internal surface of the hollow conductive tube 36, as this is the closest section of the hollow conductive tube 36 to the rotatable shaver element 40 which it surrounds and allows the external surface of the hollow conductive tube to act as the return electrode. This reduces the amount of insulating material needed. Alternatively, the insulating layer may be provided over the entire hollow conductive tube 36.

[0044] The insulating layer 600, 700 may be a diamond like carbon (DLC) or polymer layer applied to the surface of rotatable shaver element. Alternatively, the insulating layer 600 may be provided by an anodized surface.

[0045] The layer of insulating material 600, 700 provided over the rotatable shaver element 40, the insulating layer provided over the hollow conductive tube 36, or the insulating portion 400, 500 at the distal end of rotatable shaver element 40 may be a lubricous material. A lubricous material reduces the coefficient of friction, reducing frictional forces with any material in contact with the lubricous material. In normal operation, especially where the rotatable shaver element 40 and the hollow conductive tube 36 are metals, the shaver may experience shedding. Shedding is the generation of particulates due to contact, and thus friction, between the rotatable shaver element and the hollow conductive tube. This can damage the cutting edge 38 of the rotatable shaver element 40, reducing its ability to cut tissue. It may also or alternatively damage the cutting window 36 of the hollow conductive tube. Providing a more effective bearing surface between the rotatable shaver element 40 and the hollow conductive tube 36 by using a lubricous material reduces shedding and thus increases the usable life of the electrosurgical instrument.

[0046] In an alternative example, the rotatable shaver element 40 may be constructed from a non-conductive material, such as ceramic. This would prevent the RF current flowing from the active electrode to the rotatable shaver element 40.

[0047] The inventors envisage a situation where the above described examples relating to insulating layers on multiple parts of the electrosurgical instrument and the insulating portion 400 may be combined. This would further reduce conductivity between the electrodes and the rotatable shaver element. Further, whilst the means of reducing conduction to the rotatable tubular element have been described with respect to an opposite sided shaver, the inventors believe that the methods relating to insulating layers can be applied to a same-sided electrosurgical end effector. In a same-sided end effector, the RF function is located on the same side of the end effector as the cutting window, allowing ablation/coagulation to be used at the same time as the cutting action or at the same location without needing to move the electrosurgical instrument.

[0048] Various modifications whether by way of addition, deletion, or substitution of features may be made to above described embodiment to provide further embodiments, any and all of which are intended to be encompassed by the appended claims.