Abstract: A lid retractor for use, for example, in transconjuntival blepharoplasty electrosurgery on eyelids which avoids having to move the retractor during the procedure. The lid retractor comprises an elongated handle which at one end, the gripper end, divides into several projections each terminating in a hook that can be placed over the lower lid to enable the lower lid to be retracted to access lid or eye regions under the lid retractor. The gripper is dimensioned so that the whole eyelid can be pulled down such that several fat compartments under the eyelid can be accessed, visualized, and surgically treated without having to move the lid retractor position.

Abstract: An electrosurgical electrode for performing an ELF procedure comprises an elongated thin, electrically-conductive tube shaped to substantially match the curvature of the skull extending from the brow upward to a position at or above the hairline. The electrically-conductive tube terminates at a distal end in a generally spade-shaped end with an opening whose tip is bare but of which the remainder of the spade-shaped end is covered with a thin coating of an electrically-insulating coating. The remainder of the electrically-conductive tube is also covered with an electrically-insulating coating. The proximal end of the electrically-conductive tube is connected to a handpiece whose interior is hollow and which can be connected to a flexible suction tube coupled to a source of suction. Connected to the handpiece is a connector which makes a good electrically-conductive contact to the electrically-conductive tube.

Abstract: A hypodermic needle syringe with means connected to the needle for selectively applying to the needle radio-frequency (RF) electrosurgical currents. For treating varicose veins, the hypodermic needle is inserted into the vein to be treated and the syringe plunger withdrawn to see whether blood is back drawn into the syringe barrel. If blood is detected, then the electrosurgical apparatus is activated and the resultant application of the RF electrosurgical currents quickly collapses the vein. An advantage is that the needle need not be withdrawn after the blood is detected, with the result that no problem arises of trying to locate a pin hole previously produced by a needle.

Abstract: An electrosurgical handpiece that is bipolar or unipolar in operation and that is configured for use in MIS. The bipolar operation confines the electrosurgical currents to a small active region between the active ends of the bipolar electrode and thus reduces the possibility that excessive heat will be developed that can damage patient tissue. The position of the active region can be controlled to avoid patient tissue that may be moire sensitive to excessive heat. In one embodiment, the handpiece is constructed with a flexible end controllable by the surgeon so as to allow the surgeon to manipulate the end as desired during the surgical procedure. This feature allows the surgeon to position the active electrode end at the optimum location within, say, a herniated disk to remove undesired regions and to provide controlled heat to shrink the tissue during surgery.

Abstract: An electrosurgical instrument having a universal handle that is adapted for mounting and unmounting of different core assemblies for carrying out various electrosurgical procedures. The mounting and unmounting is accomplished by constructing the handle in several parts with upper concave portions configured to receive and hold the core assemblies which are provided with similar outer housings so they all can fit within the concave portions. The handle parts are held together with detent mechanisms which allow them to be easily snapped together and apart as desired. The handle can accommodate a variety of core assemblies that can comprise parts of a family of assemblies capable of both unipolar and bipolar electrosurgical procedures, and thus provides a very flexible instrument for the active surgeon.

Abstract: Low-power, low-voltage electrosurgical apparatus providing three current unipolar modes whose circuitry for generating the modulation signals needed to implement the three current modes employs no microcontroller but generates the modulation waveforms using a oscillator-binary counter and dual multiplexers, integrated components (ICs) that are of relatively low cost. Safety features can be incorporated by including a timer circuit cooperating with the binary counter to provide power to the IC components and avoid overheating of the apparatus. The oscillator-binary counter component is used to generate at plural outputs plural series of digital pulses at various frequencies, some of the pulse series being used to generate approximate sine-waves that can be employed for the cut/coag and hemo modes, and others of the pulse series being employed to operate a timer, indicator lights, and an audible warning system.

Abstract: An electrosurgical handpiece that is bipolar or unipolar in operation and that is configured for use in MIS. The bipolar operation confines the electrosurgical currents to a small active region between the active ends of the bipolar electrode and thus reduces the possibility that excessive heat will be developed that can damage patient tissue. The position of the active region can be controlled to avoid patient tissue that may be more sensitive to excessive heat. In one embodiment, the handpiece is constructed with a flexible end controllable by the surgeon so as to allow the surgeon to manipulate the end as desired during the surgical procedure. This feature allows the surgeon to position the active electrode end at the optimum location within, say, a herniated disk to remove undesired regions and to provide controlled heat to shrink the tissue during surgery.

Abstract: An electrosurgical handpiece that is bipolar in operation and that is configured for use in minimally invasive surgery (MIS). The bipolar operation confines the electrosurgical currents to a small active region between the active ends of the bipolar electrode and thus reduces the possibility that excessive heat will be developed that can damage patient tissue. The position of the active region can be controlled to avoid patient tissue that may be more sensitive to excessive heat. In one embodiment, the electrosurgical electrode ends are configured as parallel prongs spaced apart to embrace a blood vessel. In another embodiment, the electrosurgical electrode ends are configured as one straight and one hooked prong to more easily embrace a blood vessel. The handpiece is constructed with a flexible end controllable by the surgeon so as to allow the surgeon to manipulate the end as desired during the surgical procedure.

Abstract: An electrosurgical coagulation electrode to accomplish direct cyclocoagulation for treating glaucoma. To this end, the electrode is a flat, thin, slightly-flexible electrically-conductive member coated with an electrically-insulating coating over all but a small exposed area at one surface of the electrode tip. With this novel shape, it becomes possible to effect coagulation where desired in a relatively simple manner.

Abstract: Smoke evacuation apparatus designed to provide safe and efficient filtration and evacuation of smoke plume generated by laser-surgical, electrosurgical, radiosurgical, and electrocautery devices, and a wand for use therewith. The wand comprises at its free end a tapered tip across which is mounted a mesh configured to allow air to flow freely into the wand while at the same time being capable of capturing any solid objects entrained by the suctioned air. In a preferred embodiment, the tip is tapered on both sides, and meshes mounted across both tapered sides. This has the advantage that air can be suctioned from either or both sides of the tapered tip, and also allows the wand to be used as a tongue or tissue depressor without interfering with its ability to suction smoke and plume from the surgical site.

Abstract: An electrosurgical handpiece comprises a handle and a nose piece for threaded engagement with the handle, together with a collet member which cooperates with the handle and nose piece for removably receiving and locking multiple-sized electrosurgical electrodes to the handle. To simplify assembly, the collet end is press-fitted into a bore in the handle. For this purpose, the collet must be constituted of an electrically conductive metal that also has sufficient elasticity that it will tend to return to its unstressed condition. Preferably, the press-fitted collet end is provided with knurls or grooves to ease the press-fitting operation and prevent collet movement with respect to the handle. Preferably, the collet front end is provided with spaced jaws surrounding a single coaxial bore that is able to accommodate two-different sized shanks of electrosurgical electrodes.

Abstract: An electrosurgical instrument that is capable of generating high-quality RF energy at a first frequency best suited for delicate, precise. and quick-healing cutting procedures with low leakage currents using a unipolar handpiece, and also provides high-quality RF energy at a second frequency best suited for coagulation for use with a bipolar handpiece. In a preferred embodiment, the first frequency is in the range of about 3.8-4.0 Mhz, and the second frequency is in the range of about 1.7-2.0 Mhz. The instrument is preferably configured so that both a unipolar handpiece and a bipolar handpiece can be used during a surgical procedure, though not at the same time, without having to activate any switches on the instrument. This has the advantage of providing the surgeon all the benefits of both electrosurgical modes while not jeopardizing the crucial sterile field.

Abstract: A novel electrode for use in an electrosurgical dermatological curretage procedure. It comprises a blade-shaped loop formed by folding a blade-shaped band to form at its center a generally circular loop with a sharpened edge. The electrode is uniquely configured to fit into a commercially available blade handpiece. The procedure using the electrode of the invention is based on performing essentially the same kind of dermatological excisions as was used heretofore but the structure of the electrosurgical electrode of the invention uses electrosurgical currents to excise or scoop out the diseased tissue and simultaneously electrocoagulates blood vessels and destroys any diseased tissue adjacent to and underlying the cavity or area that was curettaged.

Abstract: A procedure for treating glaucoma is based on forming an appropriate incision to expose the choroid and relieve the intraocular pressure, followed by electrosurgical coagulation using a novel electrode to accomplish direct cyclocoagulation. To this end, the electrode of the invention comprises a flat, thin, slightly-flexible electrically-conductive member coated with an electrically-insulating coating over all but a small exposed area at one surface of the electrode tip. With this novel shape, it becomes possible to effect coagulation where desired in a relatively simple manner.

Abstract: An electrode for use in an electrosurgical skin resurfacing procedure. In a preferred embodiment, the electrode is uniquely configured to form an active wire segment, generally straight or bowed shape, whose width controls the width of the graft, and terminating at opposite ends in aligned coated segments, the thickness of whose coatings controls the thickness of the skin processed. The active wire is supported by structure that is completely electrically-insulated to ensure treatment only of the desired tissue while avoiding damage to surrounding tissue. Anapparatus for moving the electrode over the skin is provided in another embodiment. Finally, a method for electrosurgically resurfacing the skin is discussed.

Abstract: An electrode for use in an electrosurgical aural procedure known as a myringotomy for incising tissue of the tympanic membrane. In a preferred embodiment, the electrode is characterized by a bare active tip portion terminating a colinear electrically-insulated electrode shaft offset at an angle from a handle. The tissue incising is effected with the bare tip at a depth stopped by a shoulder between the bare tip and the adjacent portions of the electrode shaft. The electrical insulation prevents accidental burns to the patient and allows the physician to use these insulated parts to help position and guide the active tip portion during the surgical procedure.