CA2200534A1 - Circuit and method for argon activation - Google Patents
Circuit and method for argon activationInfo
- Publication number
- CA2200534A1 CA2200534A1 CA 2200534 CA2200534A CA2200534A1 CA 2200534 A1 CA2200534 A1 CA 2200534A1 CA 2200534 CA2200534 CA 2200534 CA 2200534 A CA2200534 A CA 2200534A CA 2200534 A1 CA2200534 A1 CA 2200534A1
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- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- electrosurgical
- energy
- relay
- request button
- pencil
- Prior art date
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
- A61B18/00—Surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body
- A61B18/04—Surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body by heating
- A61B18/042—Surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body by heating using additional gas becoming plasma
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
- A61B18/00—Surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body
- A61B2018/0091—Handpieces of the surgical instrument or device
- A61B2018/00916—Handpieces of the surgical instrument or device with means for switching or controlling the main function of the instrument or device
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- Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- Surgery (AREA)
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Biomedical Technology (AREA)
- Otolaryngology (AREA)
- Nuclear Medicine, Radiotherapy & Molecular Imaging (AREA)
- Plasma & Fusion (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Heart & Thoracic Surgery (AREA)
- Medical Informatics (AREA)
- Molecular Biology (AREA)
- Animal Behavior & Ethology (AREA)
- General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- Public Health (AREA)
- Veterinary Medicine (AREA)
- Surgical Instruments (AREA)
Abstract
A circuit (10) for concurrent activation of a gas surgical unit (26) flow control valve (15) and an electrosurgical generator (11) upon the surgeon's operation of an electrosurgical energy request button (12) on an electrosurgical pencil (13) has an energy source (14) coupled to the electrosurgical pencil (13) for supplying power in the circuit (10) to provide simultaneous flow of electrosurgical energy from theelectrosurgical generator (11) and flow of inert gas from a gas surgical unit (26) flow control valve (15). The energy source (14) current flow directly responds to the operation of the energy request button by the surgeon. An automatic switch (16)connected to the energy source (14) receives the flow of current upon the operation of the energy request button by the surgeon for opening or closing when the energy request button is opened or closed. The switch connects to the gas surgical unit (26) flow control valve (15) operating it to control inert gas to the pencil. The switch connects to the electrosurgical generator (11) operating it and delivering energy to the pencil. The circuit (10) responds if the surgeon uses the electrosurgical energy request button (12) to obtain a cut or coagulation waveform. A first relay (20) in series with a cut button and a second relay (21) in series with the coagulation energy request button have coils and normally open switch contacts connected to the flow control valve (15) and the electrosurgical generator (11) so current flow from the source magnetically closes the contacts. A method has steps of coupling the source to the switch to supply power for opening and closing the switch in sync with the button and operating the gas surgical unit (26) flow control valve (15) and the electrosurgical generator (11) with the switch. Supplying energy pencil is a step.
Operating either the cut or coagulation on the pencil button is a step.
Operating either the cut or coagulation on the pencil button is a step.
Description
PC9379 ~ 5 S 4 CIRCUIT AND METHOD FOR ARGON ACTIVATION
Backqround of the Invention This invention relates to a circuit and method for argon activation when an electrosurgical generator is keyed. More specifically, the circuit couples with a gas surgical unit and connects to a standard electrosurgical pencil for concurrent flow of gas and electrosurgical energy upon closure of the cut button or coagulation button on the pencil.
Back~round of the Disclosure Inert gas, such as argon, delivered concurrently with electrosurgical generator delivery of radio frequency energy forms an ionized path for the flow of electrosurgical energy to the patient from an electrode in the distal end of the electrosurgical pencil.
Commercially available gas electrosurgical pencils are made specially for controlled delivery of argon and electrosurgical energy delivery. Gas surgical pencils have a pair of switches that start and stop argon flow as disclosed in U.S. Patents Nos.
5,217,457; U.S. 5,244,462 and U.S. 5,088,997 all assigned to the same assignee as this disclosure. The switch for directing argon flow mounts on the electrosurgical pencil. A gas line for argon and a pair of switches for the electrosurgical generator coagulation or cut wave forms are on the pencil. The argon electrosurgical pencil includes an electrical cable with wires for connection directly to the gas surgical unit to trigger the flow of argon gas when the electrosurgical energy is called for by the surgeon. The gas delivery control is on the pencil and controls the gas delivery from the separate on and off switch buKons and wires connecting to circuits integral with the gas surgical unit. In addition to the three wires connected between the argon electrosurgical pencil and the gas surgical unit, there is another wire for providing electrosurgical energy from the electrosurgical generator. Cut and coagulation wave forms are controlled by buKons therefore on the gas surgical pencil.
A standard electrosurgical pencil without argon gas plumbing or an extra wire is made in high volume and cost about half of that for an argon electrosurgical pencil.
Adapting a standard pencil to operate the gas surgical unit offers lower cost topractitioners that have never used argon with electrosurgery and to those who infrequently use argon electrosurgery due to added cost.
U.S. Patent No. 4,781,175 has an argon electrosurgical pencil with a sensing lumen to determine the proper operation of the pencil by return of gas to the delivery 2 ~ 5 ~ ~
apparatus thus verifying a proper connection and flow of the gas at the nozzle. Thus, the gas delivery apparatus responds accordingly.
U.S. Patent 5,324,283 has a switch on an endoscope. The switch breaks a light path through optic fibers to control extemal accessories remote tumed on and off.
U.S. Patent 4,209,018 has a tissue coagulation apparatus with indicating means in circuit with the active and retum electrode leads. An output signal from the indicating means provides information to a control for the electrosurgical generator. The specific indicating means can respond to various physical values showing the presence andstrength of an electrical arc between the distal ends of bipolar electrodes. The device controls the strength of the arc so heat applied during electrosurgery is minimized to avoid tissue cell rupture and/or burning of albumin. The monitoring function provided by the indicating means controls internal circuitry within the electrosurgical generator by means of wiring directly to the generator. There is no teaching of the indicating means controlling something external of the generator such as the argon delivery from a gas surgical unit. The electrically connected (hard wired) indicating means is merely external pick-up for the control and does not have an external output for another device such as a gas surgical unit. Any number of internal inductive pick-ups has been proposed and used for control of RF leakage. U.S. Patent 5,152,762 discloses an inductive pick-up and references prior patents that use a winding on a common2 o magnetic core about which the active and return leads are also wound. When there is an unbalanced between the flow of current through the active and return leads anEMF is generated in the extra winding. That EMF is used as a signal to control the RF
leakage and maintain balanced flow of energy in the active and return leads.
Inductive coils for leakage are internal with respect to the electrosurgical generator and as such precede the output connections on the exterior of the generator. They are sensitive to inductive differences in the active and return leads, but provide no external signal for use with an accessory.
U.S. Patent 5,160,334 has an electrosurgical generator and suction apparatus with a switching circuit connected to a hand switch or foot switch to operate the electrosurgical generator remotely. The switching circuit activates a controller for a vacuum motor plumbed to remove the smoke that results at the site of the electrosurgery. Clearly the remote operation of the switching circuit for the smoke evacuator by the hand or foot switch is hard wired, i.e., passes through intemal wires in the electrosurgical unit. This approach as well as those described are 3 5 disadvantageous to the many of existing electrosurgical generators presently in ~ IJi~554 operation in hospitals throughout the world. The internal wiring for automatic activation~ of the suction or the like accessory is required in the electrosurgical generator. It is desired to be able to have an automatic activation that easily starts and stops the argon gas flow and is external to the electrosurgical generator, gas 5 surgical unit and the standard electrosurgical pencil.
U.S. Patent 5,108,389 discloses an automatic activation circuit for a smoke evacuator used with a laser. A foot switch breaks a laser beam and signals for operating the smoke evacuator. There is no physical association or direct electrical coupling or attachment between the laser and the smoke evacuator. That is to say10 that, when the laser beam is transmitted and received and the foot switch interrupts the laser beam the control signal comes from the foot switch not the laser.
U.S. Patent 5,041,110 discloses a cart for supporting an electrosurgical generator, gas supply with automatic valves and a control logic panel. This cartadapts the many different existing electrosurgical generators for use with argon gas.
15 While the term, " electrosurgical pencil" is repeatedly referred to throughout the '110 patent, the disclosure therein is made only to a special gas electrosurgical pencil. In particular, a gas tube connects to the pencil to supply the inert argon through a passage in the pencil hand piece and about a wire carrying the electrosurgical energy.
There is no switch control on the pencil and no suggestion of how a standard pencil 2 o could be used. Moreover, the activation of the combined gas tube and specialelectrosurgical pencil is merely by a foot switch. The control logic panel is electrically connected to the gas flow control valve assembly and the electrosurgical generator for the control of gas flow and electrosurgical energy from the foot switch.
There remains a need to be able to adapt the inexpensive standard 25 electrosurgical pencil for activation of the argon flow from a gas surgical unit. Readily available, inexpensive and high volume electrosurgical pencil thus can be used to start and stop the flow of argon during electrosurgery. The circuit disclosed responds to the surgeon's request for electrosurgery made at the electrosurgical pencil cut or coagulation buttons. The circuit concurrently delivers argon to a special gas electrode 30 fit to the distal end of a standard electrosurgical pencil. The special gas electrode is the subject of another application United States serial number 08t621151, Attorney's docket PC 9393 and is assigned to the same assignee.
Backqround of the Invention This invention relates to a circuit and method for argon activation when an electrosurgical generator is keyed. More specifically, the circuit couples with a gas surgical unit and connects to a standard electrosurgical pencil for concurrent flow of gas and electrosurgical energy upon closure of the cut button or coagulation button on the pencil.
Back~round of the Disclosure Inert gas, such as argon, delivered concurrently with electrosurgical generator delivery of radio frequency energy forms an ionized path for the flow of electrosurgical energy to the patient from an electrode in the distal end of the electrosurgical pencil.
Commercially available gas electrosurgical pencils are made specially for controlled delivery of argon and electrosurgical energy delivery. Gas surgical pencils have a pair of switches that start and stop argon flow as disclosed in U.S. Patents Nos.
5,217,457; U.S. 5,244,462 and U.S. 5,088,997 all assigned to the same assignee as this disclosure. The switch for directing argon flow mounts on the electrosurgical pencil. A gas line for argon and a pair of switches for the electrosurgical generator coagulation or cut wave forms are on the pencil. The argon electrosurgical pencil includes an electrical cable with wires for connection directly to the gas surgical unit to trigger the flow of argon gas when the electrosurgical energy is called for by the surgeon. The gas delivery control is on the pencil and controls the gas delivery from the separate on and off switch buKons and wires connecting to circuits integral with the gas surgical unit. In addition to the three wires connected between the argon electrosurgical pencil and the gas surgical unit, there is another wire for providing electrosurgical energy from the electrosurgical generator. Cut and coagulation wave forms are controlled by buKons therefore on the gas surgical pencil.
A standard electrosurgical pencil without argon gas plumbing or an extra wire is made in high volume and cost about half of that for an argon electrosurgical pencil.
Adapting a standard pencil to operate the gas surgical unit offers lower cost topractitioners that have never used argon with electrosurgery and to those who infrequently use argon electrosurgery due to added cost.
U.S. Patent No. 4,781,175 has an argon electrosurgical pencil with a sensing lumen to determine the proper operation of the pencil by return of gas to the delivery 2 ~ 5 ~ ~
apparatus thus verifying a proper connection and flow of the gas at the nozzle. Thus, the gas delivery apparatus responds accordingly.
U.S. Patent 5,324,283 has a switch on an endoscope. The switch breaks a light path through optic fibers to control extemal accessories remote tumed on and off.
U.S. Patent 4,209,018 has a tissue coagulation apparatus with indicating means in circuit with the active and retum electrode leads. An output signal from the indicating means provides information to a control for the electrosurgical generator. The specific indicating means can respond to various physical values showing the presence andstrength of an electrical arc between the distal ends of bipolar electrodes. The device controls the strength of the arc so heat applied during electrosurgery is minimized to avoid tissue cell rupture and/or burning of albumin. The monitoring function provided by the indicating means controls internal circuitry within the electrosurgical generator by means of wiring directly to the generator. There is no teaching of the indicating means controlling something external of the generator such as the argon delivery from a gas surgical unit. The electrically connected (hard wired) indicating means is merely external pick-up for the control and does not have an external output for another device such as a gas surgical unit. Any number of internal inductive pick-ups has been proposed and used for control of RF leakage. U.S. Patent 5,152,762 discloses an inductive pick-up and references prior patents that use a winding on a common2 o magnetic core about which the active and return leads are also wound. When there is an unbalanced between the flow of current through the active and return leads anEMF is generated in the extra winding. That EMF is used as a signal to control the RF
leakage and maintain balanced flow of energy in the active and return leads.
Inductive coils for leakage are internal with respect to the electrosurgical generator and as such precede the output connections on the exterior of the generator. They are sensitive to inductive differences in the active and return leads, but provide no external signal for use with an accessory.
U.S. Patent 5,160,334 has an electrosurgical generator and suction apparatus with a switching circuit connected to a hand switch or foot switch to operate the electrosurgical generator remotely. The switching circuit activates a controller for a vacuum motor plumbed to remove the smoke that results at the site of the electrosurgery. Clearly the remote operation of the switching circuit for the smoke evacuator by the hand or foot switch is hard wired, i.e., passes through intemal wires in the electrosurgical unit. This approach as well as those described are 3 5 disadvantageous to the many of existing electrosurgical generators presently in ~ IJi~554 operation in hospitals throughout the world. The internal wiring for automatic activation~ of the suction or the like accessory is required in the electrosurgical generator. It is desired to be able to have an automatic activation that easily starts and stops the argon gas flow and is external to the electrosurgical generator, gas 5 surgical unit and the standard electrosurgical pencil.
U.S. Patent 5,108,389 discloses an automatic activation circuit for a smoke evacuator used with a laser. A foot switch breaks a laser beam and signals for operating the smoke evacuator. There is no physical association or direct electrical coupling or attachment between the laser and the smoke evacuator. That is to say10 that, when the laser beam is transmitted and received and the foot switch interrupts the laser beam the control signal comes from the foot switch not the laser.
U.S. Patent 5,041,110 discloses a cart for supporting an electrosurgical generator, gas supply with automatic valves and a control logic panel. This cartadapts the many different existing electrosurgical generators for use with argon gas.
15 While the term, " electrosurgical pencil" is repeatedly referred to throughout the '110 patent, the disclosure therein is made only to a special gas electrosurgical pencil. In particular, a gas tube connects to the pencil to supply the inert argon through a passage in the pencil hand piece and about a wire carrying the electrosurgical energy.
There is no switch control on the pencil and no suggestion of how a standard pencil 2 o could be used. Moreover, the activation of the combined gas tube and specialelectrosurgical pencil is merely by a foot switch. The control logic panel is electrically connected to the gas flow control valve assembly and the electrosurgical generator for the control of gas flow and electrosurgical energy from the foot switch.
There remains a need to be able to adapt the inexpensive standard 25 electrosurgical pencil for activation of the argon flow from a gas surgical unit. Readily available, inexpensive and high volume electrosurgical pencil thus can be used to start and stop the flow of argon during electrosurgery. The circuit disclosed responds to the surgeon's request for electrosurgery made at the electrosurgical pencil cut or coagulation buttons. The circuit concurrently delivers argon to a special gas electrode 30 fit to the distal end of a standard electrosurgical pencil. The special gas electrode is the subject of another application United States serial number 08t621151, Attorney's docket PC 9393 and is assigned to the same assignee.
4 ~ S 4 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A circuit for concurrent activation of a gas surgical unit flow control valve and an electrosurgical generator upon the surgeon's operation of an electrosurgical energy request button on an electrosurgical pencil are disclosed. The circuit preferably has 5 an energy source coupled to the electrosurgical pencil for supplying power in the circuit to provide simultaneous flow of electrosurgical energy from the electrosurgical generator and flow of inert gas from the gas surgical unit flow control valve. The energy source current flow directly responds to the operation of the energy request button by the surgeon. An automatic switch connected to the energy source receives 10 the flow of current upon the operation of the energy request button by the surgeon.
The automatic switch opens or closes when the energy request button is opened orclosed respectively by the surgeon. The automatic switch connected to the gas surgical unit flow control valve operates it to send inert gas to the electrosurgical pencil. The automatic switch connected to the electrosurgical generator operates it 15 and delivers selectively electrosurgical energy to the electrosurgical pencil.
The circuit responds if the surgeon uses the electrosurgical energy request button on the electrosurgical pencil to obtain a cut wave form or a coagulation waveform from the electrosurgical generator. The automatic switch in the preferred embodiment includes a relay in the circuit to open and close the gas unit flow control 20 valve and the electrosurgical generator electrosurgical energy. The energy source is most preferably a battery for electromagnetically operating the relay. The automatic switch in the preferred circuit has a first relay for operation when the electrosurgical energy request button is used by the surgeon to obtain a cut wave form. The automatic switch has a second relay for operation when the electrosurgical energy 25 request button is used by the surgeon to obtain a coagulation wave form. The first relay may be in series with a cut energy request button and the second relay may be in series with the coagulation energy request button.
The battery exclusively electromagnetically operates either the first relay or the second relay. The automatic switch relay may have a coil and normally open switch 30 contacts for operation by the coil. The switch contacts connect to the gas surgical unit flow control valve and the electrosurgical generator so that upon current flow in the circuit from the energy source to the coil the normally open switch contacts magnetically close contacts so inert gas an electrosurgical energy flows to the electrosurgical pencil. The normally open contacts, preferably electrically,couple to 35 the electrosurgical generator foot switch terminal. The circuit may include a diode in ~U5S4 series with the battery to protect polarity. The circuit most preferably includes a capacitor in parallel with the coil to filter electrosurgical energy. The circuit could include a resistor in series with the battery to prevent uncontrolled current flow if the relay shorts out. The automatic switch might have a third relay for operation when the 5 electrosurgical energy request button is used by the surgeon to operate an accessory concurrently with the electrosurgery and the gas surgical unit flow control valve, the third relay in series with the energy request button.
A method for concurrent argon activation of the gas surgical unit flow control valve upon the surgeon's operation of the electrosurgical generator with the 10 electrosurgical energy request button on an electrosurgical pencil preferably has steps. Coupling the energy source to the automatic switch to supply power for opening and closing the automatic switch in sync with the surgeon's operation of the energy request button is a method step that is preferred. Another step of the preferred method can be operating the gas surgical unit flow control valve with the 15 automatic switch. The step of operating the electrosurgical generator with the automatic switch for concurrent operation thereof is preferred. Supplying electrosurgical energy from the electrosurgical generator to the electrosurgical pencil is another preferred step of the method.
The step of coupling an energy source to the automatic switch to supply power 20 may include operating either the cut or coagulation on the electrosurgical pencil the energy request button. The step of operating the gas surgical unit flow control valve with the automatic switch could include generating an electromagnetic field in the relay coil with the energy source. The step of operating the electrosurgical generator with the automatic switch for concurrent operation thereof can include connecting the gas 2 5 surgical unit to the foot switch control terminal of the electrosurgical generator.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a system having a gas surgical unit flow control valve and an electrosurgical generator concurrently activated upon the 30 surgeon's operation of an electrosurgical energy request button on an electrosurgical pencil.
Figure 2 is a circuit diagram of the preferred embodiment for use with cut and coagulation request buttons on the electrosurgical pencil.
A circuit for concurrent activation of a gas surgical unit flow control valve and an electrosurgical generator upon the surgeon's operation of an electrosurgical energy request button on an electrosurgical pencil are disclosed. The circuit preferably has 5 an energy source coupled to the electrosurgical pencil for supplying power in the circuit to provide simultaneous flow of electrosurgical energy from the electrosurgical generator and flow of inert gas from the gas surgical unit flow control valve. The energy source current flow directly responds to the operation of the energy request button by the surgeon. An automatic switch connected to the energy source receives 10 the flow of current upon the operation of the energy request button by the surgeon.
The automatic switch opens or closes when the energy request button is opened orclosed respectively by the surgeon. The automatic switch connected to the gas surgical unit flow control valve operates it to send inert gas to the electrosurgical pencil. The automatic switch connected to the electrosurgical generator operates it 15 and delivers selectively electrosurgical energy to the electrosurgical pencil.
The circuit responds if the surgeon uses the electrosurgical energy request button on the electrosurgical pencil to obtain a cut wave form or a coagulation waveform from the electrosurgical generator. The automatic switch in the preferred embodiment includes a relay in the circuit to open and close the gas unit flow control 20 valve and the electrosurgical generator electrosurgical energy. The energy source is most preferably a battery for electromagnetically operating the relay. The automatic switch in the preferred circuit has a first relay for operation when the electrosurgical energy request button is used by the surgeon to obtain a cut wave form. The automatic switch has a second relay for operation when the electrosurgical energy 25 request button is used by the surgeon to obtain a coagulation wave form. The first relay may be in series with a cut energy request button and the second relay may be in series with the coagulation energy request button.
The battery exclusively electromagnetically operates either the first relay or the second relay. The automatic switch relay may have a coil and normally open switch 30 contacts for operation by the coil. The switch contacts connect to the gas surgical unit flow control valve and the electrosurgical generator so that upon current flow in the circuit from the energy source to the coil the normally open switch contacts magnetically close contacts so inert gas an electrosurgical energy flows to the electrosurgical pencil. The normally open contacts, preferably electrically,couple to 35 the electrosurgical generator foot switch terminal. The circuit may include a diode in ~U5S4 series with the battery to protect polarity. The circuit most preferably includes a capacitor in parallel with the coil to filter electrosurgical energy. The circuit could include a resistor in series with the battery to prevent uncontrolled current flow if the relay shorts out. The automatic switch might have a third relay for operation when the 5 electrosurgical energy request button is used by the surgeon to operate an accessory concurrently with the electrosurgery and the gas surgical unit flow control valve, the third relay in series with the energy request button.
A method for concurrent argon activation of the gas surgical unit flow control valve upon the surgeon's operation of the electrosurgical generator with the 10 electrosurgical energy request button on an electrosurgical pencil preferably has steps. Coupling the energy source to the automatic switch to supply power for opening and closing the automatic switch in sync with the surgeon's operation of the energy request button is a method step that is preferred. Another step of the preferred method can be operating the gas surgical unit flow control valve with the 15 automatic switch. The step of operating the electrosurgical generator with the automatic switch for concurrent operation thereof is preferred. Supplying electrosurgical energy from the electrosurgical generator to the electrosurgical pencil is another preferred step of the method.
The step of coupling an energy source to the automatic switch to supply power 20 may include operating either the cut or coagulation on the electrosurgical pencil the energy request button. The step of operating the gas surgical unit flow control valve with the automatic switch could include generating an electromagnetic field in the relay coil with the energy source. The step of operating the electrosurgical generator with the automatic switch for concurrent operation thereof can include connecting the gas 2 5 surgical unit to the foot switch control terminal of the electrosurgical generator.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a system having a gas surgical unit flow control valve and an electrosurgical generator concurrently activated upon the 30 surgeon's operation of an electrosurgical energy request button on an electrosurgical pencil.
Figure 2 is a circuit diagram of the preferred embodiment for use with cut and coagulation request buttons on the electrosurgical pencil.
6 2~UU5S4 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
A circuit 10 for the system for concurrent activation of a gas surgical unit flow control valve and an electrosurgical generator 11 upon the surgeon's operation of an 5 electrosurgical energy request button 12 on an electrosurgical pencil 13 is disclosed in Figures 1 and 2. The circuit 10 has an energy source 14, coupled to the electrosurgical pencil 13 such as E2502B, E2515, E2516, E2525, E2550 manufactured by Valleylab of Boulder, Colorado and for supplying power in the circuit 10 to provide simultaneous flow of electrosurgical energy from the electrosurgical 10 generator 11 and flow of inert gas from the gas surgical unit flow control valve 15 in Figure 1. The energy source 14 current flow directly responds to the operation of the energy request button 12 by the surgeon.
An automatic switch 16 connected in series with the energy source 14 as in Figure 2 receives the flow of current upon the operation of the energy request button 15 12 by the surgeon. The automatic switch 16 opens or closes when the energy request button 12 is opened or closed, respectively by the surgeon. The automatic switch 16 connected to the gas surgical unit flow control valve 15 operates it to send inert gas to the electrosurgical pencil 13. The automatic switch 16 connected to the electrosurgical generator 11 operates it and delivers selectively electrosurgical energy 20 to the electrosurgical pencil 13.
The circuit 10 responds if the surgeon uses the electrosurgical energy request button 12 on the electrosurgical pencil 13 to obtain a cut wave form or a coagulation waveform from the electrosurgical generator 11. Standard electrosurgical pencilssuch as those mentioned herein include two separate switch buttons 17 and 18, one 25 for cutting and another for coagulating as shown schematically in Figure 2. The automatic switch 16 in the preferred embodiment includes a relay as best seen inFigure 2 in the circuit 10 to open and close concurrently the gas unit flow control valve 15 and connect the electrosurgical generator 11 electrosurgical energy to the pencil 13. The energy source 14 is most preferably a battery and in particular a nine volt 30 lithium cell with snap fasteners as male and female terminals. The preferred battery is sold by the Ultralife Batteries, Inc. of Newark, New York as model number U9VL.
The battery is for electromagnetically operating the relays 19, one for cut and the other for coagulation. The preferred embodiment has a pair of identical relays 19 in the circuit 10. Each relay 19 is made by Coto Wabash of Providence, Rhode Islandas model number 5000-0306. Thus, the automatic switch 16 in the preferred circuit 10 ~u~5~
has a first relay 20 for operation when the electrosurgical energy request button 17 is used by the surgeon to obtain a cut wave form as in Figure 2. The automatic switch 16 has a second relay 21 for operation when the electrosurgical energy request button 18 is used by the surgeon to obtain a coagulation wave form as in Figure 2. The first relay 20 is in series with the cut energy request button 17 and the second relay 21 may be in series with the coagulation energy request button 18 as specifically shown in Figure 2.
The battery 14 electromagnetically operates either the first relay 20 or the second relay 21 when the associated energy request button 17 or 18 is operated by the surgeon. Each automatic switch relay 20 or 21 has a coil and double pole double throw normally open switch contacts for operation by the coil. In particular, the switch contacts connect to the gas surgical unit flow control valve 15 and the electrosurgical generator 11. With current flow in the circuit 10 from the battery 14 to one of the coils the normally open switch contacts thereof are able to magnetically close contacts so inert gas and electrosurgical energy flows to the electrosurgical pencil 13.
The normally open contacts are electrically coupled to the electrosurgical generator 11 foot switch terminal 22 as shown in Figure 2. The circuit 10 includes a diode 23 preferably a 1N4148 in series with the battery to assure polarity, i.e., the correct directional flow of direct current through the circuit 10. The circuit 10 of the preferred embodiment includes a capacitor 24 preferably Kemet model number C330C10SMSUSCA in parallel with the coil of each relay 19 to filter electrosurgical energy. The circuit 10 could include a resistor 25 Caddock Electronics Model number MK13ZV in series with the battery 14 to prevent uncontrolled current flow if a relay 19 shorts out. Even though the preferred batteries have a built in resistance, the resistor 25 is included in the event that any battery without internal resistance is substituted.
The automatic switch 16 might have a third relay 19 (not shown but wired into circuit 10 identically to the manner in which the other relays 20 and 21 are in the circuit 10) for operation when either the electrosurgical energy request button 17 or 18 is used by the surgeon. The third relay 17 is to operate an accessory concurrently with theelectrosurgery.
The third relay would thus be in series with the energy request button 12 just like the first and second relays shown in Figure 2. Skilled artisans would be able to add any number of additional relays for handling concurrently added external operative apparatus as desired by simply following the specific teachings herein.
~ ~o()~
The gas surgical unit flow control valve 15 of this embodiment is shown in Figure 1. In Figure 2 relays 20 and 21 connect through the gas surgical unit 26. The preferred gas surgical unit is made by Valleylab of Boulder, Colorado as the GSU or Force Argon unit. The three connections shown in Figure 2 activate the gas control valve 15 or cut 5 or coagulation. With regard to the latter, the connections pass through the gas surgical unit 26 and connect via foot switch terminal 22 to the electrosurgical generator 11. In Figure 1 the gas control valve 15 is shown schematically. Skilled artisans will understand that such valves are electrically activated, for example by solenoid, to start and stop gas flow. Figure 2 includes a dashed line circumscribing the circuit 10. A convenient form of the circuit 10 is thus shown as a box in Figure 1.
In that box the components of Figure 2 and in particular those within the dashed line are provided.
A method for concurrent argon activation of the gas surgical unit flow control valve 15 upon the surgeon's operation of the electrosurgical generator 11 with the 15 electrosurgical energy request buKon 12 on the electrosurgical pencil 13 preferably has steps. Coupling the energy source 14 to the automatic switch 16 to supply power for opening and closing the automatic switch 16 in sync with the surgeon's operation of the energy request button 12 is a method step. Another step of the method is operating the gas surgical unit flow control valve 15 with the automatic switch 16. The 20 step of operating the electrosurgical generator 11 with the automatic switch 16 for concurrent operation thereof is simultaneously performed. Supplying electrosurgical energy from the electrosurgical generator 11 to the electrosurgical pencil 13 is another step of the method.
The step of coupling the energy source 14 to the automatic switch 16 to supply 25 power includes operating either the cut or coagulation buKons 17 or 18 on theelectrosurgical pencil 13. The step of operating the gas surgical unit flow control valve 15 with the automatic switch 16 includes generating an electromagnetic field in the relay coil with the energy source 14. The step of operating the electrosurgical generator 11 with the automatic switch 16 for concurrent operation thereof has the 3 o step of connecting the gas surgical unit 26 to the foot switch control terminal 22 of the electrosurgical generator 11.
A system and method have been disclosed with specificity. Skilled artisans could substitute other components and achieve similar benefits and advantages. The claims that follow seek to cover all such possibilities.
A circuit 10 for the system for concurrent activation of a gas surgical unit flow control valve and an electrosurgical generator 11 upon the surgeon's operation of an 5 electrosurgical energy request button 12 on an electrosurgical pencil 13 is disclosed in Figures 1 and 2. The circuit 10 has an energy source 14, coupled to the electrosurgical pencil 13 such as E2502B, E2515, E2516, E2525, E2550 manufactured by Valleylab of Boulder, Colorado and for supplying power in the circuit 10 to provide simultaneous flow of electrosurgical energy from the electrosurgical 10 generator 11 and flow of inert gas from the gas surgical unit flow control valve 15 in Figure 1. The energy source 14 current flow directly responds to the operation of the energy request button 12 by the surgeon.
An automatic switch 16 connected in series with the energy source 14 as in Figure 2 receives the flow of current upon the operation of the energy request button 15 12 by the surgeon. The automatic switch 16 opens or closes when the energy request button 12 is opened or closed, respectively by the surgeon. The automatic switch 16 connected to the gas surgical unit flow control valve 15 operates it to send inert gas to the electrosurgical pencil 13. The automatic switch 16 connected to the electrosurgical generator 11 operates it and delivers selectively electrosurgical energy 20 to the electrosurgical pencil 13.
The circuit 10 responds if the surgeon uses the electrosurgical energy request button 12 on the electrosurgical pencil 13 to obtain a cut wave form or a coagulation waveform from the electrosurgical generator 11. Standard electrosurgical pencilssuch as those mentioned herein include two separate switch buttons 17 and 18, one 25 for cutting and another for coagulating as shown schematically in Figure 2. The automatic switch 16 in the preferred embodiment includes a relay as best seen inFigure 2 in the circuit 10 to open and close concurrently the gas unit flow control valve 15 and connect the electrosurgical generator 11 electrosurgical energy to the pencil 13. The energy source 14 is most preferably a battery and in particular a nine volt 30 lithium cell with snap fasteners as male and female terminals. The preferred battery is sold by the Ultralife Batteries, Inc. of Newark, New York as model number U9VL.
The battery is for electromagnetically operating the relays 19, one for cut and the other for coagulation. The preferred embodiment has a pair of identical relays 19 in the circuit 10. Each relay 19 is made by Coto Wabash of Providence, Rhode Islandas model number 5000-0306. Thus, the automatic switch 16 in the preferred circuit 10 ~u~5~
has a first relay 20 for operation when the electrosurgical energy request button 17 is used by the surgeon to obtain a cut wave form as in Figure 2. The automatic switch 16 has a second relay 21 for operation when the electrosurgical energy request button 18 is used by the surgeon to obtain a coagulation wave form as in Figure 2. The first relay 20 is in series with the cut energy request button 17 and the second relay 21 may be in series with the coagulation energy request button 18 as specifically shown in Figure 2.
The battery 14 electromagnetically operates either the first relay 20 or the second relay 21 when the associated energy request button 17 or 18 is operated by the surgeon. Each automatic switch relay 20 or 21 has a coil and double pole double throw normally open switch contacts for operation by the coil. In particular, the switch contacts connect to the gas surgical unit flow control valve 15 and the electrosurgical generator 11. With current flow in the circuit 10 from the battery 14 to one of the coils the normally open switch contacts thereof are able to magnetically close contacts so inert gas and electrosurgical energy flows to the electrosurgical pencil 13.
The normally open contacts are electrically coupled to the electrosurgical generator 11 foot switch terminal 22 as shown in Figure 2. The circuit 10 includes a diode 23 preferably a 1N4148 in series with the battery to assure polarity, i.e., the correct directional flow of direct current through the circuit 10. The circuit 10 of the preferred embodiment includes a capacitor 24 preferably Kemet model number C330C10SMSUSCA in parallel with the coil of each relay 19 to filter electrosurgical energy. The circuit 10 could include a resistor 25 Caddock Electronics Model number MK13ZV in series with the battery 14 to prevent uncontrolled current flow if a relay 19 shorts out. Even though the preferred batteries have a built in resistance, the resistor 25 is included in the event that any battery without internal resistance is substituted.
The automatic switch 16 might have a third relay 19 (not shown but wired into circuit 10 identically to the manner in which the other relays 20 and 21 are in the circuit 10) for operation when either the electrosurgical energy request button 17 or 18 is used by the surgeon. The third relay 17 is to operate an accessory concurrently with theelectrosurgery.
The third relay would thus be in series with the energy request button 12 just like the first and second relays shown in Figure 2. Skilled artisans would be able to add any number of additional relays for handling concurrently added external operative apparatus as desired by simply following the specific teachings herein.
~ ~o()~
The gas surgical unit flow control valve 15 of this embodiment is shown in Figure 1. In Figure 2 relays 20 and 21 connect through the gas surgical unit 26. The preferred gas surgical unit is made by Valleylab of Boulder, Colorado as the GSU or Force Argon unit. The three connections shown in Figure 2 activate the gas control valve 15 or cut 5 or coagulation. With regard to the latter, the connections pass through the gas surgical unit 26 and connect via foot switch terminal 22 to the electrosurgical generator 11. In Figure 1 the gas control valve 15 is shown schematically. Skilled artisans will understand that such valves are electrically activated, for example by solenoid, to start and stop gas flow. Figure 2 includes a dashed line circumscribing the circuit 10. A convenient form of the circuit 10 is thus shown as a box in Figure 1.
In that box the components of Figure 2 and in particular those within the dashed line are provided.
A method for concurrent argon activation of the gas surgical unit flow control valve 15 upon the surgeon's operation of the electrosurgical generator 11 with the 15 electrosurgical energy request buKon 12 on the electrosurgical pencil 13 preferably has steps. Coupling the energy source 14 to the automatic switch 16 to supply power for opening and closing the automatic switch 16 in sync with the surgeon's operation of the energy request button 12 is a method step. Another step of the method is operating the gas surgical unit flow control valve 15 with the automatic switch 16. The 20 step of operating the electrosurgical generator 11 with the automatic switch 16 for concurrent operation thereof is simultaneously performed. Supplying electrosurgical energy from the electrosurgical generator 11 to the electrosurgical pencil 13 is another step of the method.
The step of coupling the energy source 14 to the automatic switch 16 to supply 25 power includes operating either the cut or coagulation buKons 17 or 18 on theelectrosurgical pencil 13. The step of operating the gas surgical unit flow control valve 15 with the automatic switch 16 includes generating an electromagnetic field in the relay coil with the energy source 14. The step of operating the electrosurgical generator 11 with the automatic switch 16 for concurrent operation thereof has the 3 o step of connecting the gas surgical unit 26 to the foot switch control terminal 22 of the electrosurgical generator 11.
A system and method have been disclosed with specificity. Skilled artisans could substitute other components and achieve similar benefits and advantages. The claims that follow seek to cover all such possibilities.
Claims (10)
1. A circuit for concurrent activation of a gas surgical unit flow control valve and an electrosurgical generator upon the surgeon's operation of an electrosurgical energy request button on an electrosurgical pencil, the circuit comprising:
an energy source coupled to the electrosurgical pencil for supplying power in the circuit to provide simultaneous flow of electrosurgical energy from the electrosurgical generator and flow of inert gas from a gas surgical unit flow control valve, the energy source current flow directly responsive to the operation of the energy request button by the surgeon;
an automatic switch connected to the energy supply for receiving the flow of current upon the operation of the energy request button by the surgeon, the automatic switch opening or closing when the energy request button is opened or closed respectively by the surgeon, the automatic switch connected to the gas surgical unit flow control valve for operation thereof to control inert gas to the electrosurgical pencil, the automatic switch connected to the electrosurgical generator to operate it and deliver selectively electrosurgical energy to the electrosurgical pencil.
an energy source coupled to the electrosurgical pencil for supplying power in the circuit to provide simultaneous flow of electrosurgical energy from the electrosurgical generator and flow of inert gas from a gas surgical unit flow control valve, the energy source current flow directly responsive to the operation of the energy request button by the surgeon;
an automatic switch connected to the energy supply for receiving the flow of current upon the operation of the energy request button by the surgeon, the automatic switch opening or closing when the energy request button is opened or closed respectively by the surgeon, the automatic switch connected to the gas surgical unit flow control valve for operation thereof to control inert gas to the electrosurgical pencil, the automatic switch connected to the electrosurgical generator to operate it and deliver selectively electrosurgical energy to the electrosurgical pencil.
2. The system of claim 1 wherein the circuit responds if the surgeon uses the electrosurgical energy request button on an electrosurgical pencil to obtain a cut wave form or a coagulation wave form from the electrosurgical generator.
3. The system of claim 1 wherein the automatic switch includes a relay in the circuit to open and close the gas unit flow control valve and the electrosurgical generator electrosurgical energy.
4. The system of claim 3 wherein the energy source is a battery for electromagnetically operating the relay.
5. The system of claim 2 wherein the automatic switch has a first relay for operation when the electrosurgical energy request button is used by the surgeon to obtain a cut wave form and the automatic switch has a second relay for operation when the electrosurgical energy request button is used by the surgeon to obtain a coagulation wave form, the first relay in series with a cut energy request button and the second relay in series with the coagulation energy request button.
6. The system of claim 5 wherein the energy source is a battery in the circuit for exclusively electromagnetically operating either the first relay or the second relay.
7. The system of claim 2 wherein the automatic switch includes a relay having a coil and normally open switch contacts for operation by the coil, the switch contacts connected to the gas surgical unit flow control valve and the electrosurgical generator so that upon current flow in the circuit from the energy source to the coil the normally open switch contacts magnetically close contacts so inert gas and electrosurgical energy flows to the electrosurgical pencil.
8. The system of claim 7 wherein the energy source is a battery for electromagnetically operating the relay.
9. The system of claim 8 wherein the relay has a coil magnetically activated by the energy request button and the circuit includes a capacitor in parallel with the coil to filter electrosurgical energy.
10. The system of claim 5 wherein the automatic switch has a third relay for operation when the electrosurgical energy request button is used by the surgeon to operate an accessory concurrently with the electrosurgery and the gas surgical unit flow control valve, the third relay in series with the energy request button.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US61938096A | 1996-03-21 | 1996-03-21 | |
| US08/619,380 | 1996-03-21 |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2200534A1 true CA2200534A1 (en) | 1997-09-21 |
Family
ID=24481675
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2200534 Abandoned CA2200534A1 (en) | 1996-03-21 | 1997-03-20 | Circuit and method for argon activation |
Country Status (5)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| JP (1) | JPH105243A (en) |
| CA (1) | CA2200534A1 (en) |
| DE (1) | DE19706270A1 (en) |
| FR (1) | FR2746293A1 (en) |
| GB (1) | GB2311226A (en) |
Families Citing this family (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB2326347B (en) * | 1997-06-19 | 2001-07-11 | James & Harris Ltd | A treatment probe power circuit |
| DE10129685B4 (en) | 2001-06-22 | 2007-09-06 | Erbe Elektromedizin Gmbh | Method and device for argon plasma coagulation |
| US8022327B2 (en) * | 2009-06-19 | 2011-09-20 | Michael Blomeyer | Switch, circuitry, and method of assembly for electrosurgical pencil |
Family Cites Families (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DE1159574B (en) * | 1961-11-29 | 1963-12-19 | Siemens Reiniger Werke Ag | Safety device for high-frequency surgical apparatus |
| FR1340509A (en) * | 1962-11-27 | 1963-10-18 | Siemens Reiniger Werke Ag | Safety device for high frequency surgical devices |
| US5041110A (en) * | 1989-07-10 | 1991-08-20 | Beacon Laboratories, Inc. | Cart for mobilizing and interfacing use of an electrosurgical generator and inert gas supply |
-
1997
- 1997-02-18 DE DE1997106270 patent/DE19706270A1/en not_active Withdrawn
- 1997-02-24 GB GB9703794A patent/GB2311226A/en not_active Withdrawn
- 1997-03-18 JP JP9064045A patent/JPH105243A/en active Pending
- 1997-03-20 FR FR9703426A patent/FR2746293A1/en active Pending
- 1997-03-20 CA CA 2200534 patent/CA2200534A1/en not_active Abandoned
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| DE19706270A1 (en) | 1997-09-25 |
| GB9703794D0 (en) | 1997-04-16 |
| GB2311226A (en) | 1997-09-24 |
| FR2746293A1 (en) | 1997-09-26 |
| JPH105243A (en) | 1998-01-13 |
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| EEER | Examination request | ||
| FZDE | Dead |