ELECTROSURGICAL SYSTEM WITH ELECTRICALLY ACTIVE OUTER SURFACE
An electrosurgical system may include a medical delivery device and an electrosurgical device to perform an electrosurgical procedure. The electrosurgical device may have a monopolar configuration. An outer surface of the medical delivery device may include a conductive portion that is part of a return path for a bipolar configuration. Current may be supplied through an active member of the electrosurgical device to perform the procedure. After passing through tissue, the current may be drawn to the electrode portion of the medical delivery device to complete the circuit.
1 . A bipolar electrosurgical system configured to perform an electrosurgical procedure at a treatment site within a patient, the electrosurgical system comprising:
an electrosurgical device; and
a medical delivery device configured to deliver a distal end of the electrosurgical device to the treatment site,
wherein the electrosurgical device comprises an active member that is configured as part of an active path for the bipolar electrosurgical system;
wherein the medical delivery device comprises a conductive portion that is at least one of disposed on or integral with an outer surface of the medical delivery device, the conductive portion configured as part of a return path for the bipolar electrosurgical system.
2 . The bipolar electrosurgical system of claim 1 , wherein the medical delivery device comprises an endoscope.
3 . The bipolar electrosurgical system of claim 1 , wherein the conductive portion comprises conductive ink.
4 . The bipolar electrosurgical system of claim 1 , wherein the conductive portion comprises conductive tape.
5 . The bipolar electrosurgical system of claim 1 , further comprising a removably attachable return electrode that comprises the conductive portion.
6 . The bipolar electrosurgical system of claim 5 , wherein the removably attachable return electrode comprises a sleeve.
7 . The bipolar electrosurgical system of claim 5 , wherein the removably attachable return electrode comprises a cap.
8 . The electrosurgical system of claim 1 , further comprising a return wire electrically coupled to the conductive portion.
9 . The electrosurgical system of claim 8 , wherein the return wire longitudinally extends within a tubular member of the medical delivery device.
10 . The electrosurgical system of claim 8 , wherein the return wire longitudinally extends external to a tubular member of the medical delivery system.
11 . The electrosurgical system of claim 1 , wherein the electrosurgical device has a monopolar configuration.
12 . A method of performing an electrosurgical procedure using a bipolar configuration, the method comprising:
delivering an outer tubular member of a medical delivery device to a treatment site within a patient, the medical delivery device comprising a conductive portion that is at least one of disposed on or integrated with an outer surface of the tubular member the medical delivery device, and a working channel longitudinally extending within the outer tubular member of the medical delivery device;
contacting a return electrode to a first tissue portion of the patient when a distal portion of the medical delivery device is positioned at the treatment site;
delivering an electrosurgical device within the working channel of the medical delivery device to the treatment site, the electrosurgical device comprising an inner tubular member and an active member disposed within the inner tubular member;
contacting a distal end of the active member of the electrosurgical device with a second tissue portion;
electrically coupling the active member of the electrosurgical device to an active port of a power source;
electrically coupling the conductive portion of the medical delivery device to a return port of the power source;
activating the power source to supply electrical current to the treatment site.
13 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
drawing current to the conductive portion to send current along a return path back to the power source.
14 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the first tissue portion comprises an inner wall of a pylorus.
15 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the electrosurgical procedure comprises a sphincterotomy and the second portion comprises a papillae.
16 . An endoscope configured to operate in a bipolar electrosurgical system, the endoscope comprising:
an elongate tubular member comprising an outer surface;
a working channel lumen longitudinally extending within the elongate tubular member, the working channel lumen configured to have an electrosurgical device movably disposed therein;
at least one illumination lumen having illumination fibers disposed therein, the illumination fibers configured to illuminate a treatment site for visualization using the endoscope; and
a conductive portion that is at least one of disposed on or integral with the outer surface of the elongate tubular member, the conductive portion configured for contact with tissue to perform an electrosurgical procedure using a bipolar configuration.