Patent ID: 9592088
Date: 2017-03-14
CPC Classifications: A61B

Claim:
1. A shaft for a flexible endoscopic instrument, the shaft having a longitudinal axis defining a proximal direction and a distal direction, and including: at least three discrete sections along the length of the shaft, namely a proximal section, a distal section and a flexible section between the proximal section and the distal section, the shaft being an electrode and acting as a tissue treatment electrode, or as a return electrode where the instrument is provided with a tissue treatment electrode which is separate from the shaft, the flexible section having a greater flexibility than either the proximal section or the distal section, the distal section being located distally of the flexible section, the distal section being a part of the shaft electrode when acting as a tissue treatment electrode that is used to engage tissue being treated, the proximal section being located proximally of the flexible section, the proximal section including at least one connection for electrically connecting the shaft to an electrosurgical generator, and a bypass lead including a first connection forming an electrical connection with the distal section and a second connection forming an electrical connection with the proximal section whereby the bypass lead electrically interconnects the proximal section only to the distal section to thereby provide, as a second connection, that the proximal and distal sections remain at a same electric potential, regardless of whether an electrical connection along the flexible section becomes degraded by wear or damage to the flexible section.