US2828748A - Gas blanketed electro-surgical device - Google Patents

Description

w. AUGUST GAS BLANKETED ELECTRO-SURGICAL DEVICE Filed March 16,.1953

A ril 1, 1958 4 Sheets-sheaf, 1

INVENTOR. (WM/4M 406%57' w a arrow/5V5 Haw April 1, 1958 w. AUGUST GAS BLANKETED ELECTRO-SURGICAL DEVICE Filed March 16, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 7 5 T6 .M N0 P W m WM m April 1, 1958 w. AUGUST GAS BLANKETED ELECTRO-SURGICAL DEVICE Filed March 16, 1953 4 Shets-Sheet s mum-mm r 5 mp m n April 1, 1958 w. AUGUST 2,828,748

GAS BLANKETED ELECTRO-SURGICAL DEVICE Filed March 16, 1953 4 SheetsShee'tv4 l/ I I ]NVENTOR.= 4 (MM/4M 406%97 United States Patent GAS BLANKETED ELECTRO-SURGICAL DEVICE William August, Arcadia, Calif., assignor to The Birtcher Corporation, Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of California Application March 16, 1953, Serial No. 342,363

11 Claims. (Cl. 128-30314) This invention relates to an electro-surgical device, and more particularly to devices wherein the cutting action is produced in a large measure through energization of the instrument by a high frequency current.

It is an object of this invention to provide an electrosurgical instrument which may be safely employed in an explosive atmosphere created by the presence of an anesthetic in an operating room without danger of an explosron.

It is a further object of this invention to provide means for blanketing the source of high frequency current and all leads therefrom with inert gas to avoid explosion.

It is a further object of this invention to provide means for indicating the flow of such inert gas.

It is a further object of this invention to provide means for coupling a cutting device to a source of high frequency current without exposure to an explosive atmosphere.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be readily apparent from the following description.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a device embodying this invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the device.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the high frequency current source housing.

Figure 4 is a section taken alongline 44 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a rear elevation partially in section.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary side elevation partially in section.

Figure 7 is a section similar to Figure 4 with the upper housing removed.

Figure 8 is a section taken alongline 38 of Figure 1.

Figure 9 is a section taken along line 93 of Figure 1.

Figure 10 is a frontal elevation partially in section of the gas flow indicating device.

Figure 11 is a section taken along line 11-11 of Figure 10.

Figure 12 is a section taken along line 1212 of Figure 10.

Figure 13 is a section taken along line 1313 of Figure 10.

Figure 14 is a perspective view of the cutting instrument coupling.

Figure 15 is a section taken along line 1515 of Figure 14.

Figure 16 is a sectional View of the cutting instrument.

Figure 17 is a section taken along line 17-17 of Figure 16.

Figure 18 is a section taken along line 1818 of Figure 15.

Figure 19 is a section taken along line 19-19 of Figure 17.

Figure 20 is a fragmentary view of the cutting tool holder.

Figure 21 is a sectional view of the outlet control valve.

2,828,748 Patented Apr. 1, 1958current source casing 18 is inserted. This casing is 'provided with a rear access opening 20 which is covered by aplate 22 bolted to the casing and forming a gas tight seal. The casing at its upper edge has aflange 24 formed thereon which at its outer periphery is substantially the same size as the periphery of the top opening inhousing 10.

The upper orcontrol panel housing 26 has welded thereto at its lower edge anangle iron 28 which forms an inwardly turned flange above the bottom edge of the control panel housing, which flange has the same contour as the top opening inhousing 10. Aspacing bar 30 is welded toangle iron 28 about the opening and a sealinggasket 32 fits between thespacing bar 30 andflange 24 when they are'bolted together by screws 34 to form a gas tight seal therebetween.

The lower edge of the control panel housing projects downwardly until it contacts thehousing 10 thereby providing a flush joint.Rails 36 are, provided on either side of thecontrol panel housing 26 whereby this housing, plus the high frequencycurrent source casing 18, may be removed from thehousing 10 for repair or replacement.

Also secured by bolts 34 to angle iron 23 is a pair of high frequency current source support brackets 33 which have an outwardly turnedflange 40 at their upper edges.

These brackets project downwardly inside thecasing 18.

Secured to the lower extremities of thebrackets 36 areplates 42 which are bolted to the bottom of casing bybolts 44. These plates carry platforms upon which the high frequency current source is mounted. This current source may be of any suitable type well known to those skilled in the art, andplatforms 46 and 48 are illustrated supporting tubes 59 andcoils 52. Thus the whole high frequency current source is removable fromhousing 10 upon removal ofcasing 18 and is further removed from thecasing 18 by loosening ofbolts 44 and screws 34. The mounting of the component elements of the current source is suitably insulated from theplatforms 46 and 43.

Theelectrical lead 46a (see Figure 8) passes through a gas tight connection in thehousing 26 from a suitable source of power to the high frequency source while thelead 48a carries the high frequency current from the source as hereinafter will be described.

Mounted upon asuitable bracket 50a isgas bottle 52a.

Ahose 54 connects the bottle with the inside of thecasing I 18 through a suitable gas tight union. The bottle is charged with an inert gas which is thus directed into thecasing 18 surrounding the high frequency current source with an inert atmosphere eliminating the possibility of'block 60 which has associated passages and indicating tube supports hereinafter described. Thepipe 54 communicates with aport 78 which runs a substantial distance along the port block and has threeterminals 62, 64 and 66.

Associated with each terminal is a gas flow indicating tube '68 which is filled with a suitable liquid and has an inlet tube directly below theassociated terminal and anoutlet port 72 which is directly below theterminal 74 of the port which leads to anoutlet port 78.

Flow from theport 58 through thetube 68 and hence tooutlet port 78 is controlled by apetcock 80 which fits into a tapered hole in the port block 69. The petcock is secured in the hole byscrew 82 which is urged byspring 84 away from theblock 60. The petcock is rotated by ahandle 86 and has a pair ofparallel ports 88 and 90 which, when in'a vertical position, register withports 72 and 70 respectively, so that gas passes from theport 58 out the outlet port '78.

Theport block 60 is provided withother discharge ports 92 and 94 which are communicated through aflow indicating tube 68 to theport 58, flow being controlled by petcocks similar to 80.

The horizontal ports inport block 60 may be formed by being cut in aresilient gasket 96 which is held in proper alignment bycap 98.

As gas flows through the flow indicating tubes, visible bubbles are formed in the tube thus providing a visual check to determine if gas is flowing to any of the three outlets.

Each outlet and operating instrument is identical so only one will be described. As seen in Figure 10,resilient tubes 100, 102 and 184 telescopically receive the extremity of each of thedischarge ports 78, 92 and 94. Each tube leads from the discharge port to an outlet.

Referring now to Figures 9 and 14 to 20, the tube fits onto anoutlet body 106 which is externally threaded to receive abushing 108 which has secured thereto by soldering or otherwise acontact 110 to which one lead from the high frequency current source is attached. An insulatingplug 112 made from non-conductive material fits into the opening formed inhousing 10 for the outlet. This plug is provided with abore 113 which receives theoutlet body 106 and has anannular groove 114 which receives aflange 116 formed upon the outlet body. That portion of the insulatingplug 112 outside thehousing 26 is flanged and the portion inside is threaded so thatnut 118, when tightened on the plug, pulls the flanged extremity andresilient washer 120 against the wall of thehousing 26 forming a gas tight seal. Aresilient washer 122 is provided between the inner extremity ofplug 112 and thebushing 108 to provide a gas tight fitting. Thus the gas is directed throughbore 113 while the current flows into the outlet body which has a threadedbore 124 formed therein.

Into this bore 124 a threadednipple 126 ofvalve containing member 128 is screwed. This member has an annular groove forming a seat forresilient washer 130 which bears against the outer surface ofoutlet body 106 and prevents leakage of gas. Thebore 113 is sufiiciently deepand of suflicient diameter to receive not only the threadedtail piece 126 but a portion of the larger body up to the termination of theinsulation 132 which surrounds thevalve housing member 120 and projects from the extremity ofplug 112 to the threadednipple 134 formed on the front of the valve housing member. This provides a gas tight and electrically insulated union betweenvalve housing 128 and theoutlet body 106 confining gas passage throughbore 136 in the valve housing and confining electrical current flowv to the housing128.

Thebore 136 is threaded to receive avalve 138, best seen in Figure 21. The valve has a housing 140 for amovable valve stem 142 which carries avalve head 144. Spring 146 contacts flange 148 urging the valve stem to the left in Figure 21 causing thevalve head 144 to bear againstvalve seat 150 formed on the extremity of the valve body. A resilient sealing member 151 is carried by the valve body to form a gas seal with the walls ofbore 136. In this manner, gas will not flow from the outlet unless the valve stem is moved to depress the spring.

The operating instrument generally designated 152 (Figure 16) is connected to the outlet by means of aflexible tube 154 and coupling member generally designated 156 (Figure 15). The coupling member has abody 158, of Bakelite or other similar non-conductive material, having anaperture 160 at one extremity to receivetube 154 which projects into thecoupling member body 158. The tube telescopically receives the tubular extremity 161 of thevalve actuating member 162, which extremity has twoannular grooves 163 into whichinternal ridges 164 of the tube project to insure a tight gas proof fit. The valve actuating member is threaded externally and screws into abushing 166 which in turn snugly fits into thebore 168 formed in thecoupling member body 158.

Thevalve actuating member 162 carries ablade 170 centrally located thereon at the extremity adjacent thevalve 138, which blade strikes thehead 172 of the valve stem without obstructing flow of gas throughbore 136. Acoupling member 174 screws onto theextremity 134 of thevalve containing member 128 and has an inturned flange 176which engages a flange 178 formed upon the valve actuating member so that screwing the coupling member on thevalve containing member 128 draws thevalve actuating blade 170 into engagement withhead 172 and urges thevalve stem 142 against spring 146, thereby opening thevalve 138 and permitting gas to flow through the hollowvalve actuating member 162 and into thetube 154.

A resilient washer 180 is carried by the valve actuating member at the extremity adjacent thevalve housing member 128, fitting betweenthe'extremity 134 of said member and the extremity of thevalve actuating member 162, forming a gas tight seal therebetween.Suitable insulation 182 surrounds the exposed portions of themetal coupling member 174 from the point of contact withinsulation 132 on thevalve carrying member 128 around the enlarged portion of said member and terminating inside saidcoupling member body 158. In this manner, all metal parts such asvalve carrying member 128,coupling member 174, valveactuating carrying member 162 andbushing 166 are insulated from exposure to the atmosphere. All of these parts are in electrical contact with one another and with the high frequency current source.

Thetube 154 is of rubber or some similar non-conductive flexible material and houses the flexiblecurrent carrying wire 184. This wire is connected to the valveactuating carrying member 162 by aspring 186 whose extremities are bent normal to the axis of the valveactuating carrying member 162 and project into an annular groove 183 formed therein.

At the opposite extremity, a similar spring 180 has its extremities projecting into a similar annular groove formed inwire coupling member 192. This wire coupling member has a bore therein which is tapered to receive the tapered extremity of thetube 194. Atail piece 196 has an inturned flange which is smaller than the large portion of thewire coupling member 192. A tube body carries thetube 194 therein and screws intotail piece 196, drawing the tube into electrical contact withwire coupling member 192 and hencewire 154.

The other extremity of thetube body 198 has screwed thereon ahead piece 200 which carries therein achuck 202 which telescopically receives thetube 194 in one extremity and has jaws which hold therein atube 204. Thehead piece 200 has a slightly tapered bore so that as it is screwed onto thetube body 198, the jaws ofchuck 202 close upon and hold thetube 204.

Atool holding member 206 fits intotube 204 which has ashoulder 208 beyond which thetube holding member 206 cannot pass. Thecutting tool 210 fits into thetool holding member 206 and is braised or otherwise secured therein.

Thetail piece 196,tube body 198 andhead piece 200 are all made of a non-conductive material so that none of the metal pieces is exposed to the atmosphere other than thecutting tool 210. The cutting tool is in electrical contact with thewire 184 throughwire coupling member 192,tube 194 andtool holding member 206. The inert gas passes through thetube 154 andtube 194 and aroundtool holding member 206 which has a plurality of channels formed therein as best seen in Figures 19 and 20 and is discharged fromtube 204 in a blanket surrounding the cutting tool 21% shielding same from the explosive atmosphere which exists in the operating room.

A form of high frequency generator is shown in the schematic circuit diagram of Figure 22. Other forms of generators well known to those skilled in the art may be utilized.

A suitable source ofpower 212 is connected through an electro-rnagnetic switch 214 to the primary winding 216 of a step-up transformer generally designated 218. This primary winding is provided with a plurality of voltage taps 229 which may selectively be contacted by amovable switch arm 222 permitting compensation for variations in the line voltage supplied bysource 212. A plurality ofspark gaps 224 are connected for energization by the high-voltage secondary winding 226 of transformer 218. High frequency oscillatory currents are induced in a resonant circuit comprising a high-frequency tuning coil 22% and capacitors 239.

These high frequency currents are shown by way of illustration as being taken off through coupling capacitors 232, one of these capacitors being connected to aground terminal 234 with asuitable ground electrode 236 connected thereto byconductor 238. The other capacitor is connected bylead 48 to the cuttinginstrument 152. Theground electrode 236 is intended to complete the circuit to the body of the patient undergoing the operation.

The high frequency current source has lead 48a connecting same to theoutlet body 106. In operation inert gas is admitted throughhose 54 into thecasing 18 which houses the current source and thus insulates same from the atmosphere. The inert gas fills casing 18 andhousing 26. When one of thepetcocks 80 is rotated to the position where theports 88 and 90 are aligned withport 62 andtube 70, the gas will flow from 26 up through 54a and throughbubble indicating tube 68 and through one of the tubes 1%, 102 or 104 to theoutlet body 106. The gas passes through a suitable bore in the outlet body intobore 136 ofvalve housing member 128. Thevalve 138 prevents further passage of the gas until the valve stem is moved to open the valve by coupling the cuttinginstrument coupling member 156 thereon. The gas passes throughtube 154 and is discharged from the cuttinginstrument 152 in the form of a blanket of gas surrounding the cutting instrument 216. The high frequency current is conducted by the outlet body and the coupling means to wire 184 to the cutting instrument and at all times is insulated from the atmosphere in the operating room which frequently contains an explosive atmosphere.

illustrated in Figure 23 is an alternative form of gas flow indicating device wherein gas flows throughtube 240 instead ofpipe 54 and exits throughtube 242 to an outlet in place of tubes 1%, 102 and 104. Achamber 242 is formed of a suitabletransparent body 244. The chamber is tapered so that the velocity of gas passing there through will be reduced at the outlet. Asteel ball 246 is inserted into the chamber, which ball will float therein while gas is flowing and will drop to the bottom of the chamber if the gas fiow ceases.Springs 248 and 250 are provided at each extremity of the chamber to cushion the impact of the ball.

In this manner a visual indicator tells when gas flow 6 is interrupted by the position of theball 246 inchamber 242.

While what hereinbefore has been described is the preferred embodiment of this invention, it is readily apparent that alterations and modifications can be resorted to without departing from the scope of this invention and such alterations and modifications are intended to be included in the following claims.

I claim:

1. An electro-surgical device of the type utilizing a high frequency current source and a source of inert gas comprising: a housing, a casing containing said current source removably inserted into said housing, means directing inert gas from said gas source into said casing, a gas flow indicating housing communicating with said casing, an outlet body having a gas port therethrough, means forming an electrical and gas tight seal between said outlet body and one of said housings, means connecting said high frequency current source to said outlet body, visual gas flow indicating means on said gas flow indicating housing, and means directing gas flow through said gas flow indicating means prior to passage to said outlet.

2. An electro-surgical device of the type utilizing a high frequency current source and a source of inert gas comprising: a housing, a casing containing said current source removably inserted into said housing, means directing inert gas from said gas source into said casing, a gas flow indicating housing communicating with said casing, an outlet body having a gas port therethrough, means forming an electrical and gas tight seal between said outlet body and one of said housings, means connecting said high frequency current source to said outlet body, gas flow indicating means mounted on said gas flow indicating housing for visual inspection, ports leading from said gas flow indicating housing to said gas flow indicating means and from said gas fiow indicating housing to said outlet, and a petcock controlling flow through said ports.

3. An electro-surgical device of the type utilizing a high frequency current source and a source of inert gas comprising: a housing, a casing containing said current source removably inserted into said housing, means directing inert gas from said gas source into said casing, a gas flow indicating housing communicating with said casing, an outlet body having a gas port therethrough, means forming an electrical and gas tight seal between said outlet body and one of said housings, means connecting said high frequency current source to said outlet body, visual gas flow indicating means on said gas flow indicating housing, means directing gas flow through said gas flow indicating means prior to passage to said outlet, normally closed valve means in said outlet body gas port responsive to a force applied thereon from outside said gas flow indicating housing to permit flow of gas therefrom.

4. An electro-surgical device of the type utilizing a high frequency current source and a source of inert gas comprising: a housing, a casing containing said current source removably inserted into said housing, means directing inert gas from said gas source into said casing, a gas flow indicating housing communicating with said casing, an outlet body having a gas port therethrough, means forming an electrical and gas tight seal between said outlet body and one of said housings, means connecting said high frequency current source to said outlet body, gas flow indicating means mounted on said gas flow indicating housing for visual inspection, ports leading from said gas flow indicating housing to said gas high frequency current source comprising: a housing, a casing containing said current source removably inserted into said housing, an inert gas source carried by said housing and supplying gas to the inside of said casing, a combined electrical and gas outlet fromsaid housing, an electrically insulated cutting instrument attached to said outlet and having an exposed cutting tool, means electrically insulating the connection between said cutting instrument and said outlet, and means for directing gas through said outlet and said cutting instrument in the form of an envelope encasing said cutting tool.

6. An electro-surgical device of the type utilizing a high frequency current source and a source of inert gas comprising: a housing, a casing containing said current source removably inserted into said housing, means directing inert gas from said gas source into said casing, a gas flow indicating housing communicating with said casing, a combined electrical and gas outlet from said gas flow indicating housing, visual gas flow indicating means on said gas fiow indicating housing, means'directing gas flow from said casing tnrough said gas flow indicating means prior to passage to said outlet, an electrically insulated cutting instrument attached to said outlet and having an exposed cutting tool, means electrically insulating the connection between said cutting instrument and said outlet, and means directing gas from said indicating means through said outlet and said cutting instrument in the form of an envelope encasing said cutting tool.

7. An electro-surgical device of the type utilizing a high frequency current source and a source of inert gas comprising: a housing, a casing containing said current source removably inserted into said housing, means directing inert gas from said gas source into said casing, a gas flow indicating housing communicating with said casing, an outlet body having a gas port therethrough, means forming an electrical and gas tight seal between said outlet body and said first mentioned housing, means connecting said high frequency current source to said outlet body, visual gas flow indicating means on said gas flow indicating housing, means directing gas flow from said casing through said gas flow indicating means prior to passage to said outlet, normally closed valve means attached to said outlet body in said gas port responsive to a force applied thereon from outside said gas flow indicating housing to permit flow of gas therefrom, an electrically insulated cutting instrument attached to said outlet and having an exposed cutting tool, means electrically insulating the connection between said cutting instrument and said outlet, and means directing gas through said outlet and said cutting instrument in the form of an envelope encasing said cutting tool.

8. An electro-surgical device of the type utilizing a high frequency current source comprising: a housing, a casing containing said current source removably inserted into said housing, an inert gas source carried by said housing and supplying gas to the inside of said casing,'and a combined electrical and gas outlet from said housing, normally closed valve means in said outlet, a valve actuating member removabiy secured to said outlet and having a gas port therethrough, an electrically insulated cutting instrument having an exposed cutting tool, a flexible electrically insulated tube connecting said valve actuating member to said cutting instrument directing gas flow through said cutting instrument in the form of an envelope encasing said cutting tool, and'means electrically insulating the connection between said valve actuating member, said outlet and said tube.

9. An electro-surgical device of the type utilizing a high frequency current source comprising: a housing, a casing containing said current source and removably inserted into said housing, an inert gas source carried by said housing and supplying gas to the inside of said casing, a combined electrical and gas outlet iromlsaid housing, visual gasflow indicating means mounted upon said housing to signal tlow of gas from said outlet, normally closed valve means in said outlet, 21 valve actuating member removably secured to said outlet and having a gas port therethrough, an electrically insulated cutting instrui5; :xposed cutting tool, a flexible electrically ms lated tune connecting said valve actuating member to said cutting instrument directing gas flow through said cutting instrument in the form of an envelope encasing said cutting tool, and means electrically insulating the tion between said valve actuating member, said outlet and said tube.

10. An electro-surgical device of the type utilizing a high frequency current source and a source of inert gas comprising: a housing, a casing containing said current source removably inserted into said housing, means directing inert gas from said gas source into said casing, a gas ilow indicating housing communicating with said casing, a combined electrical and gas outlet from said gas flow indicating housing, visual gas flow indicating means on said gas flow indicating housing, means directing gas flow from said casing through said gas low indicating means prior to passage to said outlet, normally closed valve means attached to said outlet, a valve actuating member removably secured to said outlet and having a gas port therethrough, an electrically insulated cutting instrument having an exposed cutting tool, a flexible elec trically. insulated tube connecting said valve actuating member to said cutting instrument directing gas flow through said cutting instrument in the form of an envelope encasing said cutting tool, and means electrically insulating the connection between said valve actuating member, said outlet and said tube.

11. An electro-surgical device of the type utilizing a high frequency current source and a source of inert gas comprising: a housing, a casing containing said current source removably inserted into said housing, means directing inert gas from said gas source into said casing, a gas flow indicating housing communicating with said casing, an outlet body having a gas port therethrough, means forming an electrical and gas tight seal between said outlet body and one of said housings, means connecting said high frequency current source to said outlet body, normally closed valve means in said outlet, a valve actuating member removably secured to said outlet, and having a gas port therethrough, an electrically insulated cutting instrument having an exposed cutting tool, a flexible electrically insulated tube connecting said valve actuating' member to said cutting instrument directing gas ilow through said cutting instrument in the form of an envelope encasing said cutting tool, and means electrically insulating the connection between said valve actuating member, said outlet and said tube.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

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