US 12,108,984 B2
Wearable return electrodes for electrosurgical systems
Michael D. Ehninger, South Jordan, UT (US)
Assigned to Megadyne Medical Products, Inc., Draper, UT (US)
Filed by Megadyne Medical Products, Inc., Draper, UT (US)
Filed on Aug. 27, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/004,788.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/910,183, filed on Oct. 3, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2021/0100614 A1, Apr. 8, 2021
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. A61B 18/16 (2006.01); A61B 18/12 (2006.01); A61B 18/00 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 18/16 (2013.01) [A61B 18/1206 (2013.01); A61B 2018/00077 (2013.01); A61B 2018/00083 (2013.01); A61B 2018/00273 (2013.01); A61B 2018/167 (2013.01)] 21 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A wearable electrosurgical return electrode, comprising:
a sheath comprising an inner pad having an outer surface and an outer pad having an inner surface; and
a conductive element disposable adjacent to the outer surface of the inner pad and the inner surface of the outer pad;
wherein the wearable electrosurgical return electrode has a generally tubular shape,
wherein the conductive element, the inner pad, and the outer pad are flexible and elastic so that the wearable electrosurgical return electrode is configured to be secured on and conform to contours of a patient when worn by a patient during use,
wherein the wearable electrosurgical return electrode is devoid of any externally exposed electrical connectors in electrical contact with the conductive element,
wherein the conductive element and the inner or outer pad are configured to facilitate a capacitive connection to a capacitive connector of an electrosurgical wave generator separate from the wearable electrosurgical return electrode, and
wherein inner pad, the outer pad, and the conductive element are separate layers of the wearable electrosurgical return electrode that are not permanently secured together such that each can be donned by a patient independently of one another.