WO1997043968A1

WO1997043968A1 - Electrical scalpel handpiece

Info

Publication number: WO1997043968A1
Application number: PCT/IT1997/000053
Authority: WO
Inventors: Francesco Lisi
Original assignee: Meditec S.R.L.
Priority date: 1996-05-22
Filing date: 1997-03-10
Publication date: 1997-11-27
Also published as: ITPR960023A0; AU2042397A; IT1288039B1; ITPR960023A1

Abstract

The invention pertains to the field of surgical instruments. An electrical scalpel comprises a handpiece (1) in which the control circuit (5) housed inside the handpiece (1) is enclosed within a perfectly insulated silicone seal (6) which nonetheless allows external push-buttons (3) to act on said control circuit (5). The handpiece comprises two asymmetrical shells (2a, 2b), into one of which it is possible to insert a light source or a tube for a fluid aspirator or for a fume evacuator.

Description

Electrical scalpel handpiece

The present invention relates to a handpiece for electrical scalpels In the field of electrosurgery, there are many well-known electrical scalpels controlled by means of a handpiece of the type called technically cut-coag and foot-switch, used by the surgeon to cut and coagulate in the course of surgery

5 Both single-use and reusable handpieces of different types are already commercially available, all, however, have an essentially "pen-like" shape, allowing the surgeon to grip the handpiece like a pen

To provide surgeons with handpieces having a more practical and reliable grip, handpieces with round, square and hexagonal cross-sections have been manufactured ιo Moreover, it is well known that, in the course of an operation, the surgeon needs a fluid aspirator, a fume evacuator and lights to keep the operating field well lighted Both the aspirator and the evacuator are currently held and provided by the surgeon's assistants, whereas lighting is provided by floodlights above the operating table All this entails greater difficulties for the surgeon, both with regard to fluid and fume i s removal, and with regard to lighting areas placed in the shadow by objects or by persons participating in the surgery

An additional drawback in the electrical scalpel handpieces currently available is given by the imperfect insulation of the electrical control circuit, which may lead to current leakage and to seepage of liquids into the handpiece itself

20 The purpose of the present invention is to eliminate the aforesaid drawbacks and to make available an electrical scalpel handpiece with perfect electrical insulation and shaped in such a way as to provide the surgeon with a firm, comfortable and slip-proof grφ An additional purpose is to allow to associate the fume evacuator or fluid aspirator, as well as a light source, to the handpiece

These and other purposes are fully accomplished by the electrical scalpel handpiece constituting the object of the present invention, which is characteπsed by the contents of the claims reported below and in particular in that the control circuit housed inside the handpiece is enclosed within a waterproof case, which nonetheless allows the external keyboard to act on said control circuit

Preferably, the control circuit is housed in a silicone sleeve, sealed at its ends

The control circuit is activated preferably by sealed switches with double unstable contact, which can be activated from outside the sleeve

The grip compπses a central body divided into at least two shells and with such a shape as to appear as a bulge with respect to the parts above and below said central body

This and other characteπstics shall be made more readily apparent by the following description of a preferred form of embodiment illustrated, purely by way of non- hmiting example, in the accompanying drawings, in which

- Figure 1 is a side view of the electrical scalpel handpiece,

- Figure 2 is a partially exploded side view of the electrical scalpel handpiece,

- Figure 3 depicts a detail of the handpiece in a partially sectioned top view, - Figure 4 depicts a detail of the handpiece along the 1-1 straight line of Figure 2

With reference to the accompanying drawings, 1 indicates in its entirety a handpiece for an electrical scalpel comprising a gπp formed by a bulged central body 2 divided into two asymmetrical shells An upper shell 2a has two circular holes into which are fitted two corresponding push¬ buttons 3.

A lower shell 2b, larger than the previous one, is provided with two coaxial holes 4 through which a tube of a fluid or fume aspirator, or an optical fibre, or a lamp or another type of light source can be inserted into the shell.

The aspirators or the light source are instruments which can be associated to the electrical scalpel as a result of adopting the original shell 2b. The two shells 2a and 2b are shaped in such a way as to wrap around a control circuit 5 of the electrical scalpel, comprising a printed circuit, which is originally protected by a sealed silicone sleeve 6 whose sides are fixed onto two elements 7 and 8, which are part respectively of a front portion 9 and of a rear portion 10 of the handpiece. To front portion 9 is affixed the surgical instrument, not depicted because it is well- known. Into rear portion 10 is inserted an electrical power supply cable 1 1 , which is held in place by means of an "O-ring" gasket 12 which provides a hermetic seal, and cable holder 13 which grips cable 1 1 when a threaded element 14 is screwed onto an external thread 15 presented by rear portion 10.

Push-buttons 3 act on the corresponding switches 16, which are hermetically sealed with double unstable contact, soldered directly onto the printed circuit board set between the forward and the rear portion of the handpiece.

In the case illustrated, one push-button activates the cutting instrument and the other one activates the coagulator.

Handpiece 1 with its central area 2 shaped as a bulge allows the surgeon simultaneously to use the handpiece not only in its actual cutting and coagulating function, but also as a fluid aspirator, fume evacuator, or light source

This is because a tube connected to a fluid or fume aspirator can be made to pass through shell 2, in order to activate the aspirator with the handpiece itself

Another alternative is to house a light source in shell 2b to shed light on the area where the surgery is to be performed

The elements comprising the handpiece are such that neither screws, nor glued or welded parts are required to assemble the handpiece, as is clearly illustrated by figures

2, 3 and 4

In particular the two shells 2a and 2b of central body 2 are assembled by simple coupling and are locked in place by means of two sleeves 18 which are inserted around semi-cylindrical protuberances 17 presented by both ends of the shells

I S

20

Claims

1. Handpiece for electπcal scalpels of the type comprising a grip fitted with push¬ buttons for manual activation of the electrical scalpel and housing in its mtenor a control circuit for controlling the electrical scalpel, characterised in that the control circuit (5) housed inside the grip of the handpiece (1 ) is enclosed within a hermetically sealed case (6) which nonetheless allows external push-buttons (3) to act on said control circuit (5)

2. Handpiece for electrical scalpels according to claim 1, in which the control circuit (5) is housed in a silicone sleeve (6) sealed at its ends

3. Handpiece for electπcal scalpels according to claim 2, in which the control circuit compπses hermetically sealed switches (16) with double unstable contact which can be activated from the outside of said sleeve (6)

4. Handpiece for electπcal scalpels according to claim 1 , in which the grip compπses a central body (2) divided into at least two shells (2a, 2b) and shaped in such a way as to appear as a bulge with respect to portions (9, 10) above and below said central body

5. Handpiece for electrical scalpels according to claim 4, in which the two shells (2a, 2b) are asymmetrical

6. Handpiece for electπcal scalpels according to claim 4, in which one of the two shells (2b) is so shaped as to house an optical fiber or a light source

7. Handpiece for electπcal scalpels according to claim 4, in which one of the two shells (2b) is hollow with two coaxial holes (4) at the end to house a pipe for connection to a fluid aspirator or fume evacuator

8. Handpiece for electrical scalpels according to claim 4, in which one of the two shells (2a) presents a number of holes, each of which houses a control push-button (3) so shaped as to interact with switches (16) which are part of the control circuit (5)

9. Handpiece for electπcal scalpels according to claim 4, in which the two shells (2a, 2b) of the central body (2) are assembled by simple coupling and are locked in place by means of two sleeves (18) which are inserted around semi-cylindrical protuberances (17) presented by both ends of the shells

10. Handpiece for electrical scalpels according to claim 1 , characterised in that it compπses an "O-πng" seal (12) surrounding the electπcal power supply cable (1 1 ) as it penetrates the handpiece (1 )