CA2541482C - Electrosurgical pencil with advanced es controls - Google Patents

Abstract

An electrosurgical instrument is provided including an elongated housing; at least one electrocautery end effector removably supportable within the housing and extending distally from the housing, the electrocautery end effector being connectable to an electrosurgical generator, and at least one voltage divider network supported on the housing. The at least one voltage divider network is electrically connectable to the electrosurgical generator and is capable of controlling the intensity of electrosurgical energy being delivered to the electrosurgical pencil and/or the mode of electrosurgical energy being delivered to the electrosurgical instrument. The voltage divider network generates a plurality of characteristic voltages which are measurable by the electrosurgical generator and which electrosurgical generator in turn transmits a corresponding waveform duty cycle at a particular intensity to the electrocautery end effector of the electrosurgical instrument.

Claims (22)

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. An electrosurgical instrument, comprising:
an elongated housing;
at least one type electrocautery end effector removably supportable within the housing and extending distally from the housing, the electrocautery end effector being connectable to an electrosurgical generator;
a range selector supported on the housing; and at least one voltage divider network supported on the housing, the at least one voltage divider network being electrically connectable to the electrosurgical generator, the at least one voltage divider network in operative communication with at least one activation button on the housing and being capable of controlling at least one of the intensity of electrosurgical energy being delivered to the electrosurgical pencil and the mode of electrosurgical energy being delivered to the electrosurgical instrument;
wherein the voltage divider network generates a plurality of characteristic voltages which are measurable by the electrosurgical generator and which electrosurgical generator in turn transmits a corresponding waveform duty cycle at a particular intensity to the electrocautery end effector of the electrosurgical instrument, wherein the range selector is connected to the at least one voltage divider network for changing a range setting of the electrosurgical energy delivered to the electrocautery end effector based on the specific type of electrocautery end effector.

2. The electrosurgical instrument according to claim 1, wherein the at least one voltage divider network generates:
a first characteristic voltage which, when measured by the electrosurgical generator, causes the electrosurgical generator to transmit a waveform duty cycle which produces a cutting effect;
a second characteristic voltage which, when measured by the electrosurgical generator, causes the electrosurgical generator to transmit a waveform duty cycle which produces a division with hemostatic effect; and a third characteristic voltage which, when measured by the electrosurgical generator, causes the electrosurgical generator to transmit a waveform duty cycle which produces a coagulating effect.

3. The electrosurgical instrument according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of characteristic voltages which, when measured by the electrosurgical generator, cause the electrosurgical generator to transmit the particular waveform duty cycle at a corresponding level of intensity.

4. The electrosurgical instrument according to claim 1, wherein the at least one activation button is defined by a plurality of activation buttons supported on the housing, wherein each activation button is operatively associated with the voltage divider network.

5. The electrosurgical instrument according to claim 4, wherein each activation button is actuatable to cause the at least one voltage divider network to generate a respective one of the characteristic voltages for transmission of a corresponding waveform duty cycle.

6. The electrosurgical instrument according to claim 1, further comprising an intensity controller supported in the housing, wherein the intensity controller is operatively associated with the at least one voltage divider network.

7. The electrosurgical instrument according to claim 6, wherein the intensity controller is actuatable to cause the at least one voltage divider network to generate a respective one of the plurality of characteristic voltages for transmission of the waveform duty cycle at a corresponding intensity level.

8. The electrosurgical instrument according to claim 6, wherein the intensity controller is slidably supported in the housing of the electrosurgical instrument.

9. The electrosurgical instrument according to claim 2, wherein the division with hemostatic effect has a waveform with a duty cycle of from about 12% to about 75%; the coagulation effect has a waveform with a duty cycle of from about 1% to about 12%; and the cutting effect has a waveform with a duty cycle of from about 75% to about 100%.

10. The electrosurgical system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one voltage divider network is a film-type potentiometer.

11. The electrosurgical system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one voltage divider network includes a pair of layers each supporting a plurality of electrical contacts thereon, wherein the electrical contacts from an upper layer of the at least one voltage divider network are in juxtaposed electrical relation with respect to the electrical contacts from a lower layer of the at least one voltage divider network.

12. The electrosurgical system according to claim 11, wherein the at least one voltage divider network includes a dividing layer interposed between the upper and lower layers, wherein the dividing layer includes at least one aperture formed therein that is in vertical registration with the electrical contacts of the upper and lower layers.

13. The electrosurgical system according to claim 12, wherein the dividing layer includes a second aperture formed therein which is in vertical registration between electrical contacts provided on the upper layer and a variable resistance element provided on the lower layer.

14. An electrosurgical system, comprising:
an electrosurgical generator; and an electrosurgical pencil selectively connectable to the electrosurgical generator, the electrosurgical pencil including:
an elongated housing;
a range selector supported on the housing; and at least one type electrocautery end effector removably supportable within the housing and extending distally from the housing, the electrocautery end effector being connected to the electrosurgical generator; and at least one voltage divider network electrically connected to the electrosurgical generator and in operative communication with at least one activation button on the housing and for controlling at least one of the intensity of electrosurgical energy being delivered to the electrosurgical pencil and the mode of electrosurgical energy being delivered to the electrosurgical pencil;
wherein the at least one voltage divider network generates a plurality of characteristic voltages which are measurable by the electrosurgical generator and which electrosurgical generator in turn transmits a corresponding waveform duty cycle at a particular intensity to the electrocautery end effector of the electrosurgical pencil, wherein the range selector is connected to the at least one voltage divider network for changing a range setting of the electrosurgical energy delivered to the electrocautery end effector based on the specific type of electrocautery end effector.

15. The electrosurgical system according to claim 14, wherein the at least one voltage divider network generates:
a first characteristic voltage which, when measured by the electrosurgical generator, causes the electrosurgical generator to transmit a waveform duty cycle which produces a cutting effect;
a second characteristic voltage which, when measured by the electrosurgical generator, causes the electrosurgical generator to transmit a waveform duty cycle which produces a division with hemostatic effect; and a third characteristic voltage which, when measured by the electrosurgical generator, causes the electrosurgical generator to transmit a waveform duty cycle which produces a coagulating effect.

16. The electrosurgical system according to claim 14, wherein the plurality of characteristic voltages which, when measured by the electrosurgical generator, cause the electrosurgical generator to transmit the particular waveform duty cycle at a corresponding level of intensity.

17. The electrosurgical system according to claim 14, wherein the at least one activation button is defined by a plurality of activation buttons supported on the housing, wherein each activation button is operatively associated with the at least one voltage divider network.

18. The electrosurgical system according to claim 17, wherein each activation button is actuatable to cause the at least one voltage divider network to generate a respective one of the characteristic voltages for transmission of a corresponding waveform duty cycle.

19. The electrosurgical system according to claim 14, wherein the electrosurgical pencil includes an intensity controller supported in the housing, wherein the intensity controller is operatively associated with the at least one voltage divider network.

20. The electrosurgical system according to claim 19, wherein the intensity controller is actuatable to cause the at least one voltage divider network to generate a respective one of the series of characteristic voltages for transmission of the waveform duty cycle at a corresponding intensity level.

21. The electrosurgical system according to claim 20, wherein the intensity controller is slidably supported in the housing of the electrosurgical pencil.

22. The electrosurgical system according to claim 15, wherein the division with hemostatic effect has a waveform with a duty cycle of from about 12% to about 75%; the coagulation effect has a waveform with a duty cycle of from about 1% to about 12%; and the cutting effect has a waveform with a duty cycle of from about 75% to about 100%.