Abstract:
A swivel device includes an improved connection between an electro-surgical unit (ESU) pencil&#39;s smoke evacuation system and a vacuum tube. The swivel device includes a fixed member attached to a rotating member. The rotating member allows the stiff vacuum tube to twist and coil freely while preventing forced movement of the fixed member or the ESU pencil. The swivel device can be added to existing ESU pencils with smoke evacuation systems or it can be built into ESU pencils with smoke evacuation systems.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application is related to patent application Ser. No. 08/500,045, filed Jul. 10, 1995, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,693,044, which is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 07/989,238, filed Dec. 11, 1992, now abandoned. 
     
    
     FIELD OF INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates generally to a swivel apparatus. More specifically, the present invention relates to a swivel apparatus for attachment to or incorporation with the smoke evacuation system of an electro-surgical unit (ESU) pencil, and methods therefore.  
       DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART  
       [0003]     The use of ESU pencils for cutting tissue and coagulating blood vessels in surgical procedures is well known. When an ESU pencil is used for cutting or coagulation, smoke is produced. In the past, when a surgeon wanted to evacuate this smoke from the surgical field, the surgeon or an assistant had to hold a plastic suction wand, connected to vacuum tubing, near the site of smoke production. This became cumbersome in many surgical procedures, because two hands were required—one operating the ESU pencil and the other holding the suction device—and because the suction wand often obscured the surgeon&#39;s view of the surgical field. Therefore, smoke evacuation devices were developed which were either incorporated directly into the design of an ESU pencil or were attachable to an ESU pencil.  
         [0004]     Built-in or attachable smoke evacuation devices have also proved problematic, however. Like the suction wand, these devices must be connected to a vacuum source via a vacuum tube. The vacuum tubing generally used is stiff, corrugated, rubber tubing. Due to its stiffness, the tubing often coils in such a way that it twists the ESU pencil in the hand of the surgeon. This twisting of the ESU pencil is problematic in delicate surgical procedures and often requires the surgeon to stop frequently to uncoil the tubing. Therefore, more flexible vacuum tubing has been tried. However, this tubing is either too soft, so that it collapses under suction, or too narrow, so that it obstructs airflow. These various problems with vacuum tubing have led many surgeons to not use built-in or attached smoke evacuation devices on ESU pencils. But the only alternative is the separate suction wand, which is often too cumbersome or visually obstructing.  
         [0005]     Therefore, there existed a need for an improved connection between an ESU pencil&#39;s built-in or attached smoke evacuation system and a vacuum tube. Such a connection would need to allow the stiff, corrugated, vacuum tube to twist without turning the ESU pencil in the surgeon&#39;s hand. The connection would also have to remain airtight, so that the force of the smoke evacuation system&#39;s vacuum was not reduced.  
       SUMMARY OF INVENTION  
       [0006]     The present invention is directed to a novel swivel apparatus that satisfies these needs. A preferred version of the swivel apparatus comprises a fixed member coupled to a rotating member. The distal end of the fixed member is rigidly attached to the smoke evacuation system of an ESU pencil and the proximal end of the fixed member fits inside the distal end of the rotating member. The distal end of the rotating member fits around the proximal end of the fixed member such that the rotating member rotates freely around the fixed member. The proximal end of the rotating member then fits inside the distal end of a vacuum tube. Thus, the rotating member allows the vacuum tube to rotate without twisting the fixed member or the ESU pencil.  
         [0007]     Furthermore, the extreme proximal end of the fixed member is slightly inverted. This circumferential inversion fits directly against a circumferential inversion near the lengthwise center of the rotating member. When a vacuum is applied, via the vacuum tube, this inverted surface creates an increased vacuum force which presses the inverted proximal end of the fixed member against the inverted center of the rotating member, creating a virtually airtight seal. This seal prevents leakage of air from the swivel apparatus and, thus, maintains the power and efficiency of the vacuum.  
         [0008]     Therefore, when no vacuum source is applied, the rotating member rotates freely around the fixed member, allowing the vacuum tube to rotate without rotating the ESU pencil. When the vacuum is applied, the rotating member rotates less freely around the fixed member, but the swivel apparatus becomes virtually airtight so that no vacuum force or efficiency is lost.  
         [0009]     To increase the applicability of the swivel apparatus, the fixed swivel means may be a separate piece that is attachable to an ESU pencil integrated smoke evacuation system or smoke evacuation shroud attachment and it may also be a permanently incorporated part of an ESU pencil integrated smoke evacuation system or smoke evacuation shroud attachment. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]     A more complete understanding of the present invention may be derived by referring to the detailed description and claims when considered in connection with the following illustrative Figures, which may not be to scale. In the following Figures, like reference numbers refer to similar elements throughout the Figures.  
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of one embodiment of a swivel device according to the present invention, for attachment to an ESU pencil with integrated smoke evacuation system or to an ESU pencil smoke evacuation shroud attachment.  
         [0012]      FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of the fixed member of the swivel device in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0013]      FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of the rotating member of the swivel device in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0014]      FIG. 4A  is a perspective view of an ESU pencil with an integrated smoke evacuation system and another embodiment of the swivel device which is permanently incorporated into the proximal end of the ESU pencil.  
         [0015]      FIG. 4B  is a perspective view of the proximal end of the ESU pencil of  FIG. 4A , but without an incorporated swivel device.  
         [0016]      FIG. 4C  is a side view of the ESU pencil with integrated smoke evacuation system and permanently incorporated swivel device in  FIG. 4A , with a partial cross-sectional view of the fixed member and a cross-sectional view of a detached rotating member.  
         [0017]      FIG. 5A  is a perspective view of an ESU pencil with a smoke evacuation shroud attachment and another embodiment of the swivel device which is permanently incorporated into the proximal end of the smoke evacuation shroud attachment.  
         [0018]      FIG. 5B  is a perspective view of the proximal end of the ESU pencil of  FIG. 5A , but without an incorporated swivel device. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0019]     The present invention is directed to a swivel device for attachment to or incorporation with an electro-surgical (ESU) pencil smoke evacuation system. With reference to the drawings,  FIGS. 1, 2  and  3  depict one embodiment of a swivel device  10  for attachment to an ESU pencil with an integrated smoke evacuation system  402 , as shown in  FIG. 4B , or to a smoke evacuation shroud attachment for an ESU pencil  502 , as shown in  FIG. 5B .  FIG. 4B  depicts the proximal end of one embodiment of an ESU pencil  402  with an integrated smoke evacuation system.  FIG. 5B  depicts the proximal end of another embodiment of an ESU pencil  503  with a smoke evacuation shroud attachment  502 .  
         [0020]     The swivel device  10  comprises a fixed member  12  and a rotating member  14 .  FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of an assembled swivel device  10 , with fixed member  12  and rotating member  14 .  FIGS. 2 and 3  show cross-sectional views of the fixed member  12  and the rotating member  12  of the swivel device  10 , respectively.  
         [0021]     The exhaust port connector  16  of the fixed member  12  connects directly to the exhaust port  404  of an ESU pencil with an integrated smoke evacuation system  402  or to the exhaust port  504  of a smoke evacuation shroud attachment  502 . The exhaust port connector  16  is defined as the distal end of the swivel device  10 . The vacuum tube connector  18  of the rotating member  14 , which connects directly to a vacuum tube  420 , is defined as the proximal end of the swivel device  10 . Hereafter in the specification, this definition is the reference for the use of the terms “distal end” and “proximal end” with respect to each element of the swivel device  10 .  
         [0022]     The exhaust port connector  16  at the distal end of the fixed member  12  is tapered to fit into the exhaust port of an ESU pencil  404  or smoke evacuation shroud attachment  504 , creating an airtight connection. Threaded engagement or other means of connecting well known in the art are also acceptable to connect the exhaust port connector  16  to the exhaust port  404 / 504 . The fixed member also has an exhaust port abutment  22 , against which the exhaust port  404 / 504  may abut to prevent over-insertion of the fixed member  12  into the exhaust port  404 / 504 . Just proximal to the exhaust port abutment  22 , the external surface of the fixed member  12  has a ridge  24  where the outer diameter of the fixed member  12  becomes larger. This larger-outer-diameter-portion  25  of the fixed member  12  has an outer diameter and length which allows it to fit within the widened distal portion  20  of the rotating member  14 . The proximal end  26  of the fixed member  12  is inverted to fit against a similar inversion  30  near the lengthwise center of the rotating member  14 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , the internal surface of the fixed swivel means  32  is preferably a straight cylinder, except at the inverted proximal end  26 .  
         [0023]     The distal end  28  of the rotating member  14  is inverted, to fit around the ridge  24  of the fixed member  12 . The widened distal portion  20  of the rotating member  14  has an internal diameter and length which allows it to fit and rotate freely around the larger-outer-diameter-portion  25  of the fixed member  12 . The inverted distal end  28  on the interior surface of the rotating member  14  and central inversion  30  on the exterior surface of the rotating member  14 , along with the ridge  24  and inverted proximal end  26  on the external surface of the fixed member  12 , allow the fixed member  12  and the rotating member  14  to be coupled together without sliding in a lengthwise direction in relation to one another. The proximal end of the rotating member  14  also has a vacuum tube connector  18 , which is tapered to fit into the distal end of a vacuum tube  420 , creating an airtight connection. Threaded engagement or other means of connecting well known in the art are also acceptable to connect the vacuum tube connector  18  to the vacuum tube  420 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , the internal surface  34  of the rotating member  14  is a straight cylinder with a widened internal diameter at the distal portion  20 , a narrowed diameter at the proximal portion  21 , and internal inversions of the widened distal portion  20  at the distal end  28  and near the lengthwise center  30  of the rotating member  14 . The external surface of the widened portion  20  of the rotating member  14  has an arrow  35  (see  FIG. 1 ), which may be printed or engraved in any practical method and which points from the distal end to the proximal end of the swivel device  10 , to prevent improper direction of attachment to the exhaust port  404 / 504  and the vacuum tube  420 .  
         [0024]      FIG. 4A  depicts an ESU pencil with an integrated smoke evacuation system  401  and another embodiment of the swivel device  410  which is permanently incorporated into the proximal end of the ESU pencil  402  shown in  FIG. 4B .  FIG. 4C  is a side view of the ESU pencil shown in  FIG. 4A , with a partial cross-sectional view of the fixed member  412  and a cross-sectional view of a detached movable member  414 . The ESU pencil with integrated smoke evacuation system  401  (but without any swivel device) is described in full detail in patent application Ser. No. 500,045, filed Jul. 10, 1995, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,693,044, which is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 989,238, filed Dec. 11, 1992, now abandoned.  
         [0025]     The embodiment of the swivel device  410  in  FIGS. 4A and 4C  is nearly identical to that of the swivel  10  in  FIGS. 1, 2  and  3 , with the following exceptions. The fixed member  412  is permanently built into the proximal end of the handpiece  416  of the ESU pencil  401 . Thus, the fixed member  412  does not contain an exhaust port connector  16  or an exhaust port abutment  22 . Otherwise, the fixed member  412  is identical to the fixed member  12  in  FIGS. 1, 2  and  3 . The rotating member  414  is identical to the rotating member  14  of the swivel device  10  in  FIGS. 1, 2  and  3 .  
         [0026]      FIG. 5A  depicts an ESU pencil  503  with a smoke evacuation shroud attachment  501  and another embodiment of the swivel device  510  which is permanently incorporated into the proximal end of the smoke evacuation shroud attachment  501 . The ESU pencil  503  with smoke evacuation shroud attachment  501  (but without any swivel device) is described in full detail in patent application Ser. No. 500,045, filed Jul. 10, 1995, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,693,044, which is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 989,238, filed Dec. 11, 1992, now abandoned. The embodiment of the swivel device  510  in  FIG. 5A  is identical to that of the swivel device  410  in  FIG. 4A  except that the fixed member  512  is permanently built into the smoke evacuation shroud attachment  501 , rather than an ESU pencil handpiece  416 .  
         [0027]     Referring to  FIG. 4A , before beginning a surgical procedure, the vacuum tube connector  418  of the rotating member  414  is connected to the vacuum tube  420  which is connected to a vacuum source (not shown) and the power cord  430  for the ESU pencil  401  is connected to a power source (not shown). When desired, the surgeon then uses the hand switch  432  to send radio frequency energy to the ESU pencil&#39;s  401  electrode  434 , for cutting and coagulation. When the vacuum source is activated, smoke and debris from cutting and coagulation are sucked into the aperture  435  at the distal end of the nozzle  436  of the ESU pencil&#39;s  401  smoke evacuation system. The smoke and debris then travel through the smoke evacuation system, the swivel device  410 , and the vacuum tube  420 , to a vacuum canister (not shown). The operation of the ESU pencil with integrated smoke evacuation system  401  is described in full detail in patent application Ser. No. 500,045, filed Jul. 10, 1995, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,693,044, which is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 989,238, filed Dec. 11, 1992, now abandoned.  
         [0028]     When the vacuum source is not activated, the rotating member  414  is free to rotate around the fixed member  412 , thus allowing the vacuum tube  420  to twist and coil without moving the ESU pencil handpiece  416  in the surgeon&#39;s hand. Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , when the vacuum source is activated, the inverted proximal end  26  of the fixed member  12  and the inverted surface  30  of the rotating member  14  create an increased vacuum force at the site of the inversions. This increased vacuum force presses the inverted proximal end  26  of the fixed member  12  more tightly against the inverted surface  30  of the rotating member  14 , creating a more airtight seal but also decreasing the free rotation of the rotating member  14 . Some vacuum sources are automatic, such that they are activated whenever the surgeon presses the hand switch  432  and deactivated whenever the hand switch  432  is not being pressed. Other vacuum sources must be activated and deactivated manually. The swivel device  10  of the present invention will operate with any type of vacuum source. However, the swivel device  10  may be easiest to use with automatically activated and deactivated vacuum sources, since the rotating member  414  will rotate freely whenever the surgeon releases his finger from the hand switch  432 .  
         [0029]     The increased vacuum force created by the inverted proximal end  26  of the fixed member  12  and the surface inversion  30  of the rotating member  14 , as described above, is essential for proper function of the swivel device  10 . This increased vacuum force creates a virtually airtight seal, which prevents leakage of air from the swivel device  10  and, thus, maintains the ability of the smoke evacuation system to clear smoke and debris from the site of cutting and coagulation.  
         [0030]     Referring to  FIG. 5A , the operation of the incorporated swivel device  510  is essentially the same as the operation of the incorporated swivel device  410  described in  FIG. 4A . The only difference is that the fixed member  512  is permanently incorporated into the proximal end of the smoke evacuation shroud attachment  501 , rather than the proximal end of an ESU pencil with integrated smoke evacuation system  401 . The operation of the ESU pencil  503  with smoke evacuation shroud attachment  501  is described in full detail in patent application Ser. No. 500,045, filed Jul. 10, 1995, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,693,044, which is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 989,238, filed Dec. 11, 1992, now abandoned.  
         [0031]     Referring to  FIGS. 1, 2 ,  3 ,  4 B and  5 B, the operation of this embodiment of the swivel device  10  is essentially the same as that described in  FIGS. 4A and 5A . The only difference is that the swivel device  10  is a separate piece which must be attached to the exhaust port  404  of an ESU pencil with integrated smoke evacuation system  402  or to the exhaust port  504  of a smoke evacuation shroud attachment  502 .  
         [0032]     The present invention has been described above with reference to preferred embodiments. However, those skilled in the art, having read this disclosure, will recognize that changes and modifications may be made to the preferred embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, the swivel device of the present invention may also be used or incorporated with laser or fiber optic surgical pencils that are employed along with suction devices to eliminate smoke and debris from the surgical site. These and other changes or modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention, as expressed in the following claims.