Patent ID: 8409190
Filing Date: 2013-04-02
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. An electrosurgical handpiece to generate a plasma stream for performing electrosurgery on a surgical site on a patient comprising: an electrode configured to be operatively coupled to an electrosurgical generator to receive electrical energy therefrom and disposed within an inner noble gas conduit; said inner noble gas conduit including a distal end and a proximal end to form a plasma channel, said inner noble gas conduit configured to be operatively coupled to a noble gas source to feed noble gas to said inner noble gas conduit such that said electrode at least partially ionizes the noble gas to generate the plasma stream to be directed to the surgical site to perform the surgical procedure; and an intermediate electronegative gas conduit including a distal end and a proximal end disposed in surrounding relation relative to said inner noble gas conduit to cooperatively form an electronegative gas channel therebetween, said intermediate electronegative gas conduit configured to be operatively coupled to a gas source to feed electronegative gas to said electronegative gas channel, said distal end of said intermediate electronegative gas conduit extending beyond said distal end of said inner noble gas conduit such that the electronegative gas sustains the plasma stream.