Electrosurgical Pencil with Advanced ES Controls

Abstract

An electrosurgical system is provided that includes an electrosurgical generator; and an electrosurgical pencil selectively connectable to the electrosurgical generator. The electrosurgical pencil includes an elongated housing; at least one electrocautery end effector removably supportable within the housing and extending distally from the housing, the electrocautery end effector being connected to the electrosurgical generator; and at least one voltage divider network supported on the housing. The at least one voltage divider network is electrically connected to the electrosurgical generator and controls at least one of the intensity of electrosurgical energy being delivered to the electrosurgical pencil and the mode of electrosurgical energy being delivered to the electrosurgical pencil. The voltage divider network generates a plurality of characteristic voltages which are measurable by the electrosurgical generator and which electrosurgical generator in turn transmits a corresponding waveform duty cycle at a particular intensity to the electrocautery end effector of the electrosurgical pencil.

1 . An electrosurgical system, comprising:
 an electrosurgical generator; and   an electrosurgical pencil selectively connectable to the electrosurgical generator, the electrosurgical pencil including:
 an elongated housing; 
 at least one electrocautery end effector removably supportable within the housing and extending distally from the housing, the electrocautery end effector being connected to the electrosurgical generator; and 
 at least one voltage divider network supported on the housing, the at least one voltage divider network being electrically connected to the electrosurgical generator and controlling at least one of the intensity of electrosurgical energy being delivered to the electrosurgical pencil and the mode of electrosurgical energy being delivered to the electrosurgical pencil; 
 wherein the voltage divider network generates a plurality of characteristic voltages which are measurable by the electrosurgical generator and which electrosurgical generator in turn transmits a corresponding waveform duty cycle at a particular intensity to the electrocautery end effector of the electrosurgical pencil. 
   
     
     
         2 . The electrosurgical system according to  claim 1 , wherein the voltage divider network generates:
 a first characteristic voltage which when measured by the electrosurgical generator causes the electrosurgical generator to transmit a waveform duty cycle which produces a cutting effect;   a second characteristic voltage which when measured by the electrosurgical generator causes the electrosurgical generator to transmit a waveform duty cycle which produces a division with hemostatic effect; and   a third characteristic voltage which when measured by the electrosurgical generator causes the electrosurgical generator to transmit a waveform duty cycle which produces a coagulating effect.   
     
     
         3 . The electrosurgical system according to  claim 2 , wherein the voltage divider network generates a series of characteristic voltages which when measured by the electrosurgical generator cause the electrosurgical generator to transmit the particular waveform duty cycle at a corresponding level of intensity. 
     
     
         4 . The electrosurgical system according to  claim 3 , wherein the electrosurgical pencil includes a plurality of activation buttons supported on the housing, wherein each activation button is operatively associated with the voltage divider network. 
     
     
         5 . The electrosurgical system according to  claim 4 , wherein each activation button is actuatable to cause the voltage divider network to generate a respective one of the characteristic voltages for transmission of a corresponding waveform duty cycle. 
     
     
         6 . The electrosurgical system according to  claim 5 , wherein the electrosurgical pencil includes an intensity controller supported in the housing, wherein the intensity controller is operatively associated with the voltage divider network. 
     
     
         7 . The electrosurgical system according to  claim 6 , wherein the intensity controller is actuatable to cause the voltage divider network to generate a respective one of the series of characteristic voltages for transmission of the waveform duty cycle at a corresponding intensity level. 
     
     
         8 . The electrosurgical system according to  claim 7 , wherein the intensity controller is slidably supported in the housing of the electrosurgical pencil. 
     
     
         9 . The electrosurgical system according to  claim 8 , wherein the division with hemostatic effect has a waveform with a duty cycle of from about 12% to about 75%; the coagulation effect has a waveform with a duty cycle of from about 1% to about 12%; and the cutting effect has a waveform with a duty cycle of from about 75% to about 100%. 
     
     
         10 . The electrosurgical system according to  claim 1 , wherein the voltage divider network is a film-type potentiometer. 
     
     
         11 . The electrosurgical system according to  claim 1 , wherein the voltage divider network includes a pair of layers each supporting a plurality of electrical contacts thereon, wherein the electrical contacts from an upper layer of the voltage divider network are in juxtaposed electrical relation with respect to the electrical contacts from a lower layer of the voltage divider network. 
     
     
         12 . The electrosurgical system according to  claim 11 , wherein the voltage divider network includes a dividing layer interposed between the upper and lower layers, wherein the dividing layer includes a first series of apertures formed therein which are in vertical registration with the electrical contacts of the upper and lower layers. 
     
     
         13 . The electrosurgical system according to  claim 12 , wherein the dividing layer includes a second aperture formed therein which is in vertical registration between electrical contacts provided on the upper layer and a variable resistance element provided on the lower layer. 
     
     
         14 . An electrosurgical instrument, comprising:
 an elongated housing;   at least one electrocautery end effector removably supportable within the housing and extending distally from the housing, the electrocautery end effector being connectable to an electrosurgical generator; and   at least one voltage divider network supported on the housing, the at least one voltage divider network being electrically connectable to the electrosurgical generator, the at least one voltage divider network being capable of controlling at least one of the intensity of electrosurgical energy being delivered to the electrosurgical pencil and the mode of electrosurgical energy being delivered to the electrosurgical instrument;   wherein the voltage divider network generates a plurality of characteristic voltages which are measurable by the electrosurgical generator and which electrosurgical generator in turn transmits a corresponding waveform duty cycle at a particular intensity to the electrocautery end effector of the electrosurgical instrument.   
     
     
         15 . The electrosurgical instrument according to  claim 14 , wherein the voltage divider network generates:
 a first characteristic voltage which when measured by the electrosurgical generator causes the electrosurgical generator to transmit a waveform duty cycle which produces a cutting effect;   a second characteristic voltage which when measured by the electrosurgical generator causes the electrosurgical generator to transmit a waveform duty cycle which produces a division with hemostatic effect; and   a third characteristic voltage which when measured by the electrosurgical generator causes the electrosurgical generator to transmit a waveform duty cycle which produces a coagulating effect.   
     
     
         16 . The electrosurgical instrument according to  claim 15 , wherein the voltage divider network generates a series of characteristic voltages which when measured by the electrosurgical generator cause the electrosurgical generator to transmit the particular waveform duty cycle at a corresponding level of intensity. 
     
     
         17 . The electrosurgical instrument according to  claim 16 , wherein the electrosurgical instrument includes a plurality of activation buttons supported on the housing, wherein each activation button is operatively associated with the voltage divider network. 
     
     
         18 . The electrosurgical instrument according to  claim 17 , wherein each activation button is actuatable to cause the voltage divider network to generate a respective one of the characteristic voltages for transmission of a corresponding waveform duty cycle. 
     
     
         19 . The electrosurgical instrument according to  claim 18 , wherein the electrosurgical instrument includes an intensity controller supported in the housing, wherein the intensity controller is operatively associated with the voltage divider network. 
     
     
         20 . The electrosurgical instrument according to  claim 19 , wherein the intensity controller is actuatable to cause the voltage divider network to generate a respective one of the series of characteristic voltages for transmission of the waveform duty cycle at a corresponding intensity level. 
     
     
         21 . The electrosurgical instrument according to  claim 20 , wherein the intensity controller is slidably supported in the housing of the electrosurgical instrument. 
     
     
         22 . The electrosurgical instrument according to  claim 21 , wherein the division with hemostatic effect has a waveform with a duty cycle of from about 12% to about 75%; the coagulation effect has a waveform with a duty cycle of from about 1% to about 12%; and the cutting effect has a waveform with a duty cycle of from about 75% to about 100%.