Patent ID: 8066704
Filing Date: 2011-11-29
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. An electrosurgical instrument for ablating tissue in a surgical procedure, comprising: a controllable source of electrical energy; an elongate electrically conductive probe having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion and defining a lumen therethrough, a proximal end of said lumen being adapted to be connected to a source of vacuum; and an electrode disposed at the distal end portion of the probe and electrically coupled to said source of electrical energy, the electrode comprising a body having a distal end comprising an outer active surface and a proximal end, the electrode comprising: a bore formed in the body of the electrode, said bore disposed in fluid communication with the lumen of the probe, and extending from the proximal end of the electrode toward the distal end; said outer active surface formed on the distal end of the electrode being configured so as to define a single circular orifice in fluid communication with the bore of the electrode and being configured for aspirating gasses, fluids, ablated tissue, and other debris from a surgical site juxtaposed to the orifice, responsive to a vacuum applied to the proximal end of the lumen in the probe; wherein an inner frustoconical surface is provided on the inside of the distal end of the body of the electrode, between the bore in the electrode and the orifice in the active surface thereof, said inner frustoconical surface being juxtaposed to the outer active surface of the electrode such that the axial length of a bore extending between said outer active surface and said inner frustoconical surface is minimized ; and wherein the total cross-sectional area of the orifice in the active surface of the electrode is less than that of the bore of the electrode, forming a venturi, whereby the rate of flow of said gasses, fluids, ablated tissue, and other debris is accelerated in the vicinity of the one or more orifices in the outer surface of the electrode.