Electrosurgical snare device

Abstract

An electrosurgical snare device is provided which uses a flow of inert gas to assist in the cutting and sealing process of tissue, while substantially reducing the fornnation of eschar and collateral tissue damage. The electrosurgical device includes a housing having a longitudinal axis; a support shaft attached to a distal end of the housing, and an end effector coupled to a distal end of the support shaft. The end effector includes a tube including a plurality of apertures and an electrically conducting spring disposed around the tube, where a spacing of the coils of the spring coincides with a spacing of the plurality of apertures, wherein a gas assisted electrosurgical effect is formed at each of the plurality of apertures when an inert gas flows through the tube and the spring is energized. The tube may be configured as a loop or snare.

1 - 14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . An electrosurgical device comprising:
 a housing having a longitudinal axis;   a support shaft attached to a distal end of the housing, the support shaft having a longitudinal axis substantially aligned with the longitudinal axis of the housing; and a tube, wherein at least a portion of the tube is configured as a loop extending from a distal end of the support shaft, the loop including a plurality of apertures disposed along a length of the tube and an electrically conducting spring disposed around the tube, the spring including a plurality of coils spaced apart from each other, where a spacing of the coils coincides with a spacing of the plurality of apertures;   wherein a gas assisted electrosurgical effect is formed at each of the plurality of apertures when an inert gas flows through the tube and the spring is energized to cut and seal tissue using the loop.   
     
     
         16 - 18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . The electrosurgical device of  claim 15 , further comprising an articulating mechanism that articulates the loop at a distal end of the support shaft. 
     
     
         20 . The electrosurgical device of  claim 15 , further comprising a positioning assembly configured to move the loop between an extended position and a retracted position. 
     
     
         21 . The electrosurgical device of  claim 15 , wherein the loop includes a diameter and the loop is configured to be drawn into the support shaft to decrease the diameter of the loop such that when the loop is drawn around tissue, inert gas is provided through the tube, the spring is energized, and the diameter of the loop is decreased to remove the tissue from a patient. 
     
     
         22 . The electrosurgical device of  claim 21 , further comprising a back stop disposed at the distal end of the support shaft and configured to prevent the tissue from entering the support shaft. 
     
     
         23 . The electrosurgical device of  claim 15 , wherein tube includes a first end and a second, closed end, each end of the tube disposed through the distal end of the shaft, the first end coupled to a gas input for receiving the inert gas and the second, closed end coupled to an interior of the shaft. 
     
     
         24 . The electrosurgical device of  claim 23 , further comprising an anchor for coupling the second, closed end of the tube to the interior of the shaft, the anchor configured to be rotatable to enable the tube to rotate. 
     
     
         25 . The electrosurgical device of  claim 23 , wherein the tube is drawn into the support shaft to decrease a diameter of the loop. 
     
     
         26 . The electrosurgical device of  claim 23 , wherein when the loop is drawn around tissue, inert gas is provided through the tube, the spring is energized, and the diameter of the loop is decreased to remove the tissue from a patient. 
     
     
         27 . The electrosurgical device of  claim 15 , further comprising a second tube and a gas manifold, the second tube including a first end and a second end, the first end coupled to a gas input for receiving the inert gas and the second end coupled to the gas manifold, the gas manifold coupled to the first tube and configured to cause the second tube to be formed into the loop. 
     
     
         28 . The electrosurgical device of  claim 27 , wherein the second tube is drawn into the support shaft to draw the loop into the support shaft and decrease the diameter of the loop. 
     
     
         29 . The electrosurgical device of  claim 28 , wherein when the loop is drawn around tissue, inert gas is provided through the tube, the spring is energized, and the diameter of the loop is decreased to remove the tissue from a patient. 
     
     
         30 . The electrosurgical device of  claim 15 , wherein each aperture is located at the approximate center between adjacent coils of the electrically conducting spring. 
     
     
         31 . The electrosurgical device of  claim 15 , further comprising a connector that connects the electrically conducting spring to an electrical energy source and the tube to a gas source, the connector including a memory device that stores an impedance value of the spring. 
     
     
         32 . The electrosurgical device of  claim 15 , further comprising at least one lumen disposed in the support shaft and configured to remove debris from the distal end of the support shaft. 
     
     
         33 . The electrosurgical device of  claim 32 , further comprising at least one second lumen disposed in the support shaft and configured to irrigate a surgical site. 
     
     
         34 . The electrosurgical device of  claim 15 , wherein the tube is rotatable to vary a direction of the plurality of apertures thus varying a cutting and sealing direction of the loop. 
     
     
         35 . The electrosurgical device of  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of apertures face away from the center of the loop and the loop is used to cut and seal tissue by pushing the electrosurgical device onto tissue. 
     
     
         36 . The electrosurgical device of  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of apertures face toward the center of the loop and the loop is used to cut and seal tissue by pulling the electrosurgical device while tissue is disposed in the loop. 
     
     
         37 . The electrosurgical device of  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of apertures face a predetermined angle relative to a plane of the loop such the loop is used to plane down a surface of the tissue a layer at a time.