Electrosurgical instrument
View Patent ↗An electrosurgical instrument includes an elongated housing having proximal and distal ends. The proximal end is configured to couple to a source of electrosurgical energy via first and second channels extending along a length of the housing to the distal end thereof. The distal end includes a reflector having a dielectric load operably coupled thereto and configured to receive at least a portion of the first conductor therein. In a first mode of operation, electrosurgical energy is transmitted to the first channel and reflected from the reflector to electrosurgically treat tissue. The reflector is configured to receive at least a portion of the second channel therein. In a second mode of operation, electrosurgical energy is transmitted to the second channel to dissect tissue.
1. A method of assembling an electrosurgical instrument, comprising:
disposing a balun about a distal end portion of a coaxial feed that is configured to couple to a source of electrosurgical energy; and
operably coupling an electrically conductive reflector to the distal end portion of the coaxial feed, the reflector configured to radiate electrosurgical energy provided by the coaxial feed to treat tissue.
2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising sliding the coaxial feed into the reflector.
3. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising positioning an inner conductor of the coaxial feed and a dielectric of the coaxial feed adjacent a diagonal surface of the reflector.
4. The method according to claim 3 , further comprising coating the diagonal surface with conductive patterning.
5. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising coupling a dielectric load to the distal end portion of the coaxial feed.
6. The method according to claim 5 , further comprising disposing the distal end portion of the coaxial feed in an aperture defined in the dielectric load.
7. The method according to claim 5 , further comprising disposing the dielectric load in a channel defined in the reflector.
8. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising disposing a monopolar electrode at a distal end portion of the reflector.
9. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising electrically coupling a conductive portion of the balun to an outer conductor of the coaxial feed.
10. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising sliding the coaxial feed through the balun.
11. A method of assembling an electrosurgical instrument, comprising:
coupling a dielectric load to a distal end portion of a coaxial feed;
coupling an electrically conductive reflector to the dielectric load, the reflector configured to reflect electrosurgical energy provided by the coaxial feed to treat tissue; and
positioning an inner conductor of the coaxial feed and a dielectric of the coaxial feed adjacent a diagonal surface of the reflector.
12. The method according to claim 11 , further comprising disposing the distal end portion of the coaxial feed in an aperture defined in the dielectric load.
13. The method according to claim 11 , further comprising disposing the dielectric load in a channel defined in the reflector.
14. The method according to claim 11 , further comprising coating the diagonal surface with conductive patterning.
15. The method according to claim 11 , further comprising disposing a monopolar electrode at a distal end portion of the reflector.
16. The method according to claim 11 , further comprising operably coupling a microwave block to a proximal end portion of the reflector.
17. The method according to claim 16 , further comprising sliding the microwave block into the proximal end portion of the reflector.
18. The method according to claim 16 , further comprising sliding the coaxial feed through the microwave block.
19. The method according to claim 16 , wherein a dielectric portion of the microwave block includes a dielectric constant that is less than a dielectric constant of the dielectric load.
20. A method of assembling an electrosurgical instrument, comprising:
coupling a dielectric load to a distal end portion of a coaxial feed;
coupling an electrically conductive reflector to the dielectric load, the reflector configured to reflect electrosurgical energy provided by the coaxial feed to treat tissue; and
disposing a monopolar electrode at a distal end portion of the reflector.