Conmed Corporation

William C Wheatley

John S Gentelia

Frank R Williams

Sharyn E Longo

Deborah E Forbey

Ernesto G Sevilla

Robert Uhl

Ronald E Eggan, Jr

A trocar assembly includes an elongate trocar device and a surrounding cannula. The trocar device incorporates an electrosurgical cutting element which is used to make a guide hole for the cannula and thus enables the remainder of the trocar assembly to enlarge the puncture. An electronic control circuit senses the current flow to the cutting element and, when the trocar device breaks through the wall of the organ being cut, this circuit cuts off the connection to the associated electrosurgical generator. Further control circuitry prevents a surgeon from resuming electrosurgery until a predetermined time period has elapsed. Multiple trocars of different diameters are provided for the same assembly.

Electrosurgical trocar assembly

A manual control device for laparoscopic patient treatment by use of electrical curetage or coagulation, with means for clearing the surgical sight by irrigation or suction, finger operated buttons controlling the various functions, and an interlock mechanism disabling the electrical functions when a push button is depressed to enable irrigation or suction.

Manual control device for laparoscopic instrument

A trocar assembly includes an elongate trocar device and a surrounding cannula. The trocar device incorporates an electrosurgical cutting element which is used to make a guide hole for the cannula and thus enables the remainder of the trocar assembly to enlarge the puncture. The cutting element comprises a bi-polar electrode assembly. An electronic control circuit senses the current flow to the cutting element and, when the trocar device breaks through the wall of the body cavity being cut into, this circuit cuts off the connection to the associated electrosurgical generator. Further control circuitry prevents a surgeon from resuming electrosurgery until a predetermined time period has elapsed. Multiple trocars of different diameters are provided for the same assembly.

Electrosurgical trocar assembly with bi-polar electrode

An electrosurgical probe is provided which reduces the likelihood of arcing from the probe. In addition, the probe provides the ability to place a fiber-optic cable through the probe for providing for laser surgery or for laproscopic examination of the patient. The electrosurgical probe comprises an electrosurgical tip, a cylindrical body attached to the tip, and a base attached to the cylindrical body. The tip may have many different shapes but a spatula shape is generally preferred. The tip has at least one notch in the periphery of the spatula shape for retaining a fiber-optic cable. The cylindrical body is substantially hollow so that suction, irrigation, and laparoscopy may be carried out through the probe. To aid the surgeon in determining dimensions of organs within a patient, the cylindrical body has a plurality of striped regions having a predetermined thickness spaced apart at predetermined intervals on an outer surface of the cylindrical body. The cylindrical body is composed of an insulative material for preventing accidental shock to a patient. To prevent accidental arcing, an insulative layer which substantially covers the electrosurgical tip with at most a 4 mm extension of the electrosurgical tip exposed with no insulative layer.

Electrosurgical probe

A simple and reliable electrosurgical instrument includes a cable having a main contact wire and first second insulated switch wires all provided with a short insulated or bare portion. The cable is received in a main member having a first holding mechanism for holding the switch wires adjacent uninsulated portions thereof on one lateral side and spaced from one another as well as a second holding mechanism for holding the switch wires adjacent the uninsulated portions thereof on the other lateral side so that the uninsulated portions span between the first and second holding mechanisms and are spaced longitudinally from one another. A blade receiver receives an electrode blade and is then electrically connected to the contact wire. A switch device selectively connects one of the uninsulated portions of the switch wires to the contact wire during operation. The first and second holding mechanisms preferably include channels and a cover includes projections which hold the wires in place. The switch device also preferably includes a contact strip which is attached to the distal end to the blade receiver and at a proximal end to the contact wire. This contact strip extends longitudinally and above but immediately adjacent the uninsulated portions of the switch wires. Two respective switches mounted in the cover are then selectively depressed to push the contact strip into engagement with an associated bared switch wire therebeneath. This contact strip includes a U-shaped portion which is resiliently held in contact with the uninsulated portion of the contact wire.

Electrosurgical instrument

A cannula is provided for laparoscopic surgery wherein the cannula comprises a housing and elongated tube with a passageway formed within the housing so that laparoscopic instruments may be passed through the housing and the elongated hollow tube into the abdominal cavity of a patient. A pair of rollers are mounted within the housing, the rollers being spring-urged together to close the passageway through the housing when an instrument is withdrawn. A slidable plate having apertures of different sizes are mounted in the housing with the apertures provided with slitted seals therein to close the passageway through the housing. The varying sized apertures in the slidable plate permit laparoscopic instruments of varying diameters to be used and to maintain an effective seal around the instrument. In another embodiment of the cannula a valve is provided which is closed when the rollers within the housing are in engagement with each other. When a laparoscopic instrument is passed through the housing to separate the rollers, the valve moves to an opened position to permit the laparoscopic instrument to pass therethrough.

Growing community of inventors

Utica, NY, United States of America

William C Wheatley