Erbe Elektromedizin Gmbh

Erbe Elektromedizin Gmbh & Co. Kg

Gunter Farin

Peter Putz

Klaus Fischer

Karl Fastenmeier

Franz Geiselhart

Georg Lohr

Johannes Klett

Dieter Muller

Gunther Posselt

Reiner Haag

Reiner Mausberg

Heiko Visser

A surgical instrument is provided that comprises at least three, and preferably four forceps elements with hook-shaped distal sections having free ends and associated proximal sections that are connected to actuators for moving the distal sections. The distal sections are shaped and movably disposed in such a way that they can be brought together to form a single hook, which can be used in particular for blunt dissection, and can be combined in groups, for example groups of two, to form at least one pair of forceps which can be moved with respect to one another in order to grasp tissue or spread it apart. This design allows a single instrument to be used for many different dissection procedures.

Surgical instrument

The invention relates to a device for HF-coagulation of biological tissues by means of flexible endoscopy. The invention includes a mobile applicator in a working channel of the endoscope catheter for supplying ionizable gas and containing a current supply connection line to an active mobile electrode at the distal end. According to the invention, the active electrode, relative to the distal end of the endoscope catheter, is movable into the said distal end for non-contact coagulation and out of it for contact coagulation. The respective position of the active electrode or electrode point is monitored by a sensor and, on the basis of a sensor signal upon reaching the retracted position of the electrode, a release takes place for igniting a plasma discharge.

Device for HF-coagulation of biological tissues by means of flexible

Multifunctional instrument for ultrasound surgery having an applicator 2 for a dissection of biological tissue, as well as a device for cutting and/or coagulating of the tissue. At the instrument end separate from the ultrasound applicator 2 at least one RF-current applicator 16 or a laser applicator 15 is arranged in a lateral distance from the distal end 3 of the ultrasound applicator 2, whereby an adjustable arrangement is provided. Each applicator 2, 6, 15 is movable in longitudinal direction in a common applicator housing 9. The applicators may be provided in a revolver unit, which is arranged at the instrument and can be rotated around its longitudinal axis.

Multifunctional surgical instrument

A high-frequency electrosurgery apparatus for cutting and/or coagulating biological tissues that may have a number of operating modes is described. As control panel on which one or more parameters of the high-frequency output of the apparatus can be set. Particularly important is the current-limiting system which includes setting of a desired maximal current level, to which for a particular mode of operation the current can be limited or in response to which a warning signal may be activated and/or the high-frequency generator shut down. The effective current that the application instrument reaches or exceeds previously set maximal current level. In such a high-frequency electrosurgery apparatus the cable leading to the active electrode is provided with electrial shielding which is connected to the conductor leading to the neutral electrode at a location between the output transformer of the apparatus and the current sensor of the current limiting system.

High-frequency electrosurgery apparatus with limitation of effective

At least one neutral electrodes insulated from each other is separately connected to the current return terminal of a high frequency electro-surgical equipment are applied in electrical contact with the skin of a patient while surgery is performed with the active electrode of the equipment. A low frequency alternating current is passed through the patient's flesh from one neutral electrode to the other to monitor the quality of contact between the neutral electrodes and the patient. The intensity of the intermeittent high frequency current or a corresponding setting of the high frequency surgery equipment is compared with a signal representative of the monitoring current so that warning signals and/or automatic shut-off of the high frequency equipment will occur when and only when the high frequency current for surgical cutting or coagulation is greater than that which is permissible for the electrical transition conductivity present at the time between the respective neutral electrodes and the skin of the patient without risk of thermal damage to the skin at the place the neutral electrode is applied.

Apparatus for monitoring the application of neutral electrodes on a

A high frequency AC electro-surgery apparatus is equipped with an automatic regulation loop for controlling the output voltage (U.sub.a) rather than the output power. An electrically isolating coupling in the form of an isolation transformer (5) is followed by a voltage converter (6) to provide DC voltage signal (a) proportional to a measure of the high frequency AC output voltage (U.sub.a). The DC voltage signal (a) is supplied to a regulating amplifier (7) to which a reference voltage signal (b) is supplied by a reference voltage source (8), to produce an output signal (c) that is furnished to the control input of an electronically controlled power supply (16). The latter controls the operating voltage (U.sub.b) for the amplifier (2) of the high frequency AC generator in such a manner that the output AC voltage (U.sub.a) at the output terminals (10, 11) corresponds to a desired value set by the reference voltage signal (b).

High frequency surgery device for cutting and/or coagulating biologic

In an electric stimulation therapy equipment two or more stimulation current circuits for simultaneous treatment of a patient, for example for muscle training or retraining, the two stimulation circuits have individual modulators for varying the intensity of the stimulation current and a function generator is provided for producing modulation in a cyclical pattern. The function generator also delivers pulses at a defined stage of the modulation cycle which go through a frequency divider with an adjustment for determining if, and by how much, the pulses are to be counted down. The frequency divider output is converted to provide control voltages for the two amplitude modulators for oppositely switching over the amplitude modulators into alternate modes. In the case of an interference current therapy equipment, the function generator controls cycles of phase modulation which produce cycles of relative phase between alternating currents supplied respectively to the two amplitude modulators and the frequency divider outputs alternately reduce the amplitude of one of the two modulators while the other of the two has an unreduced amplitude. In the case of a medium frequency stimulation therapy equipment the continuous output of the function generator provides both modulators with a voltage for producing cycles for stimulation for the patient's tissues and the frequency divider output alternately switches off the output of each modulated in turn while the other supplies modulator periods of medium frequency electric stimulation voltage.

Apparatus for electric stimulation therapy equipment

A high frequency surgical apparatus for the thermal coagulation of biologic tissues is described, in which for monitoring the fluctuations in amplitude of the high frequency current during each coagulation process a current monitor (25) is provided, which by means of a current-to-voltage coverter generates an electrical voltage proportional to the amplitude fluctuations of the high frequency current, from which voltage, by means of a first detector, a first direct voltage proportional to the amplitude fluctuations is formed and, by means of a second detector acting as a peak value detector, a second direct voltage is formed that rises in proportion to the amplitude of the high frequency current. The first direct voltage (U.sub.a) and the second direct voltage (kU.sub.b), which is divided downward by an adjustable factor by means of a voltage divider, are supplied to a voltage comparator, the output signal of which sets a bistable circuit as soon as the first direct voltage (U.sub.a) becomes lower than the downwardly divided second direct voltage (kU.sub.b). The output signal of the bistable circuit switches the high frequency current off until the high frequency current is switched back on again by actuation of a manual switch and/or by means of an automatic switch. Instead of or in addition to this current monitor (25), and electric arc monitor (26) for monitoring the generation of anharmonic frequencies of the base frequency of the frequency generator can be connected to the output of the surgical apparatus, the arc monitor including a filter which passes at least one of the anharmonic frequencies, generated by the electric arc, of the base frequency of the high frequency generator. The output signal of the filter is supplied to a voltage comparator, the output signal of which resets a bistable circuit such that its output signal switches off the high frequency current.

High frequency electrosurgical apparatus for thermal coagulation of

Described is a safety circuit for a high-frequency surgical instrument for the monopolar cutting and coagulating of biological tissue, where the neutral electrode is high-frequency-grounded through a capacitor. The safety circuit monitors the low-frequency leakage current which flows through the capacitor against the ground potential and interrupts the electric connection between this capacitor and ground potential immediately when the low-frequency leakage current exceeds an adjustable limiting value. Simultaneously, an optical signal and an acoustical signal are activated.

High-frequency surgical instrument

A supplementary acoustic warning signal is provided for a high-frequency electrosurgical unit which sounds only after the lapse of an interval set by a first delay circuit shows that one of the high-frequency generators in the unit remains active longer than what, on the average, is normal. A second delay circuit is provided to assure shut-off of the high-frequency generators if at least one of the high-frequency generators remains active without interruption longer by an interval set by a second delay circuit beyond the lapse of an interval of the interval set by the first delay circuit. The supplementary acoustic signal thus sounds before the second delay circuit shuts off the high-frequency generators. The intervals determined by each of the delay circuits are adjustable. The output signal of the second delay circuit which activates the shut-off relays is maintained until a switch is operated to reset the system, so that the malfunction which has led to shut-down will be dealt with before the unit is used again.

High-frequency electrosurgical unit with timed safety shut down interlock

In a high-frequency surgical apparatus having a number of electrode-connections for a neutral electrode and a number of electrodes, respectively, for monopolar and bipolar operation, a single high-frequency generator operating through a transformer with monopolar and bipolar secondaries designed to work into different impedance loads is provided in combination with a multipole switch for switching over between bipolar and monopolar use. A warning signal is produced only if the switch is set for a monopolar use, even if the neutral electrode is not properly connected. The bipolar output may be used independently of whether a neutral electrode is connected to the apparatus or not. In this manner unintended injuries or damage by a contact with an electrode are avoided. Examples for the field of use of such electrosurgery units are Dermatology, Gynaecology, Ophthalmology, Dental Surgery, ENT and Cosmetic Surgery.

High-frequency surgical apparatus

In a high-frequency surgical apparatus having a number of electrode-connections for a neutral electrode and a number of electrodes, respectively, for monopolar and bipolar operation, two high-frequency generators are connected to a single voltage source, so that the second generator may serve exclusively for supplying a high-frequency current to the electrode-connections for bipolar electrodes. A warning signal is produced only if a switch is closed for a monopolar use, even if the neutral electrode is not properly connected. Therefore the bipolar high-frequency generator may be actuated independently of whether a natural electrode is connected to the apparatus or not. In this manner unintended injuries or damages by a contact with an electrode are avoided. In an alternate embodiment of the invention only a single high-frequency generator is provided in combination with a switch-over device for switching over between bipolar and monopolar use, so that in the case of bipolar use the protective circuit is disabled. Examples for the field of use of such electrosurgery units are Dermatology, Gynaecology, Opthalmology, Dental Surgery, ENT and Cosmetic Surgery.

The base of a clip or forceps for application of high-frequency electricity for coagulation of living tissues provides mechanical securing of the electrodes to each other by means of a dovetail tongue and groove engagement with an intervening insulation layer of material hardened after injection between the jaws or branches of the clip. A contact socket can simply be applied over the surface of the base of the clip, so that the device is easily handled by the surgeon, while at the same time the security of the mechanical fastening at the base of the clip is not subject to impairment by repeated sterilization at 134.degree. C.

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Tubingen, Germany

Gunter Farin