Method to generate a plasma stream for performing electrosurgery

1. A method of endoscopic or laparoscopic surgery with an electrosurgical device to generate a plasma stream for performing electrosurgery on a surgical site within a patient comprising an electrosurgical generator coupled to a electrical power source to supply power to the electrosurgical device and a plasma generator including an electrode operatively coupled to said electrosurgical generator to receive electrical energy therefrom and disposed within an inner noble gas conduit to form a plasma channel coupled to a noble gas source to feed noble gas to said inner noble gas conduit such that said electrode at least partially ionizes the noble gas to generate the plasma stream directed to the surgical site to perform the surgical procedure and an outer electronegative gas conduit disposed in surrounding relationship relative to said inner noble gas conduit to cooperatively form an electronegative gas channel therebetween coupled to a gas source to feed electronegative gas to said electronegative gas channel such that the electronegative gas sustains the plasma stream at the surgical site and reduces the level of the concentration of noble gas adjacent the surgical site area to inhibit ionization of the noble gas away from the surgical site.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said inner noble gas conduit includes a distal end and a proximal end and said outer electronegative gas conduit includes a distal end and a proximal end, said distal end of said outer electronegative gas conduit extends beyond said distal end of said inner noble gas conduit.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein said plasma generator further includes an outer aspiration conduit disposed in surrounding relation relative to said outer electronegative gas conduit to cooperatively form an aspiration channel therebetween coupled to a negative pressure source, said negative pressure source to remove fluid and solid debris from the surgical site.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein said outer aspiration conduit includes a distal end and a proximal end, said distal end of said outer electronegative conduit extends beyond said distal end of said outer aspiration conduit.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the noble gas is fed to said inner noble gas conduit at a first flow rate and the electronegative gas is fed to said outer electronegative gas conduit at a second flow rate.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the second flow rate is greater than the first flow rate.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the electronegative gas is selected from the group consisting of air, oxygen and nitrogen.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

suspending the plasma stream; and

intermittently substituting saline solution for the electronegative gas.

9. A method of endoscopic or laparoscopic surgery with an electrosurgical device to generate a plasma stream for performing electrosurgery on a surgical site with a patient comprising an electrosurgical generator coupled to a electrical power source to supply power to said electrosurgical device and a plasma generator including an electrode operatively coupled to said electrosurgical generator to receive electrical energy therefrom and disposed within an inner noble gas conduit to form a plasma channel coupled to a noble gas source to feed noble gas to said inner noble gas conduit such that said electrode at least partially ionizes the noble gas to generate the plasma stream directed to the surgical site to perform the surgical procedure and an outer aspiration conduit disposed in surrounding coaxial relationship relative to said inner noble gas conduit to cooperatively form an aspiration channel therebetween coupled to a negative pressure source to remove fluid and solid debris from the surgical site.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said inner noble gas conduit includes a distal end and a proximal end and said outer aspiration conduit includes a distal end and a proximal end, said distal end of said outer aspiration conduit extends beyond said distal end of said inner noble gas conduit.

11. A method for performing a surgical procedure with an electrosurgical device to generate a plasma stream on a surgical site within a patient, the method comprising:

providing the electrosurgical device including an electrosurgical generator coupled to a electrical power source to supply power to the electrosurgical device and a plasma generator including an electrode operatively coupled to said electrosurgical generator to receive electrical energy therefrom and disposed within an inner noble gas conduit to form a plasma channel and an outer electronegative gas conduit disposed in surrounding relationship relative to said inner noble gas conduit to cooperatively form an electronegative gas channel therebetween;

feeding a noble gas to said inner noble gas conduit;

providing electrical energy to said electrode such that said electrode at least partially ionizes the noble gas to generate the plasma stream directed to the surgical site to perform the surgical procedure; and

feeding an electronegative gas to said electronegative gas conduit such that the electronegative gas sustains the plasma stream at the surgical site and reduces the level of the concentration of noble gas adjacent the surgical site area to inhibit ionization of the noble gas away from the surgical site.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein said inner noble gas conduit includes a distal end and a proximal end and said outer electronegative gas conduit includes a distal end and a proximal end, said distal end of said outer electronegative gas conduit extends beyond said distal end of said inner noble gas conduit.

13. The method of claim 12 , further including an outer aspiration conduit disposed in surrounding relation relative to said outer electronegative gas conduit to cooperatively form an aspiration channel therebetween coupled to a negative pressure source, said negative pressure source to remove fluid and solid debris from the surgical site.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein said outer aspiration conduit includes a distal end and a proximal end, said distal end of said outer electronegative conduit extends beyond said distal end of said outer aspiration conduit.

15. The method of claim 11 , further comprising;

feeding the noble to said inner noble gas conduit at a first flow rate; and

feeding the electronegative gas to said outer electronegative gas conduit at a second flow rate.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the second flow rate is greater than the first flow rate to enhance flow-assisted removal of smoke and debris generated during the surgical procedure.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the electronegative gas is selected from the group consisting of air, oxygen and nitrogen.

18. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

suspending the providing of electrical energy to said electrode; and

substituting saline solution for the electronegative gas while the electrical energy is suspended.