Electrode Sheath for Adjustable Bipolar Electrosurgical Device
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current bipolar electrosurgical devices lack the ability to effectively treat both large and small tissue areas without affecting adjacent tissue, and they do not allow for adjustable electrode spacing to modify the depth and footprint of tissue treatment.
Innovation Solution
A fluid-assisted electrosurgical device with movable electrode tips and a sheath that can change the lateral spacing of the electrodes, allowing for adjustable treatment depth and footprint, and an actuation mechanism to control the sheath's movement for precise tissue treatment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If bipolar electrosurgical devices use relatively large surface area electrodes to treat large areas of tissue, then treatment efficiency is improved, but the ability to focus treatment on small specific areas without treating adjacent tissue is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The device incorporates movable electrodes that can be repositioned along the shaft member, allowing the electrode spacing and exposed surface area to be dynamically adjusted. This enables the same device to treat both large areas (when electrodes are spaced further apart with larger exposed surfaces) and small specific areas (when electrodes are positioned closer together with reduced exposed surfaces), thereby resolving the contradiction between treatment efficiency and focal precision
Solution Approach 2:
The electrosurgical device is divided into multiple functional segments including a handle, a shaft member with multiple electrodes at different positions, and a movable configuration mechanism. This segmentation allows independent adjustment of electrode positioning and exposure, enabling the device to switch between treating large tissue areas efficiently and focusing on small specific areas without affecting adjacent tissue
2Length of stationary object
If electrodes are spaced further apart to provide deeper tissue treatment, then treatment depth is improved, but the footprint size increases making it difficult to access confined spaces
Solution Approach 1:
The electrodes are designed to be movable relative to each other along the shaft member, allowing the spacing between electrodes to be dynamically adjusted. When deeper tissue treatment is needed, electrodes can be positioned further apart; when accessing confined spaces is required, electrodes can be brought closer together to reduce the device footprint, thus resolving the contradiction between treatment depth and accessibility
3Device complexity
If a single bipolar device is used with fixed electrode spacing, then device simplicity is maintained, but the ability to adjust treatment parameters for different tissue areas is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The bipolar electrosurgical device is designed with multi-functionality, incorporating multiple electrodes at different positions on the shaft member with varying surface areas, along with mechanisms to adjust electrode spacing and exposure. This universal design allows a single device to perform multiple functions: treating large tissue areas, focusing on small specific areas, achieving varying treatment depths, and accessing confined spaces, thereby resolving the contradiction between device simplicity and treatment adaptability
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables precise and controlled tissue treatment by allowing for the adjustment of electrode spacing and exposure, reducing the risk of treating adjacent tissue and improving access to confined areas.
Implementation Method 1
a fluid-assisted electrosurgical device to treat tissue in a presence of radio frequency energy
Data Source
AI summary
This invention provides an electrosurgical device comprising a handle, a shaft member distal to the handle, a first electrode tip and a second electrode tip at a distal end of the shaft member with the first electrode tip laterally spaced from the second electrode tip, and an electrode sheath movable to cover and uncover a side of the electrode tips while a distal end of the electrode tips is uncovered to treat tissue.