US 12,064,172 B2
Electrosurgical apparatus for delivering RF and/or microwave energy into biological tissue
Christopher Paul Hancock, North East Somerset (GB); Rohan Monico, Chepstow (GB); Steve Morris, Chepstow (GB); Tom Craven, Chepstow (GB); and Stefanie Pohlmann, Chepstow (GB)
Assigned to CREO MEDICAL LIMITED, Chepstow Monmouthshire (GB)
Appl. No. 16/624,742
Filed by CREO MEDICAL LIMITED, Chepstow (GB)
PCT Filed Aug. 15, 2018, PCT No. PCT/EP2018/072155
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Dec. 19, 2019,
PCT Pub. No. WO2019/134710, PCT Pub. Date Feb. 21, 2019.
Claims priority of application No. 1713177 (GB), filed on Aug. 17, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2020/0268445 A1, Aug. 27, 2020
Int. Cl. A61B 18/18 (2006.01); A61B 18/00 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 18/1815 (2013.01) [A61B 2018/00601 (2013.01); A61B 2018/00982 (2013.01); A61B 2018/1838 (2013.01); A61B 2018/1861 (2013.01); A61B 2018/1876 (2013.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An electrosurgical instrument for delivering electromagnetic energy to biological tissue, the instrument comprising:
a distal end assembly comprising:
an active tip comprising a planar body made of a first dielectric material separating a first conductive element on a first surface thereof from a second conductive element on a second surface thereof, the second surface facing in the opposite direction to the first surface;
an electrically conductive protective hull mounted on an underside of the active tip, the protective hull having a smoothly contoured convex undersurface facing away from the planar body;
a coaxial feed cable comprising an inner conductor, an outer conductor coaxial with the inner conductor and a second dielectric material separating the inner and outer conductors, the coaxial feed cable being for conveying radiofrequency (RF) electromagnetic (EM) energy or microwave EM energy; and
an electrically conductive collar;
wherein the inner conductor is electrically connected to the first conductive element and the outer conductor is electrically connected to the second conductive element via the protective hull to enable the instrument tip to receive the RF and/or the microwave signal,
wherein the first and second conductive elements are arranged to emit the RF EM energy or the microwave EM energy from the coaxial feed cable at a distal side portion of the planar body,
wherein the protective hull is soldered to the second conductive element,
wherein the protective hull comprises an upper surface for abutting the second surface of the planar body, and wherein the upper surface comprises a recess for retaining a solder preform, and
wherein the protective hull has a U-shaped recess for receiving a portion of the coaxial feed cable comprising the inner conductor, the second dielectric material and the outer conductor, wherein the portion of the coaxial feed cable comprises an exposed portion of the outer conductor, wherein the exposed portion of the outer conductor is crimped by the electrically conductive collar, and wherein the portion of the coaxial feed cable is crimped to cause the portion of the coaxial feed cable to deform within the U-shaped recess to retain the coaxial feed cable in the U-shaped recess by an interference fit.