Limited Reuse Ablation Needles and Ablation Devices for Use Therewith

Abstract

A surgical instrument includes a reusable component and a limited-use component. The reusable component includes a first electrical contact. The limited-use component is releasably engagable with the reusable component. The limited-use component includes a second electrical contact configured to electrically couple to the first electrical contact to establish electrical communication between the reusable component and the limited-use component. The second electrical contact is movable from a first position, wherein the second electrical contact is positioned to electrically couple to the first electrical contact upon engagement of the limited-use component and the reusable component to one another, to a second position, wherein the second electrical contact is positioned to inhibit electrical coupling to the first electrical contact upon engagement of the limited-use component and the reusable component to one another.

1 - 19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . An electrosurgical instrument, comprising:
 a housing including a first electrical contact; and   an energy delivery device defining a longitudinal axis and configured to releasably couple to the housing, the energy delivery device including a second electrical contact configured to electrically couple to the first electrical contact upon coupling of the energy delivery device to the housing to establish electrical communication between the housing and the energy delivery device for delivering energy to tissue, the second electrical contact movable between a first position, wherein coupling of the energy delivery device to the housing is permitted, and a second position, wherein the second electrical contact prevents coupling of the energy delivery device to the housing.   
     
     
         21 . The electrosurgical instrument according to  claim 20 , wherein the second electrical contact is configured to:
 permit insertion of the first electrical contact into the energy delivery device when the second electrical contact is in the first position; and   prevent insertion of the first electrical contact into the energy delivery deice when the second electrical contact is in the second position.   
     
     
         22 . The electrosurgical instrument according to  claim 20 , wherein the second electrical contact is configured to move from the first position to the second position upon heating of the second electrical contact. 
     
     
         23 . The electrosurgical instrument according to  claim 20 , wherein the second electrical contact is formed at least partially from one of a ferromagnetic material or a shape-memory material. 
     
     
         24 . The electrosurgical instrument according to  claim 20 , wherein an identity of the energy delivery device is determined based on electrical communication between the first and second electrical contacts. 
     
     
         25 . The electrosurgical instrument according to  claim 20 , wherein a number of uses of the energy delivery device is determined based on electrical communication between the first and second electrical contacts. 
     
     
         26 . The electrosurgical instrument according to  claim 20 , wherein the first electrical contact extends distally from a distal end portion of the housing. 
     
     
         27 . The electrosurgical instrument according to  claim 20 , wherein the energy delivery device defines a hollow interior configured to receive the first electrical contact upon coupling of the energy delivery device to the housing when the second electrical contact is in the first position. 
     
     
         28 . The electrosurgical instrument according to  claim 20 , wherein the housing defines a recess configured to releasably receive a proximal portion of the energy delivery device upon coupling of the energy delivery device to the housing when the second electrical contact is in the first position. 
     
     
         29 . The electrosurgical instrument according to  claim 20 , wherein the housing defines a tab configured to releasably retain a proximal portion of the energy delivery device within a recess defined by the housing upon coupling of the energy delivery device to the housing when the second electrical contact is in the first position. 
     
     
         30 . The electrosurgical instrument according to  claim 20 , wherein the second electrical contact is disposed parallel to the longitudinal axis when in the second position and disposed nonparallel to the longitudinal axis when in the first position. 
     
     
         31 . The electrosurgical instrument according to  claim 20 , wherein the energy delivery device defines a hollow interior configured to receive a cooling fluid upon coupling of the energy delivery device to the housing when the second electrical contact is in the first position. 
     
     
         32 . The electrosurgical instrument according to  claim 20 , wherein the second electrical contact is biased to the first position by a magnetic field. 
     
     
         33 . The electrosurgical instrument according to  claim 32 , wherein use of the energy delivery device is configured to eliminate the magnetic field biasing the second electrical contact to the first position such that the second electrical contact moves to the second position. 
     
     
         34 . An electrosurgical instrument, comprising:
 a first electrical contact pin extending from a housing; and   a second electrical contact pin disposed within an energy delivery device and configured to electrically couple to the first electrical contact pin upon releasable coupling of the energy delivery device to the housing to establish electrical communication between the housing and the energy delivery device for delivering energy to tissue, the second electrical contact pin configured to:
 permit insertion of the first electrical contact pin into the energy delivery device when the second electrical contact pin is disposed in a first position such that coupling of the energy delivery device to the housing is permitted; and 
 prevent insertion of the first electrical contact pin into the energy delivery device when the second electrical contact pin is disposed in a second position such that coupling of the energy delivery device to the housing is prevented. 
   
     
     
         35 . The electrosurgical instrument according to  claim 34 , wherein the second electrical contact pin is disposed parallel to a longitudinal axis defined by the energy delivery device when in the second position and disposed nonparallel to the longitudinal axis when in the first position. 
     
     
         36 . The electrosurgical instrument according to  claim 34 , wherein the first electrical contact pin extends distally from a distal end portion of the housing. 
     
     
         37 . The electrosurgical instrument according to  claim 34 , wherein the energy delivery device defines a hollow interior configured to receive the first electrical contact pin upon coupling of the energy delivery device to the housing when the second electrical contact pin is in the first position. 
     
     
         38 . The electrosurgical instrument according to  claim 34 , wherein the housing defines a recess configured to releasably receive a proximal portion of the energy delivery device upon coupling of the energy delivery device to the housing when the second electrical contact pin is in the first position. 
     
     
         39 . The electrosurgical instrument according to  claim 34 , wherein the second electrical contact pin is configured to move from the first position to the second position upon heating of the second electrical contact pin.