Electrosurgical Instrument with Retractable Electrode for Plasma Coagulation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrosurgical instruments for endoscopes face challenges in safely transitioning between contact coagulation and plasma coagulation modes, often resulting in undesired tissue reactions due to high-frequency voltage requirements and the need for additional control lines for sensor monitoring.
Innovation Solution
An electrosurgical instrument with a flexible, electrically nonconductive tube and a stationary electrode connected via a contact element, allowing the electrosurgical electrode to be safely retracted for plasma coagulation, eliminating the need for visual monitoring and additional control lines by ensuring reliable high-frequency current delivery only when the electrode is fully retracted.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the electrosurgical electrode is pushed out for contact coagulation, then contact coagulation can be performed, but plasma coagulation cannot be performed safely due to risk of tissue contact burns from high-frequency voltage
Solution Approach 1:
The instrument separates the electrode into two functional segments: a movable electrosurgical electrode for contact coagulation and a stationary electrode for plasma coagulation. This segmentation allows each electrode to be optimized for its specific function while eliminating the risk of tissue burns during plasma mode operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The electrosurgical electrode is made dynamically reconfigurable through the handling device that can push it out for contact coagulation or retract it for plasma coagulation. This dynamic positioning enables the instrument to switch between operational modes while maintaining safety through physical separation of the electrode from tissue during plasma mode.
2Reliability
If a sensor is arranged at the distal end of the tube to control plasma mode, then safe operation can be ensured, but additional control lines are needed increasing device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The control function is extracted from the distal end of the tube and relocated to the proximal end where the handling device is positioned. This extraction eliminates the need for additional control lines running along the instrument channel, as the sensor and control circuitry are now integrated into the handling device assembly that already has access to the electrode.
Solution Approach 2:
The handling device serves as an intermediary that combines both the mechanical function of moving the electrode and the sensing function for controlling plasma mode. By integrating these functions into a single device, the system eliminates the need for separate control lines while maintaining reliable operation control.
3Productivity
If the high-frequency voltage is increased for plasma coagulation, then large areas can be coagulated without contact, but undesired tissue reactions occur if the electrode touches the tissue
Solution Approach 1:
The electrode system is segmented into a movable electrosurgical electrode for contact operations and a stationary electrode for plasma operations. This segmentation ensures that when high-frequency voltage is applied for plasma coagulation, the electrode is physically separated from the tissue, enabling large area coverage without causing tissue burns or reactions.
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 safe and efficient operation in both contact and plasma coagulation modes without risking tissue contact burns, simplifying the instrument's use and eliminating the need for complex control line infrastructure.
Implementation Method 1
to increase the high-frequency voltage on the electrode to such an extent that a plasma discharge from ionized gas is triggered between the surgical electrode and the tissue
Implementation Method 2
arrange the surgical electrode in the flow of an ionizable gas, for example argon, and to increase the high-frequency voltage on the electrode to such an extent that a plasma discharge from ionized gas is triggered
Implementation Method 3
coagulate and cut biological tissue with the aid of high-frequency electric currents
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to an electrosurgical instrument (5) for an endoscope or a catheter, which can be operated by means of a high-frequency current, contact electrosurgical treatment and non-contact plasma coagulation in an ionisable gas. A stationary electrode (33) is arranged on the distal end of a guiding tube (7) that can be introduced into the instrument channel (1) of an endoscope catheter (3), and when the electrosurgical electrode for the contact treatment is in the retracted position in the guiding tube (7), the stationary electrode is connected to the electrosurgical electrode (11) by means of a contact element (37).The retracted position of the electrode (11) can, but not necessarily, be maintained by an abutment (21) of a handling device (13) and/or by a suitable arrangement and measurement of the contact element (37). The retracted position of the electrode (11) does not need to be optically controlled.