METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR ELECTROSURGICAL ILLUMINATION

1 . An illuminated electrosurgical instrument, said instrument comprising:

a handle with a proximal portion and a distal portion;

an illumination element coupled to the handle near the distal portion thereof; and

an electrosurgical tip coupled to the illumination element, and

wherein the illumination element extends continuously and at least partially circumferentially about the electrosurgical tip.

2 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the illumination element casts a beam of light that is continuous and at least partially annular.

3 . The device of claim 2 , wherein the beam of light is continuous and at least partially annular distal to the illumination element and proximal to a distal tip of the electrosurgical tip.

4 . The device of claim 2 , wherein the beam of light is continuous and at least partially annular distal to the illumination element and at the distal tip of the electrosurgical tip.

5 . The device of claim 2 , wherein the beam of light is continuous and at least partially annular distal to the illumination element and distal to the distal tip of the electrosurgical tip.

6 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the illumination element comprises an optical waveguide.

7 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the illumination element comprises an organic light emitting diode (OLED).

8 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the illumination element comprises one or more discrete light emitting diodes (LEDs).

9 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the illumination element comprises a plurality of optic fibers.

10 . The device of claim 1 , wherein a cross-sectional shape of the illumination element is selected from one of the following: a partial or complete circle, a partial or complete oval, a partial or complete ellipse, a partial or complete square, a partial or complete rectangle, and a partial or complete polygon.

11 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the illumination element is adjustably coupled to the handle, and wherein actuation of the illumination element in a first direction moves the illumination element toward the proximal portion of the handle, and wherein actuation of the illumination element in a second direction opposite the first direction moves the illumination element toward the distal portion of the handle.

12 . The device of claim 11 , wherein the electrosurgical tip is adjustably coupled to the illumination element, and wherein actuation of the electrosurgical tip in a first direction moves the electrosurgical tip toward the proximal portion of the handle, and wherein actuation of the electrosurgical tip in a second direction opposite the first direction moves the electrosurgical tip toward the distal portion of the handle.

13 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the electrosurgical tip is adjustably coupled to the illumination element, and wherein actuation of the electrosurgical tip in a first direction moves the electrosurgical tip toward the proximal portion of the handle, and wherein actuation of the electrosurgical tip in a second direction opposite the first direction moves the electrosurgical tip toward the distal portion of the handle.

14 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the electrosurgical tip is removably coupled to the illumination element.

15 . The device of claim 1 , further comprising a light source, the light source coupled to a proximal end of the illumination element

16 . The device of claim 15 , further comprising a battery disposed within the handle, the battery supplying power to the light source.

17 . The device of claim 1 , comprising a first mechanical switch configured to apply power to the electrosurgical tip.

18 . The device of claim 1 , comprising a motion sensor configured to detect motion of the electrosurgical device and to switch on electrical power to the light source.

19 . The device of claim 18 , wherein the motion sensor is an accelerometer.

20 . The device of claim 1 , comprising a movable shroud circumferentially surrounding the illumination element and configured to move axially in a distal or proximal direction to adjust an angle of divergence of light extending from the distal end of the illumination element.

21 . The device of claim 1 , where the electrosurgical tip includes a reflective coating made of an insulating material.

22 . The device of claim 1 , where the electrosurgical tip is made of a ceramic material and a metallic frame around an edge of the electrosurgical tip for conducting current during operation.

23 . The device of claim 1 , further comprising a mirror attachment having a hollow post and an attached mirror where the hollow post is configured to slip over the electrosurgical tip to mount the attached mirror to the device and to operate as an illuminated mirror.

24 . The device of claim 1 , where the electrosurgical tip is a removable electrosurgical tip configured to mount on a stump extending distally from the device, where the stump is configured to receive one of a plurality of electrosurgical tips having different configurations for different functions.

25 . The device of claim 24 , wherein the stump is a needle.

26 . A method for illuminating a surgical target, said method comprising:

providing an electrosurgical tip having a circumferential illumination element;

illuminating the surgical target with light from the illumination element; and

moving the illumination element toward or away from the surgical target, thereby adjusting the illumination on the surgical target.

27 . The method of claim 26 , further comprising replacing the electrosurgical tip with a different electrosurgical tip.

28 . The method of claim 26 , further comprising locking one or more of the electrosurgical tip or the illumination element after illumination adjustment.

29 . An illuminated electrosurgical instrument, said instrument comprising:

a handle;

an illumination element coupled to the handle;

an electrosurgical tip coupled to the illumination element; and

an optical element disposed at least partially and circumferentially around the electrosurgical tip and is coupled to the illumination element,

wherein the optical element delivers a continuous, annular beam of light to a target.

30 . The device of claim 29 , wherein the illumination element comprises an organic light emitting diode (OLED).

31 . The device of claim 29 , wherein the illumination element comprises one or more discrete light emitting diodes (LEDs).

32 . The device of claim 29 , wherein the illumination element comprises a plurality of optic fibers.

33 . The device of claim 29 , wherein the illumination element is adjustably coupled to the handle, and wherein actuation of the illumination element in a first direction moves the illumination element toward the proximal portion of the handle, and wherein actuation of the illumination element in a second direction opposite the first direction moves the illumination element toward the distal portion of the handle.

34 . The device of claim 33 , wherein the electrosurgical tip is adjustably coupled to the illumination element, and wherein actuation of the electrosurgical tip in a first direction moves the electrosurgical tip toward the proximal portion of the handle, and wherein actuation of the electrosurgical tip in a second direction opposite the first direction moves the electrosurgical tip toward the distal portion of the handle.

35 . The device of claim 29 , wherein the electrosurgical tip is adjustably coupled to the illumination element, and wherein actuation of the electrosurgical tip in a first direction moves the electrosurgical tip toward the proximal portion of the handle, and wherein actuation of the electrosurgical tip in a second direction opposite the first direction moves the electrosurgical tip toward the distal portion of the handle.

36 . The device of claim 29 , wherein the electrosurgical tip is removably coupled to the illumination element.

37 . The device of claim 29 , wherein the optical element comprises one or more of a lens, a hollow reflector, a gradient lens, a lenslet, a plurality of lenslets, a filter, or a coating for desired optical properties.

38 . The device of claim 29 , wherein the optical element is configured to receive one of a plurality of removable lenslets configured to provide different focusing and diffusion features.

39 . The device of claim 29 , further comprising:

at least one lumen formed to extend axially within the illumination element from a distal end of the illumination element proximally to a connection to a vacuum pump configured to aspirate air from the area of operation; and

a liquid filter configured to filter liquid from the aspirated air entering the lumen.

40 . The device of claim 29 , further comprising a light source, the light source coupled to a proximal end of the illumination element

41 . The device of claim 29 , further comprising a battery disposed within the handle, the battery supplying power to the light source.

42 . The device of claim 29 , wherein the optical element is concentric to the electrosurgical tip.

43 . A method for illuminating a surgical target, said method comprising:

providing an electrosurgical device having an optical element disposed at least partially and circumferentially around an electrosurgical tip; and

illuminating the surgical target with light from the optical element.

44 . The method of claim 43 , further comprising moving the optic fiber toward or away from the surgical target, thereby adjusting the illumination on the surgical target.

45 . An illuminated electrosurgical instrument, said instrument comprising:

a handle with a proximal portion and a distal portion;

an electrosurgical tip coupled to the handle near the distal portion thereof; and

an optic fiber with a proximal portion and a distal portion, the distal portion of the optic fiber coupled to the proximal portion of the handle, wherein light is delivered by the optic fiber to a target.

46 . The device of claim 45 , wherein the proximal portion of the optic fiber extends proximally outside the proximal portion of the handle.

47 . The device of claim 46 , wherein the proximal portion of the optic fiber is coupled to a light source.

48 . The device of claim 47 , wherein the light source comprises an LED, a plurality of LEDs, a laser, a xenon lamp, or any combination thereof.

49 . The device of claim 45 , wherein the optic fiber may comprise a plurality of optic fibers.

50 . The device of claim 45 , wherein the illumination element is adjustably coupled to the handle, and wherein actuation of the illumination element in a first direction moves the illumination element toward the proximal portion of the handle, and wherein actuation of the illumination element in a second direction opposite the first direction moves the illumination element toward the distal portion of the handle.

51 . The device of claim 50 , wherein the electrosurgical tip is adjustably coupled to the illumination element, and wherein actuation of the electrosurgical tip in a first direction moves the electrosurgical tip toward the proximal portion of the handle, and wherein actuation of the electrosurgical tip in a second direction opposite the first direction moves the electrosurgical tip toward the distal portion of the handle.

52 . The device of claim 45 , wherein the electrosurgical tip is adjustably coupled to the illumination element, and wherein actuation of the electrosurgical tip in a first direction moves the electrosurgical tip toward the proximal portion of the handle, and wherein actuation of the electrosurgical tip in a second direction opposite the first direction moves the electrosurgical tip toward the distal portion of the handle

53 . A method for illuminating a surgical target, said method comprising:

providing an electrosurgical device having a handle and an optic fiber, at least a portion of the optic fiber disposed within the handle, the fiber optic coupled to a light source; and

illuminating the surgical target with light from the optic fiber.

54 . The method of claim 53 , further comprising moving the optic fiber toward or away from the surgical target, thereby adjusting the illumination on the surgical target.

55 . An illuminated electrosurgical instrument, said instrument comprising:

a handle with a proximal end and a distal end;

an electrosurgical tip coupled to the handle near the distal end thereof;

a first illumination element with a proximal end and a distal end, the first illumination element disposed continuously and circumferentially around the electrosurgical tip; and

a second illumination element with a proximal end and a distal end, the second illumination element disposed on the handle near the distal end thereof,

wherein the first illumination element delivers a first light to a target and the second illumination element delivers a second light to the target, and

wherein the first light is a continuous, annular beam of light extending around the electrosurgical tip.

56 . The device of claim 55 , wherein the first illumination element comprises an optical waveguide, one or more LEDs, an OLED, a plurality of optic fibers, or any combination thereof.

57 . The device of claim 55 , wherein the second illumination element comprises an optical waveguide, one or more LEDs, an OLED, one or more optic fibers, or any combination thereof.

58 . The device of claim 55 , wherein a first light source disposed within the handle provides the first light for the first illumination element.

59 . The device of claim 55 , wherein an external light source provides the first light for the first illumination element.

60 . The device of claim 59 , wherein the external light source is an LED, a plurality of LEDs, a laser, a xenon lamp, or any combination thereof.

61 . The device of claim 55 , wherein a second light source disposed within the handle provides the second light for the second illumination element.

62 . The device of claim 55 , wherein an external light source provides the second light for the second illumination element.

63 . The device of claim 62 , wherein the external light source is an LED, a plurality of LEDs, a laser, a xenon lamp, or any combination thereof.

64 . The device of claim 55 , wherein the first illumination element and the second illumination element are concentric.

65 . The device of claim 55 , wherein the first illumination element is adjustably coupled to the handle, and wherein actuation of the illumination element in a first direction moves the illumination element toward the proximal portion of the handle, and wherein actuation of the illumination element in a second direction opposite the first direction moves the illumination element toward the distal portion of the handle.

66 . The device of claim 65 , wherein the electrosurgical tip is adjustably coupled to the first illumination element, and wherein actuation of the electrosurgical tip in a first direction moves the electrosurgical tip toward the proximal portion of the handle, and wherein actuation of the electrosurgical tip in a second direction opposite the first direction moves the electrosurgical tip toward the distal portion of the handle.

67 . The device of claim 55 , wherein the electrosurgical tip is adjustably coupled to the first illumination element, and wherein actuation of the electrosurgical tip in a first direction moves the electrosurgical tip toward the proximal portion of the handle, and wherein actuation of the electrosurgical tip in a second direction opposite the first direction moves the electrosurgical tip toward the distal portion of the handle.

68 . A method for illuminating a surgical target, said method comprising:

providing an electrosurgical device having a first illumination element and a second illumination element;

illuminating the surgical target with light from the first illumination element; and

illuminating the surgical target with light from the second illumination element.

69 . The method of claim 68 , further comprising moving the first illumination element toward or away from the surgical target, thereby adjusting the illumination on the surgical target.

70 . An illuminated electrosurgical instrument, said instrument comprising:

a handle with a proximal portion and a distal portion;

an illumination element coupled to the handle near the distal portion thereof; and

an electrosurgical tip coupled to the illumination element,

wherein the illumination element extends continuously and circumferentially about the electrosurgical tip, and

wherein the illumination element comprises a slot disposed at least partially through a thickness of the illumination element, the slot extending axially and at least partially along a length of the illumination element, and

wherein at least a portion of the electrosurgical tip is disposed in the slot.