Recessed-Electrode Electrosurgical Instrument for Tissue Sealing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrocoagulation instruments face issues such as electrode misalignment leading to short-circuits, tissue perforation by spacers, and collateral tissue damage due to non-conductive spacers, which affect the sealing quality and safety.
Innovation Solution
The instrument features electrodes recessed within insulating grip faces, ensuring even spacing and alignment without separate spacers, using electrically insulating materials for grip faces to absorb clamping forces and prevent short-circuits.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate spacers are used to maintain electrode distance, then short-circuits are prevented, but tissue perforation and collateral damage occur
Solution Approach 1:
The insulating grip face and the electrode support structure are merged into a single integrated component. The grip face itself provides the electrical insulation while simultaneously supporting the electrodes at the correct spacing, eliminating the need for separate spacer elements that would perforate the tissue.
Solution Approach 2:
The harmful spacers are completely removed from the system. Instead of using separate insulating spacers that contact and damage the tissue, the patent extracts this function and integrates it into the grip face structure, which remains outside the tissue-clamping region.
2Manufacturing precision
If electrodes are aligned parallel to ensure uniform tissue treatment, then sealing quality improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The alignment and spacing functions are merged into the rigid grip face structure. The grip face provides a stable, pre-configured platform that holds both electrodes in the correct parallel alignment and spacing, eliminating the need for complex adjustment mechanisms or multiple alignment features.
Solution Approach 2:
The grip face is designed with specific local properties: it is electrically insulating to prevent short-circuits, mechanically rigid to maintain electrode alignment, and geometrically configured to provide precise spacing. These localized qualities are built into the grip face structure itself rather than requiring additional components.
3Reliability
If non-conductive spacers are used to insulate electrodes, then short-circuits are avoided, but coagulation shadow is formed reducing treatment effectiveness
Solution Approach 1:
The insulating spacers that cause coagulation shadows are completely removed from the tissue treatment area. The electrical insulation function is extracted and relocated to the grip face, which remains outside the clamping region and does not interfere with current application to the tissue.
Solution Approach 2:
The grip face acts as an intermediary structure that provides electrical insulation without interfering with the coagulation process. It mediates between the need for electrode insulation and the need for effective current application to tissue, by providing insulation at a location that does not create coagulation shadows.
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
Ensures reproducible tissue sealing with reduced adhesion and collateral damage, maintaining electrode integrity and preventing short-circuits, allowing for precise control of coagulation parameters.
Implementation Method 1
coagulating tissue by HF current (high-frequency current), for example by applying HF current between two HF electrodes to the tissue
Implementation Method 2
The application of HF current at least partially entails denaturation of tissue proteins, wherein e.g. triple-helical collagen, which is a major component of connective tissue, is disintegrated in collagenic individual helices
Implementation Method 3
each instrument branch (3, 4) has an electrically insulating grip face (14, 15)
Implementation Method 4
at least one of the electrode faces (12, 13) is arranged in or inside the grip face (14, 15) located on the same instrument branch (3, 4) and is sunk in relative thereto
Data Source
AI summary
An electrosurgical instrument for the electrocoagulation of tissue includes a jaw part which has two instrument branches. At least one instrument branch is movable in relation to the other instrument branch such that the jaw part can be brought into an open position or into a closed position. Facing sides of the instrument branches, respectively intended as grip faces, are configured for the clamping hold of tissue to be coagulated in the closed position. Each instrument branch has at least one electrode face. The grip faces have an electrically insulating design. Each electrode face is arranged in the grip face of the respective instrument branch and is recessed in the grip face on at least one of the instrument branches.