Disposable/removable tubing set for use with an electrosurgical instrument

[0001] N/A

[0002] N/A

[0003] A variety of electrosurgical devices are available for performing different surgical procedures. For example, coagulation procedures require an instrument that is capable of coagulating tissue to stop or minimize the flow of blood at the surgical site. Such instruments may also be capable of flushing an irrigation solution into the area where the surgeon is working to remove bits of tissue or blood. In other alternatives, these instruments may be capable of aspirating fluids from the site. Such fluids include liquids, such as saline solution or blood, and gases, such as smoke or air.

[0004] For example, electrosurgical forceps have a pair of tines or blades that are used to grasp and coagulate tissue. The forceps may be monopolar or bipolar. In monopolar forceps, one or both of the tines form an electrode in electrical communication with an electrical generator. Current flows from the active electrode through the patient's tissue to a dispersive electrode in contact with the patient's skin, which may be at some distance from the forceps, and back to the generator. In bipolar forceps, each tine of the pair comprises an electrode in communication with the electrical generator.

[0005] In some forceps, an irrigation channel is formed along one or both of the tines to allow an irrigation fluid, such as saline solution, to flow through the channel and out the outlet near the tip of the tines to flush bits of tissue or blood away from the area where the surgeon is working. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,228,084. In another known type of bipolar coagulating instrument, a pair of electrodes is arranged coaxially. A suction channel is provided along the central axis to draw fluids away from the surgical site. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,989,249 and 6,406,476. Not all coagulating instruments are, however, formed with an irrigation or aspiration channel or channels.

[0006] The present invention relates to a tubing set for attachment to an electrosurgical instrument having one or more tines to add an irrigation capability to the instrument. The tubing set includes a length of tubing extending between a distal end and a proximal end. A connector fitting on the proximal end is configured to connect to a fluid source. The distal end of the tubing is affixed to a nose piece that attaches to a tine of the instrument.

[0007] More particularly, the nose piece includes a fluid portion and a tine portion. A tine passage extends through the tine portion for receiving the distal end of a tine of the electrosurgical instrument. A fluid passage extends through the fluid portion. The distal end of the tubing is affixed within at least a first section of the fluid passage. A second section of the fluid passage is preferably angled downwardly toward the tine to direct fluid onto the tip of the tine.

[0008] In one preferred embodiment, the inventive tubing set can be attached with a luer fitting to a standard IV tubing set, such as for use with an IV solution to deliver, for example, saline solution from a bag to the instrument.

[0017] A tubing set 10 according to the present invention is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. In the embodiment illustrated, the tubing set is attached to one tine 12 of a non-irrigating electrosurgical coagulating forceps 14. The tubing set is connectable to a source of fluid, such as saline solution, to deliver fluid to drip onto the tip 16 of the tine, resulting in a device capable of providing irrigation.

[0018] More particularly, the tubing set includes a length of tubing 20 that extends from a proximal end 22 to a distal or instrument end 24. The instrument end of the tubing is affixed within a nose piece 26. The nose piece is attached to the tip 16 of a tine 12 of an electrosurgical forceps 14. The tubing is held along the length of the tine by any suitable mechanism, such as O-rings 28. The proximal end of the tubing terminates at a suitable fitting 30 for connection to a fluid source. In the embodiment illustrated, the proximal end is connected to a female luer fitting.

[0019] In the embodiment illustrated, the forceps 14 do not include an irrigation channel. Thus, the tubing set 10 of the present invention allows a user such as a surgeon to add the option of irrigation to this type of forceps. Toward this end, one of the tines 12 of the forceps is slipped through the O-rings 28 on the length of tubing, and the nose piece 26 of the tubing set is placed over the tip 16 of the tine. The O-rings are adjusted along the tine so that the tubing is retained along most of the length of the tine out of the surgeon's way. The tubing set is connected to a source of fluid, such as saline solution for irrigation.

[0020] The tubing 20 is made of any suitable flexible plastic material, such as PVC. The tubing may be of any suitable length. In the embodiment illustrated, an 18-inch length from the nose piece 26 to the luer fitting 30 is suitable. The proximal end 22 of the tubing is attached to the fitting 30 in any suitable manner. For example, the proximal end can be attached to the luer fitting with a suitable medical grade adhesive. In this case, the O-rings 28 are placed over the length of tubing prior to installing the luer fitting. The O-rings are made of any suitable material, such as a medical grade silicone. The O-rings provide flexibility and adjustment to allow the tubing to be placed along a forceps tine of any length.

[0021] The nose piece 26 is preferably made of the same flexible plastic material as the tubing 20. The flexibility of the material allows the nose piece to stretch up onto the tapered tine and up over the insulation if present on the tine. The nose piece grips the tine so that the most distal end 32 of the nose piece can be adjusted into the proper location for the proper irrigant flow.

[0022] Referring to FIGS. 3-6, the nose piece 26 includes a fluid portion 34 having a fluid passage 36 therethrough and a tine portion 38 having a tine passage 42 therethrough. The fluid portion and the tine portion are interconnected by, for example, a web member 44 integral with the fluid portion and the tine portion. The fluid passage 36 includes a first section 46 into which the distal end of the tubing is inserted. Preferably, the tubing is affixed within the first portion in any suitable manner, such as by insert molding. The fluid passage includes a second section 48 that has a smaller inner diameter than the inner diameter of the first section. The inner diameter of the second section is preferably the same inner diameter as the tubing. The second section is also preferably angled downwardly at a small angle (e.g., 6°) toward the tip of the tine when the nose piece is placed over the tine. In this way, fluid is directed toward and onto the tine.

[0023] The tine passage 42 is preferably tapered from a wider diameter at the proximal or tine entry end 52 to the distal or tine exit end 54 to accommodate the taper of the tine. The flexibility of the material allows the nose piece to be adjustable along the tip of the tine. The nose piece grips the tine to hold the tubing in place. By adjusting the location of the nose piece on the tine's tip, the irrigation fluid can drip onto the forceps tip where required. The surface tension of the irrigation fluid keeps the fluid attached to the tip until it drips away.

[0024] FIG. 7 illustrates a tubing set 10 of the present invention in conjunction with a standard tubing set 70. The proximal end of the inventive tubing set is attached via the female luer fitting 30 to a male luer fitting 72 on a distal end of the standard tubing set. The proximal end of the standard tubing set includes a connection 74 to a source of fluid, such as a spike that connects to a bag of saline solution. The fluid flow rate can be regulated by, for example, a roller clamp 76. Alternatively, the tubing set can be connected to an irrigation pump to control the fluid flow.

[0025] The tubing set can be used with a variety of forceps. The forceps can be insulated or uninsulated, disposable or reusable. The nose piece can be attached to either tine of the forceps. Alternatively, two tubing sets can be used, one attached to each tine, resulting in a dual irrigation device. In a still further alternative, in a forceps having one irrigating tine and one non-irrigating tine, the tubing set can be attached to the non-irrigating tine, again resulting in a dual irrigation device. The tubing set can also be used with an instrument having a single tine, blade, or probe.

[0026] The invention is not to be limited by what has been particularly shown and described, except as indicated by the appended claims.