Surgical Electrode Throttle for Blocking HF Leakage Currents
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
High-frequency surgical procedures combined with intraoperative neuromonitoring pose a risk of unwanted burns due to HF leakage currents flowing through intraoperative neuromonitoring electrodes, particularly in monopolar mode, causing heating and skin burns.
Innovation Solution
An electrode design featuring a throttle mechanism integrated into the handpiece to prevent HF leakage currents, with a choke setting a band pass that allows lower frequency working currents to pass while filtering or blocking higher frequency currents, and a body contact element as a conductive needle for subdermal piercing, along with an insulating handpiece material to prevent current flow through external contact.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a monopolar HF surgical procedure is performed without a throttle, then the surgical cutting and coagulation function is achieved, but HF leakage currents can flow through intraoperative neuromonitoring electrodes causing tissue burns
Solution Approach 1:
The throttle (choke) is integrated into the handpiece housing, nesting the protective component within the existing electrode structure. This eliminates the need for separate external throttle components while maintaining safety functionality, thus reducing overall system complexity despite adding internal components.
Solution Approach 2:
The throttle acts as an intermediary component between the HF generator and the electrode tip. It selectively blocks HF leakage currents (unwanted effect) while allowing working currents (desired effect) to pass through, mediating between the surgical function and patient safety requirements.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a throttle is integrated into the electrode to block HF leakage currents, then patient safety is improved, but the device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The throttle functionality is merged with the handpiece housing structure. The choke is housed within the insulating material of the handpiece, combining the protective throttle function with the existing grip structure. This integration simplifies manufacturing compared to assembling separate throttle and handpiece components.
Solution Approach 2:
The handpiece uses composite construction with insulating material housing the throttle. This composite structure provides both electrical insulation and mechanical grip functionality while containing the throttle component, simplifying the overall manufacturing process.
3Productivity
If the electrode is designed for subdermal piercing with a conductive needle, then surgical functionality is achieved, but the risk of current concentration and burning increases
Solution Approach 1:
The throttle serves as an intermediary that prevents excessive current concentration at the needle tip by blocking HF leakage currents while allowing controlled working currents to pass. This mediates between the need for effective surgical cutting and the risk of current-induced burns.
Solution Approach 2:
The throttle changes the electrical parameter characteristics of the electrode by introducing frequency-selective impedance. It modifies the current flow parameters to allow desired working currents while blocking harmful HF leakage currents, thus changing the electrical behavior to prevent burn risks.
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
Effectively prevents unwanted burns by blocking HF leakage currents during high-frequency surgical procedures, ensuring safe use of the electrode without compromising the ability to deliver desired working currents.
Implementation Method 1
a throttle for preventing the outflow of HF leakage currents across the electrode when using the electrode in combination with an HF surgical procedure
Implementation Method 2
an insulating handpiece material to prevent current flow through external contact
Implementation Method 3
a body contact element for applying the electrode to a tissue
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
The invention relates, firstly, to an electrode (1, 2, 3, 4, 30) designed for use on the body of a living being, comprising a body contact element (5) for applying the electrode (1, 2, 3, 4, 30) to tissue (12), and a handpiece (6) connected to the body contact element (5) for grasping the electrode (1, 2, 3, 4, 30). Secondly, the invention relates to a retrofit element (20) for insertion as a conductor spacer in a power line (8) to prevent the flow of RF leakage currents through the power line (8). Another aspect of the invention relates to the use of the electrode (1, 2, 3, 4, 30) and/or the retrofit element (20) according to the invention, in particular in combination with an RF surgical procedure, to prevent unwanted burns on the body of a living being induced by RF leakage currents.The present invention further provides a method for preventing unwanted burns to the body of a living being caused by RF leakage current via a current conductor (8) applied to the body when used in combination with an RF surgical procedure. The basic idea of the invention is that a choke (7) is integrated or retrofitted either into the electrode (1, 2, 3, 4, 30) itself or into a current conductor (8) of the electrode (1, 2, 3, 4, 30), preferably in close proximity to a body contact element (5). This prevents, for example, RF leakage currents from flowing via the current conductor (8) during a high-frequency surgical procedure and thereby causing burns to the body.