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Abstract

A bipolar electrosurgical instrument designed for resecting tumorous growths from the esophagus, bladder or other internal organ where the site of the tumor is reached by way of an endoscope, the instrument being dimensioned to fit down the central lumen of the endoscope, comprises an elongated, flexible tube having a conductive helical spring cantilevered from the distal end of the tube and forming a return electrode and a conductive wire hoop spaced a predetermined gap distance from the distalmost convolution of the helical spring and whose plane is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the flexible tube forms the active electrode. Wires for applying a high frequency RF voltage across the electrodes extend through the lumen of the flexible tube. As the distal end portion of the instrument is dragged over the tumor to be resected, the cantilevered helical spring is laterally displaced, allowing the RF current leaving the active hoop electrode to cut through the tumorous tissue.

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First Claim