Illuminated Electrosurgical System and Method of Use

Abstract

A surgical system that illuminates a surgical site using one or more illumination means is powered by radiofrequency energy produced by an electrosurgical generator. Illumination may occur whether or not current is being delivered from an active electrode to target tissue.

1 - 48 . (canceled) 
     
     
         49 . A system for illuminating a surgical field, said system comprising:
 a connector plug configured to couple with an electrosurgical generator;   an electrosurgery instrument having an illumination element for illuminating the surgical field and an active electrode for performing electrosurgery using the radiofrequency power supplied by the electrosurgical generator;   a secondary power source in a receptacle of the connector plug;   a radiofrequency power conductor extending from the connector plug to a proximal end of the electrosurgery instrument and configured to supply the radiofrequency power to the active electrode; and   a plurality of illumination power conductors extending from the secondary power source in the receptacle of the connector plug to the electrosurgery instrument and configured to supply electrical power to the illumination element.   
     
     
         50 . The system of  claim 49 , wherein the radiofrequency power conductor and the plurality of illumination conductors are bundled in a cable that extends between the connector plug and the handle. 
     
     
         51 . The system of  claim 49 , further comprising:
 a return electrode coupled to the electrosurgical generator,   
       wherein the radiofrequency power conductor is configured to carry power from the connector plug to the electrosurgery instrument,
 wherein the illumination element receives power only from the secondary power source, and the electrosurgery instrument receives the radiofrequency energy only from the radiofrequency power conductor. 
 
     
     
         52 . The system of  claim 49 , wherein the secondary power source is removable from the receptacle while the connector plug is coupled to the electrosurgical generator and without interrupting operation of an electrosurgical instrument using the radiofrequency power received from the radiofrequency power conductor. 
     
     
         53 . The system of  claim 49 , further comprising a plurality of switches that are configured to be activated to cause the radiofrequency power to be delivered from the electrosurgical generator by the radiofrequency conductor while power is delivered from the secondary power source by the plurality of illumination conductors. 
     
     
         54 . The system of  claim 53 , wherein a first switch and a second switch of the plurality of switches are configured to control the radiofrequency power supplied from the electrosurgical generator to the electrosurgery instrument, and
 wherein a third switch of the plurality of switches is configured to control the power provided from the secondary power source to the illumination element.   
     
     
         55 . The system of  claim 49 , wherein the connector plug further comprises:
 at least one contact configured to electrically engage with a contact on the secondary power source; and   at least one connector pin.   
     
     
         56 . The system of  claim 49 , wherein the secondary power source comprises a battery. 
     
     
         57 . The system of  claim 49 , wherein the secondary power source is disposed in a sleeve to form a secondary power source assembly, and
 wherein the secondary power source assembly is disposed in the receptacle, and wherein the secondary power source assembly is releasably attached to the connector plug.   
     
     
         58 . The system of  claim 49 , wherein the illumination element is coupled to a telescoping tube that is slidably coupled with a handle of the electrosurgical instrument. 
     
     
         59 . The system of  claim 49 , wherein the secondary power source is configured to store power provided by the electrosurgical generator. 
     
     
         60 . The system of  claim 49 , wherein the illumination element is releasably coupled with the electrosurgery instrument. 
     
     
         61 . The system of  claim 49 , further comprising a waveguide that is configured to transmit the light distally from the illumination element to the surgical field. 
     
     
         62 . The system of  claim 49 , further comprising a driver board disposed in the connector plug. 
     
     
         63 . The system of  claim 49 , wherein the radiofrequency power conductor comprises three wires. 
     
     
         64 . The system of  claim 63 , wherein each of the three wires is coupled to a respective connector pin of the connector plug. 
     
     
         65 . A method for illuminating a surgical field, said method comprising:
 coupling a connector plug of an electrosurgery instrument to an electrosurgical generator, wherein the electrosurgery instrument comprises:
 an active electrode for applying a radiofrequency energy during electrosurgery, 
 an illumination element for illuminating the surgical field, 
 a secondary power source in a receptacle of the connector plug, 
 a radiofrequency power conductor extending from the connector plug to a proximal end of the electrosurgery instrument and configured to supply the radiofrequency power to the active electrode, and 
 a plurality of illumination power conductors extending from the secondary power source in the receptacle of the connector plug to the electrosurgery instrument and configured to supply electrical power to the illumination element; 
   energizing, using the plurality of illumination power conductors extending from the connector plug to the electrosurgery instrument, the illumination element with the secondary power source in the receptacle of the connector plug; and   illuminating the surgical field with light from the illumination element.   
     
     
         66 . The method of  claim 65 , further comprising inserting the secondary power source into the receptacle,
 wherein the secondary power source comprises a battery.   
     
     
         67 . The method of  claim 65 , further comprising:
 supplying, via the radiofrequency power conductor, the radiofrequency power to the active electrode; and   performing, using the radiofrequency power at the active electrode, electrosurgery.   
     
     
         68 . The method of  claim 65 , wherein the radiofrequency power conductor and the plurality of illumination conductors are bundled in a cable that extends between the connector plug and the handle.