Electrosurgical system

1. An electrosurgical system for the treatment of tissue, comprising an electrosurgical instrument, a source for supplying ionisable gas to said electrosurgical instrument, an electrosurgical generator for supplying high frequency energy to said electrosurgical instrument, and a switch mechanism,

the electrosurgical instrument including first and second tubes each having a proximal end and a distal-most end though which ionisable gas is configured to pass, the first and second tubes each including:

at least one aperture located at the distal-most end thereof such that ionisable gas can flow out of the distal-most end of the first and second tubes, and

an electrode for ionising the ionisable gas exiting the at least one aperture,

wherein:

one of the first and second tubes is a moveable tube that is longitudinally movable relative to the other tube between at least a first position and a second position,

movement of the moveable tube to the first position causes the instrument to assume a first arrangement in which the instrument produces a stream of ionised gas that flows only out of the distal-most end of the first tube with such energy that the stream is capable of removal of the tissue being treated,

movement of the moveable tube to the second position causes the instrument to assume a second arrangement in which the instrument produces a stream of ionised gas that flows out of the distal-most end of the first and second tubes and is capable of coagulation of the tissue being treated, and

operation of the switch mechanism causes the moveable tube to move between the first position and the second position.

2. The electrosurgical system according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second tubes are disposed parallel to one another along a common longitudinal axis.

3. The electrosurgical system according to claim 2 , wherein the first and second tubes are arranged such that the first tube is distal of the second tube when the moveable tube is in the first position, and the first and second tubes are adjacent one another when the moveable tube is in the second position.

4. The electrosurgical system according to claim 1 , wherein the source is capable of selectively supplying ionisable gas to one or both of the first and second tubes.

5. The electrosurgical system according to claim 4 , wherein in the first arrangement, the source supplies ionised gas solely to the first tube.

6. The electrosurgical system according to claim 4 , wherein in the second arrangement, the source supplies ionised gas to both the first and second tubes.

7. The electrosurgical system according to claim 1 , further comprising an electrically insulating divider between the first and second tubes.

8. The electrosurgical system according to claim 7 , wherein, in the first position, the electrically insulating divider is substantially adjacent the first tube.

9. The electrosurgical system according to claim 8 , wherein in the second position, the electrically insulating divider is distal of both the first and second tubes.

10. A method of operating an electrosurgical system for the treatment of tissue, comprising:

a) providing the electrosurgical system according to claim 1 ;

b) supplying ionisable gas to the electrosurgical instrument;

c) supplying high frequency energy to the electrode from the high frequency generator to ionise the ionisable gas; and

d) producing a stream of ionised gas to remove tissue when the moveable tube is in the first position, and/or producing a stream of ionised gas to coagulate tissue when the moveable tube is in the second position.

11. An electrosurgical system for the treatment of tissue, comprising an electrosurgical instrument, a source for supplying ionisable gas to said electrosurgical instrument, an electrosurgical generator for supplying high frequency energy to said electrosurgical instrument, and a switch mechanism,

the electrosurgical instrument including first and second tubes each having a proximal end and a distal-most end though which ionisable gas is configured to pass, the first and second tubes each including:

at least one aperture located at the distal-most end thereof such that ionisable gas can flow out of the distal-most end of the first and second tubes, and

an electrode for ionising the ionisable gas exiting the at least one aperture,

wherein:

one of the electrodes is a moveable electrode that is longitudinally movable within its respective tube between at least a first position and a second position,

movement of the moveable electrode to the first position causes the instrument to assume a first arrangement in which the instrument produces a stream of ionised gas that flows only out of the distal-most end of the first tube with such energy that the stream is capable of removal of the tissue being treated,

movement of the moveable electrode to the second position causes the instrument to assume a second arrangement in which the instrument produces a stream of ionised gas that flows out of the distal-most end of the first and second tubes and is capable of coagulation of the tissue being treated, and

operation of the switch mechanism causes the movable electrode to move between the first position and the second position.

12. The electrosurgical system according to claim 11 , wherein the first and second tubes are disposed parallel to one another along a common longitudinal axis.

13. The electrosurgical system according to claim 12 , wherein the moveable electrode is longitudinally set back from the other electrode in the first position, and the two electrodes are substantially at the same longitudinal position with respect to each other when the moveable electrode is in the second position.

14. The electrosurgical system according to claim 11 , wherein the source is capable of selectively supplying ionisable gas to one or both tubes.

15. The electrosurgical system according to claim 14 , wherein in the first arrangement, the source supplies ionised gas solely to the first tube.

16. The electrosurgical system according to claim 14 , wherein in the second arrangement, the source supplies ionised gas to both the first and second tubes.

17. The electrosurgical system according to claim 11 , further comprising an electrically insulating divider between the first and second tubes.

18. The electrosurgical system according to claim 17 , wherein in both the first and second positions, the electrically insulating divider is distal of both the first and second tubes.

19. A method of operating an electrosurgical system for the treatment of tissue, comprising:

a) providing the electrosurgical system according to claim 11 ;

b) supplying ionisable gas to the electrosurgical instrument;

c) supplying high frequency energy to the electrode from the high frequency generator to ionise the ionisable gas; and

d) producing a stream of ionised gas to remove tissue when the moveable electrode is in the first position, and/or producing a stream of ionised gas to coagulate tissue when the moveable electrode is in the second position.

20. An electrosurgical system for the treatment of tissue, comprising an electrosurgical instrument, a source for supplying ionisable gas to said electrosurgical instrument, an electrosurgical generator for supplying high frequency energy to said electrosurgical instrument, and a switch mechanism,

the electrosurgical instrument including inner and outer tubes coaxially disposed one inside the other and each having a proximal end and a distal-most end though which ionisable gas is configured to pass, the inner and outer tubes each including:

at least one aperture located at the distal-most end thereof such that ionisable gas can flow out of the distal-most end of the inner and outer tubes, and

at least one electrode for ionising the ionisable gas exiting the at least one aperture,

wherein:

the inner tube is longitudinally movable within the outer tube between at least a first position and a second position,

movement of the inner tube to the first position causes the instrument to assume a first arrangement in which the instrument produces a stream of ionised gas that flows only out of the distal-most end of the inner tube with such energy that the stream is capable of removal of the tissue being treated,

movement of the inner tube to the second position causes the instrument to assume a second arrangement in which the instrument produces a stream of ionised gas that flows out of the distal-most end of the outer tube and is capable of coagulation of the tissue being treated, and

operation of the switch mechanism causes the inner tube to move between the first position and the second position.

21. The electrosurgical system according to claim 20 , wherein in the first position, the inner tube is at substantially the same longitudinal position with respect to the outer tube.

22. The electrosurgical system according to claim 21 , wherein in the second position, the inner tube is withdrawn into a longitudinally set back position as compared with the longitudinal position of the outer tube.

23. A method of operating an electrosurgical system for the treatment of tissue, comprising:

a) providing the electrosurgical system according to claim 20 ;

b) supplying ionisable gas to the electrosurgical instrument;

c) supplying high frequency energy to the electrode from the high frequency generator to ionise the ionisable gas; and

d) producing a stream of ionised gas to remove tissue when the inner tube is in the first position, and/or producing a stream of ionised gas to coagulate tissue when the inner tube is in the second position.