CONTROL DEVICE, ELECTROSURGICAL INSTRUMENT AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING AN ELECTROSURGICAL INSTRUMENT

Abstract

A control device (1) for an electrosurgical instrument (2), in particular a high-frequency sealing instrument, including a fixed handle part (3), a movable handle part (4), an activation element (5) for activating a current flow, in particular a first type, preferably a sealing current, wherein the activation element (5) is or can be adjusted between a deactivation position and at least one activation position when the movable handle part (4) is actuated, wherein, when the movable handle part (4) is actuated, the activation element (5) is or can be adjusted about an axis of rotation (7).

Claims

1. A control device (1) for an electrosurgical instrument (2), the control device comprising: a fixed handle part (3); a movable handle part (4); and an activation element (5) configured to activate a current flow, the activation element (5) is adjustable or adjusted about a pivot point from a deactivation position into at least one activation position when the movable handle part (4) is actuated, the activation element is configured such that a current activated by the activation element flows or is adapted to flow through the activation element.

2. A control device (1) for an electrosurgical instrument (2), the control device comprising: at least a fixed handle part (3); a movable handle part (4); and at least one switching element (6) for activating a current flow, the at least one switching element (6) is formed on the movable handle part (4), and the at least one switching element (6) is actuatable by a user independently of an actuation of the movable handle part (4).

3. A control device (1) for an electrosurgical instrument (2), the control device comprising: at least one switching element (6) configured for at least one of activating or switching a bipolar current flow, the at least one switching element (6) enables at least one of an activation or a switchover between at least two different switching signals, in order to generate at least two different bipolar currents by a generator of the electrosurgical instrument (2) depending on the respective switching signal.

4. The control device (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the activation element (5) is formed or arranged on the movable handle part (4) or on the fixed handle part (3).

5. The control device (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the activation element (5) has at least one conductive contact element (8, 27), and the control device (1) has a conductive mating contact surface (9) which, in an activation position, is acted upon by the contact element (8, 27).

6. The control device (1) as claimed in claim 5, wherein at least one of during an adjustment of the movable handle part (4) over an activation section of a total adjustment path of the movable handle part (4) or as long as the activation element (5) is in the activation position, the contact element (8, 27) is guided slidingly along the mating contact surface (9).

7. (canceled)

8. The control device (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control device (1) has at least one reset element (10), and when the movable handle part (4) is actuated, the activation element (5) is deflectable or deflected from a rest position counter to a restoring force of the at least one reset element (10).

9. The control device (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control device (1) has at least one feedback element (15) with which at least one of a haptic or acoustic feedback is provided to a user when the movable handle part (4) is moved.

10. The control device (1) as claimed in claim 2, wherein at least one or the at least one switching element (6) is formed on the movable handle part (4), the fixed handle part (3), or on a foot-operated switch element.

11. An electrosurgical instrument (2), comprising a control device (1) as claimed in claim 3, wherein the electrosurgical instrument (2) is configured to be switchable, by the control device (1), between two different bipolar currents that are generated by a generator of the electrosurgical instrument (2), and at least one bipolar coagulation current as the current of the second type and a bipolar sealing current as the current of the first type are activatable by at least two switching signals of the control device (1).

12. (canceled)

13. The control device (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the current flow is of a first type.

14. The control device (1) as claimed in claim 13, further comprising at least one switching element (6) for activating a current flow of a second type, the at least one switching element (6) is formed on the movable handle part (4), and the at least one switching element (6) is actuatable by a user independently of an actuation of the movable handle part (4).

15. The control device (1) as claimed in claim 2, wherein the current flow is of a second type.

16. The control device (1) as claimed in claim 3, wherein the switching element (6) is configured to be at least one of directly operated or voice-controlled by a user.

17. The control device (1) as claimed in claim 3, wherein at least one of a bipolar coagulation current or a bipolar cutting current and a bipolar sealing current are activatable by the at least two switching signals.

18. The control device (1) as claimed in claim 8, wherein, in a rest position, no force of the at least one reset element (10) acts on the activation element (5) or mutually neutralizing forces of the reset elements (10) act on the activation element (5).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0049] The invention will now be described in more detail on the basis of a number of illustrative embodiments, although it is not restricted to these illustrative embodiments. Further illustrative embodiments arise by combining the features of individual claims or of a plurality of claims amongst themselves and/or with individual features or a plurality of features of the illustrative embodiments.

[0050] In the drawing:

[0051] FIG. 1 shows an open side view of a possible embodiment of a control device according to the invention,

[0052] FIG. 2 shows an exploded view of the movable handle part of the control device of FIG. 1,

[0053] FIG. 3 shows a side view of the assembled movable handle part of FIG. 2,

[0054] FIG. 4 shows a detailed view of the activation element, configured as a rocker switch, of the variant embodiment of the control device from FIG. 1, wherein a status of a haptic feedback before an automatic activation is shown,

[0055] FIG. 5 shows a further detailed view of the activation element of FIG. 4, wherein the activation element is in the status of an automatic activation, and

[0056] FIG. 6 shows a further detailed view of the activation element from FIGS. 4 and 5, wherein the activation element is in the deactivated status and/or before the lever is extended.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0057] FIG. 1 shows a possible embodiment of a control device 1 according to the invention for an electrosurgical instrument 2.

[0058] The electrosurgical instrument 2 can be, for example, a high-frequency instrument for generating a plurality of different bipolar currents.

[0059] The control device 1 has a handle with a fixed handle part 3, and with a handle part 4 that is movable in particular via a pivot joint. The handle can be held in one hand by a user, and at the same time the movable handle part 4 can be adjusted with this hand relative to the fixed handle part 3.

[0060] The movable handle part 4 is in operative connection, in particular mechanical operative connection, with an activation element 5. The activation element 5 is configured to close a circuit and thus activate a flow of a sealing current. This is done by actuating the movable handle part 4 from a deactivation position into at least one activation position, for example into an activation region with a plurality of activation positions.

[0061] To form the circuit, the control device 1 has a first power connection 23 and a second power connection 24 of opposite polarity. A current source, in particular a high-frequency current source, can be connected to the power connections 23 and 24. The power connection 24 is formed on the conductive carrier element 17. As is indicated, it can be formed for example on an actuation means or also at another location of the carrier element 17 or of a conductive component part of the control device. The power connection 23 is, as indicated, formed on a conductive contact pin 25, although it can also be formed on another conductive component part of the control device.

[0062] The contact pin 25 is insulated from the carrier element 17, so that no direct flow of current can be formed between them. A current can instead flow from the power connection 23 via the contact pin 25, which in a partially retracted position of the movable handle part 4 contacts an electrical conductor formed in the proximal element 26 of the handle part 4, and then via this conductor to the activation element 5. For this purpose, the conductor contacts the activation element 5 at a contact element 27. The contact element 27 can be a conductive surface of the activation element 5 or also a conductive pin or the like. The current then flows through the activation element 5 to the contact element 8 which, as the handle part 4 is pulled further, contacts the mating contact surface 9. The mating contact surface 9 is electrically connected to the carrier element 17, such that a closed circuit can be formed for the sealing current.

[0063] FIGS. 4-6 show an illustrative embodiment of an activation element 5 as a rocker switch, wherein the activation element 5 is provided here to activate a sealing current. The activation element 5 can thus be adjusted about a rotation axis 7 upon actuation of the movable handle part 4.

[0064] The control device 1 further comprises at least one switching element 6 for activating a coagulation current and/or a cutting current. As can be seen in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the switching element 6 is designed as a push button on the movable handle part 4. A user can thus simultaneously activate a sealing current and a coagulation current and/or a cutting current, preferably independently of one another, with just one hand. For the coagulation current, the same power connections 23 and 24 can be used as are also used for the sealing current. For example, the conductor formed in the proximal element 26 of the handle part 4 can have a bifurcation, wherein the second line is routed to the switching element 6. The switching element 6 can then be in electrical contact with the carrier element 17.

[0065] The activation of the switching element 6 is thus effected by pressing, it being possible to do this independently of an actuation of the movable handle part 4.

[0066] By actuating the movable handle part 4 and/or actuating the switching element 6, a specific switching signal to a generator of the electrosurgical instrument 2 can be activated in each case, wherein a certain type of high-frequency (HF) current, in particular one of at least two different bipolar currents, for example as mentioned above, is generated as a function of the switching signal.

[0067] As is shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the activation element 5 is arranged about its rotation axis 7 on the movable handle part 4.

[0068] On the activation element 5, for example, a contact element 8 with a conductive contact surface is formed at a free end. The fixed handle part 3 and/or a carrier element 17 have/has a mating contact element 9 with a conductive mating contact surface.

[0069] In an activation position of the activation element 5, the conductive contact surface and the mating contact surface contact each other. This contact remains upon further adjustment of the movable handle part 4 relative to the fixed handle part 3 over an activation section, that is to say a partial section of a total adjustment path, such that a circuit is closed. The current flows here through the activation element 5. The contact element 8 is guided slidingly along the mating contact surface 9 along the activation section.

[0070] The activation element 5 is in operative connection with at least one reset element 10, in particular with two reset elements 10 which preferably act in opposition to each other. When the movable handle part 4 is actuated, the activation element 5 is deflected from a rest position counter to a restoring force of the reset elements 10. In the rest position, no force of the mutually neutralizing force effects of the reset element 10 acts on the activation element 5. As soon as the movable handle part 4 is actuated, the activation element 5 must be adjusted counter to the restoring force of at least one reset element 10. The reset elements 10 can, for example, be designed as a first spring element 11 and a second spring element 12, in particular as leg springs.

[0071] To ensure that a user can recognize at least haptically when there is contact between the contact element 8 and the mating contact surface 9, the control device 1 has at least one feedback element 15. By means of the feedback element 15, the user can be given haptic feedback during a movement of the movable handle part 4, when an adjustment of the activation element 5 takes place between a deactivation position and an activation position. The feedback element 15 can, for example, be designed as a depression 16 in a guide surface 14 of a guide element 13.

[0072] FIG. 4 shows that, by the actuation of the movable handle part 4, the contact element 8 designed as a pin has been guided along the guide surface 14 of the guide element 13 as far as the feedback element 15 designed as a depression 16, and the contact element 8 engages in the depression 16. To move the contact element 8 out of the depression 16, the user has to overcome a perceptible resistance by applying a slightly increased actuation force. Through the haptic feedback, the user knows that, upon further actuation, he will activate the sealing current, by the contact element 8 being moved from the feedback element 15 to the mating contact element 9.

[0073] FIG. 5 shows the contact element 8 in the activation position, as it bears on the mating contact surface of the mating contact element 9, whereby the circuit is closed. Upon further actuation of the movable handle part 4, the contact element 8 is guided along the mating contact surface of the mating contact element 9, and the circuit remains closed over this activation section.

[0074] A sealing current can be deactivated in a time-dependent manner by regulation of the generator of the electrosurgical instrument 2. It is particularly advantageous if an impedance measurement is carried out, with a time-dependent deactivation of the sealing current taking place at the generator when a certain impedance value is reached, in particular exceeded or not reached.

[0075] The sealing current can also be deactivated by returning the movable handle part 4 to its rest position, by the contact element 8 being moved away from the mating contact element 9 so that the circuit is opened. The resetting of the movable handle part 4 from the activation position into the deactivation position is shown in FIG. 6. There is therefore no contact here between the contact element 8 and the mating contact element 9.

[0076] As can be seen from FIGS. 4-6, the mating contact element 9 can be designed, for example, as a contact plate.

TABLE-US-00001 List of Reference Signs 1 control device for an electrosurgical instrument 2 electrosurgical instrument 3 fixed handle part 4 movable handle part 5 activation element (here e.g. rocker switch) 6 switching element 7 rotation axis of the activation element 8 contact element of the activation element 9 mating contact element (here e.g. contact plate) 10 reset element 11 first spring element 12 second spring element 13 guide element 14 guide surface 15 feedback element 16 depression 17 carrier element 18 change of direction 19 curve 20 slotted guide 21 rotation axis of the movable handle part 22 safety device 23 power connection 24 further power connection 25 contact pin 26 element of 4 27 contact element