Fluid-assisted medical devices, systems and methods
View Patent ↗Surgical devices, systems and methods for treating tissue. An exemplary surgical device comprises a tip portion including first and second jaws each having a tissue grasping surface, at least one of the jaws being movable toward the other jaw. The tissue grasping surface of each jaw has includes an electrically insulative surface. The device also includes first and second electrodes connectable to different terminals of an RF generator to generate electrical current flow therebetween, with each of the electrodes having an electrode surface. One of the electrode surfaces is located on one of the jaws separated from one edge of the tissue grasping surface, and the other of the electrode surfaces is located on one or the other of the jaws separated from the other edge of the tissue grasping surface. The device also includes at least one fluid passage being connectable to a fluid source.
1. A fluid-assisted tissue grasping device configured to treat tissue in the presence of an electrically conductive fluid provided therefrom, the device comprising:
a first jaw and a second jaw, at least one of the jaws being movable toward the other jaw;
the first jaw comprising a first jaw tissue grasping surface and the second jaw comprising a second jaw tissue grasping surface, the tissue grasping surface of each jaw comprising an electrically insulative surface;
a first electrode and a second electrode, the first and second electrodes configured to have opposite polarity when electrically coupled to a radio frequency power source and positioned for an electrical current from the first and second electrodes to flow in tissue grasped between the tissue grasping surfaces substantially parallel to the tissue grasping surfaces;
the first jaw tissue grasping surface and the second jaw tissue grasping surface medial to the first electrode and the second electrode;
at least one fluid delivery passage;
a first fluid outlet and a second fluid outlet, at least one of the first fluid outlet and the second fluid outlet in fluid communication with the at least one fluid delivery passage; and
at least one obstruction configured to inhibit a fluid shunt from forming between the first and second electrodes.
2. The device of claim 1 wherein:
at least one of the first fluid outlet and the second fluid outlet is used to provide a fluid onto the first electrode or the second electrode, respectively.
3. The device of claim 1 wherein:
at least one of the first fluid outlet and the second fluid outlet is at least partially defined by the first electrode or by the second electrode, respectively.
4. The device of claim 1 wherein:
at least one of the first fluid outlet and the second fluid outlet is at least partially defined by an opening in the first electrode or in the second electrode, respectively.
5. The device of claim 1 wherein:
at least one of the first fluid outlet and the second fluid outlet is at least partially defined by a hole in the first electrode or the second electrode, respectively.
6. The device of claim 1 wherein:
at least one of the first fluid outlet and the second fluid outlet is used to provide a fluid to wet a surface portion of the first electrode or the second electrode, respectively.
7. The device of claim 1 wherein:
the first jaw tissue grasping surface has a first edge opposite a second edge; and
at least one of the first fluid outlet and the second fluid outlet is used to provide a fluid between the first electrode and the first edge of the first jaw tissue grasping surface or between the second electrode and the second edge of the first jaw tissue grasping surface, respectively.
8. The device of claim 1 wherein:
at least one of the first fluid outlet and the second fluid outlet is used to provide a fluid into a first reservoir or a second reservoir, respectively.
9. The device of claim 8 wherein:
at least one of the first reservoir and the second reservoir is along the first electrode or the second electrode, respectively.
10. The device of claim 8 wherein:
at least one of the first reservoir and the second reservoir is adjacent the first electrode or the second electrode, respectively.
11. The device of claim 8 wherein:
the first jaw tissue grasping surface has a first edge opposite a second edge; and
at least a portion of one of the first reservoir and the second reservoir is between the first electrode and the first edge of the first jaw tissue grasping surface or between the second electrode and the second edge of the first jaw tissue grasping surface, respectively.
12. The device of claim 8 wherein:
at least a portion of one of the first reservoir and the second reservoir is defined by the first electrode or the second electrode, respectively.
13. The device of claim 8 wherein:
at least one of the first reservoir and the second reservoir comprises a first elongated channel or a second elongated channel, respectively.
14. The device of claim 8 wherein:
the first jaw tissue grasping surface has a first edge opposite a second edge; and
at least one of the first reservoir and the second reservoir is along the first edge of the first jaw tissue grasping surface or the second edge of the first jaw tissue grasping surface, respectively.
15. The device of claim 1 wherein:
the first jaw tissue grasping surface has a first edge opposite a second edge; and
at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode is spaced along the first edge of the first jaw tissue grasping surface or the second edge of the first jaw tissue grasping surface, respectively.
16. The device of claim 15 wherein:
at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode is spaced along the first edge of the first jaw tissue grasping surface by a first reservoir or is spaced along the second edge of the first jaw tissue grasping surface by a second reservoir, respectively.
17. The device of claim 16 wherein:
at least one of the first reservoir and the second reservoir is along the first electrode or the second electrode, respectively.
18. The device of claim 16 wherein:
at least one of the first reservoir and the second reservoir is adjacent the first electrode or the second electrode, respectively.
19. The device of claim 16 wherein:
at least a portion of one of the first reservoir and the second reservoir is between the first electrode and the first edge of the first jaw tissue grasping surface or between the second electrode and the second edge of the first jaw tissue grasping surface, respectively.
20. The device of claim 16 wherein:
at least a portion of one of the first reservoir and the second reservoir is defined by the first electrode or the second electrode, respectively.
21. The device of claim 16 wherein:
at least one of the first reservoir and the second reservoir comprises a first elongated channel or a second elongated channel, respectively.
22. The device of claim 15 wherein:
the first edge of the first jaw tissue grasping surface comprises a left edge of the first jaw tissue grasping surface; and
the second edge of the first jaw tissue grasping surface comprises a right edge of the first jaw tissue grasping surface.
23. The device of claim 22 wherein:
at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode is spaced along the left edge of the first jaw tissue grasping surface by a first reservoir or is spaced along the right edge of the first jaw tissue grasping surface by a second reservoir, respectively.
24. The device of claim 23 wherein:
at least one of the first reservoir and the second reservoir is positioned along the first electrode or the second electrode, respectively.
25. The device of claim 23 wherein:
at least one of the first reservoir and the second reservoir is adjacent the first electrode or the second electrode, respectively.
26. The device of claim 23 wherein:
at least a portion of one of the first reservoir and the second reservoir is between the first electrode and the left edge of the first jaw tissue grasping surface or between the second electrode and the right edge of the first jaw tissue grasping surface, respectively.
27. The device of claim 23 wherein:
at least a portion of one of the first reservoir and the second reservoir is defined by the first electrode or the second electrode, respectively.
28. The device of claim 23 wherein:
at least one of the first reservoir and the second reservoir comprises a first elongated channel or a second elongated channel, respectively.
29. The device of claim 1 wherein:
the first jaw tissue grasping surface has a first edge opposite a second edge; and
at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode is along the first edge of the first jaw tissue grasping surface or along the second edge of the first jaw tissue grasping surface, respectively.
30. The device of claim 29 wherein:
the first edge of the first jaw tissue grasping surface comprises a left edge of the first jaw tissue grasping surface; and
the second edge of the first jaw tissue grasping surface comprises a right edge of the first jaw tissue grasping surface.
31. The device of claim 1 wherein:
the first jaw has a first side portion opposite a second side portion;
the first electrode being on the first side portion of the first jaw; and
the second electrode being on the second side portion of the first jaw.
32. The device of claim 31 wherein:
the first fluid outlet is on the same side portion of the first jaw as the first electrode; and
the second fluid outlet is on the same side portion of the first jaw as the second electrode.
33. The device of claim 31 wherein:
the first side portion of the first jaw comprises a left side portion of the first jaw; and
the second side portion of the first jaw comprises a right side portion of the first jaw.
34. The device of claim 33 wherein:
the first fluid outlet is on the same side portion of the first jaw as the first electrode; and
the second fluid outlet is on the same side portion of the first jaw as the second electrode.
35. The device of claim 1 wherein:
the first jaw comprises a first jaw support structure beneath the first jaw tissue grasping surface, the first jaw support structure having a first side portion opposite a second side portion;
the first electrode being along the first side portion of the first jaw support structure; and
the second electrode being along the second side portion of the first jaw support structure.
36. The device of claim 35 wherein:
the first side portion of the first jaw support structure comprises a left side portion of the first jaw support structure; and
the second side portion of the first jaw support structure comprises a right side portion of the first jaw support structure.
37. The device of claim 1 wherein:
the at least one fluid delivery passage comprises a first fluid delivery passage and a second fluid delivery passage;
the first fluid outlet in fluid communication with the first fluid delivery passage; and
the second fluid outlet in fluid communication with the second fluid delivery passage.
38. The device of claim 37 wherein:
at least a portion of one of the first fluid delivery passage and the second fluid delivery passage is defined by the first electrode or the second electrode, respectively.
39. The device of claim 37 wherein:
at least a portion of one of the first fluid delivery passage and the second fluid delivery passage is defined by a cavity in the first electrode or a cavity in the second electrode, respectively.
40. The device of claim 37 wherein:
at least a portion of one of the first fluid delivery passage and the second fluid delivery passage is defined by a lumen in the first electrode or by a lumen in the second electrode, respectively.
41. The device of claim 1 wherein:
at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode comprises metal tubing.
42. The device of claim 41 wherein:
the first electrode comprises metal tubing; and
the second electrode comprises metal tubing.
43. The device of claim 1 wherein:
at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode comprises a hollow structure.
44. The device of claim 43 wherein:
the first electrode comprises a hollow structure; and
the second electrode comprises a hollow structure.
45. The device of claim 1 wherein:
at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode comprises a tubular structure.
46. The device of claim 45 wherein:
the first electrode comprises a tubular structure; and
the second electrode comprises a tubular structure.
47. The device of claim 1 wherein:
at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode comprises a cylindrical structure.
48. The device of claim 47 wherein:
the first electrode comprises a cylindrical structure; and
the second electrode comprises a cylindrical structure.
49. The device of claim 1 wherein:
the tissue grasping surface of at least one jaw comprises a hydrophobic surface.
50. The device of claim 1 wherein:
the tissue grasping surface of at least one jaw comprises a textured surface.
51. The device of claim 1 wherein:
the tissue grasping surface of at least one jaw has a surface roughness between about 10 and 500 microns.
52. The device of claim 1 wherein:
the tissue grasping surface of at least one jaw has one or more serrations.
53. The device of claim 1 wherein:
the tissue grasping surface of at least one jaw comprises a polymer material.
54. The device of claim 1 wherein:
the tissue grasping surface of at least one jaw comprises a ceramic material.
55. The device of claim 1 wherein:
the tissue grasping surface of at least one jaw has a beveled edge.
56. The device of claim 1 wherein:
at least one jaw comprises a support structure beneath the tissue grasping surface; and
a portion of the tissue grasping surface of the at least one jaw is provided by a coating overlying the support structure.
57. The device of claim 1 wherein:
at least one jaw comprises a support structure beneath the tissue grasping surface; and
the support structure comprises a material with a thermal conductivity at 300° K (Kelvin) equal or greater than about 0.01 watt/cm° K.
58. The device of claim 1 wherein:
at least one jaw comprises a support structure beneath the tissue grasping surface; and
the support structure provides a heat sink for transferring heat away from the tissue grasping surface.
59. The device of claim 1 further comprising:
at least one stand-off overlying at least a portion of one of the first electrode and the second electrode, the stand-off to keep tissue from physically contacting the electrode.
60. The device of claim 59 wherein:
the at least one stand-off comprises a coil.
61. The device of claim 60 wherein:
the coil comprises an electrically insulative material.
62. The device of claim 59 wherein:
the at least one stand-off comprises a porous structure.
63. The device of claim 1 wherein:
the at least one obstruction comprises a portion of one of the jaws.
64. The device of claim 1 wherein:
the at least one obstruction comprises a drip edge.
65. The device of claim 1 further comprising:
a tissue treatment indicator which provides an output related to the level of treatment of tissue.
66. The device of claim 65 wherein:
the tissue treatment indicator comprises a lamp.
67. The device of claim 1 further comprising:
a cutting mechanism.
68. The device of claim 67 wherein:
the cutting mechanism comprises a blade.
69. A tissue grasping device comprising:
a first jaw and a second jaw, at least one of the jaws being movable toward the other jaw;
the first jaw comprising a first jaw tissue grasping surface and the second jaw comprising a second jaw tissue grasping surface, the tissue grasping surface of each jaw comprising an electrically insulative surface;
a first electrode and a second electrode, the first and second electrodes configured to have opposite polarity when electrically coupled to a radio frequency power source and positioned for an electrical current from the first and second electrodes to flow in tissue grasped between the tissue grasping surfaces substantially parallel to the tissue grasping surfaces;
at least one fluid delivery passage;
at least one fluid outlet in fluid communication with the at least one fluid delivery passage; and
at least one obstruction configured to inhibit a fluid shunt from forming between the first and second electrodes.