Patent ID: 11937865
Assignee: STRYKER EUROPEAN OPERATIONS LIMITED
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 12:
13. A method of operating an electro-surgical pencil, comprising:
providing an electro-surgical pencil comprising:
a housing forming an axially extending main suction passage from a proximal opening to a distal opening, wherein the housing comprises: (i) a main body forming the axially extending main suction passage and the distal opening and (ii) a collar arranged about the proximal opening;
a tube forming an extension of the main suction passage from the proximal opening to a proximal extension opening, the tube being configured for telescoping movement through the proximal opening;
an electrode for cutting and/or coagulating tissue, the electrode being attached to the tube and extending axially from the proximal extension opening; and
a suction tip coupled to the tube and forming a further extension of the axially extending main suction passage,
wherein, while the electrode remains in a fixed position relative to the tube, the suction tip is configured for telescoping movement along an outer surface of the tube to adjust an extent by which the suction tip covers a portion of the electrode,
wherein the collar is rotatable about the main body to control movability of the tube relative to the housing,
wherein the collar is operable to adjust an amount of friction between an outer surface of the tube and an inner surface of the collar to lock and unlock the tube in the main suction passage, and
wherein the suction tip is slidable along the outer surface of the tube to a distal position at which at least a portion of the suction tip is received in a space between an inner surface of a proximal portion of the collar and the outer surface of the tube;

configuring a length of the electro-surgical pencil by moving the tube relative to the housing; and
moving the suction tip relative to the tube to the distal position while the electrode remains fixed relative to the tube and the collar locks a position of the tube relative to the main suction passage.