Electrosurgical apparatus with real-time RF tissue energy control

• US 10,413,347 B2
• Filed: 04/21/2015
• Issued: 09/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Orszulak, James H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Della, Jaymi E
• Assistant Examiner(s): Collins, Sean W
• Application Number:
  US14/692,195
• Publication Number:
  US 20150223864A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,610 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1206 Generators therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1233 with circuits for assuring patient safety
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1402 Probes for open surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1445 at the distal end of a shaft, e.g. forceps or scissors at the end of a rigid rod
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1815 using microwaves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00607 Coagulation and cutting with the same instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00702 Power or energy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00726 Duty cycle
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00732 Frequency
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00761 Duration
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00767 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00827 Current
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00845 Frequency
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00869 Phase
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/128 generating two or more frequencies
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/30 Modifications of amplifiers to reduce influence of variations of temperature or supply voltage or other physical parameters in differential amplifiers H03F3/45479
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/153 Feedback used to stabilise the amplifier
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2203/45138 Two or more differential amplifiers in IC-block form are combined, e.g. measuring amplifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2203/45456 the CSC comprising bias stabilisation means, e.g. DC-level stability, positive or negative temperature coefficient dependent control
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2203/45731 the LC comprising a transformer
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/24 : of transmitter output stages

Abstract

A radio-frequency (RF) amplifier having a direct response to an arbitrary signal source to output one or more electrosurgical waveforms within an energy activation request, is disclosed. The RF amplifier includes a phase compensator coupled to an RF arbitrary source, the phase compensator configured to generate a reference signal as a function of an arbitrary RF signal from the RF arbitrary source and a phase control signal; at least one error correction amplifier coupled to the phase compensator, the at least one error correction amplifier configured to output a control signal at least as a function of the reference signal; and at least one power component coupled to the at least one error correction amplifier and to a high voltage power source configured to supply high voltage direct current thereto, the at least one power component configured to operate in response to the control signal to generate at least one component of the at least one electrosurgical waveform.

Claims

1. A method for real time radiofrequency (RF) tissue energy control comprising:

generating a reference signal at a phase compensator as a function of an arbitrary RF signal from an RF arbitrary source and a phase control signal including a phase adjustment relative to the arbitrary RF signal;

outputting a control signal as a function of the reference signal;

generating a first component of at least one electrosurgical waveform based on the control signal and the phase control signal at a first radio frequency amplifier;

generating a second component of the at least one electrosurgical waveform based on the control signal and the phase control signal at a second radio frequency amplifier; and

generating the at least one electrosurgical waveform by combining the first component and the second component at a patient isolation transformer.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

adjusting the control signal based on a gain control signal.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

supplying a current signal representative of the at least one electrosurgical waveform to at least one error correction amplifier.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

injecting an error correction current into the at least one electrosurgical waveform based on a DC bias current.

5. A method of generating an electrosurgical waveform comprising:

generating a reference signal at a phase compensator as a function of an arbitrary RF signal from an RF arbitrary source and a phase control signal including a phase adjustment relative to the arbitrary RF signal;

outputting a first control signal as a function of the reference signal;

generating a first component of at least one electrosurgical waveform in response to the first control signal at a first RF amplifier;

outputting a second control signal as a function of the reference signal;

generating a second component of the at least one electrosurgical waveform in response to the second control signal at a second RF amplifier;

outputting the at least one electrosurgical waveform by combining the first component and the second component at a patient isolation transformer; and

adjusting at least one of the arbitrary RF signal and the phase control signal in response to at least one selected electrosurgical operational mode.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising:

adjusting the first control signal based on a first gain control signal; and

adjusting the second control signal based on a second gain control signal.

7. The method according to claim 5, further comprising:

injecting an error correction current into the electrosurgical waveform based on a DC bias current.

8. A method for real time radiofrequency (RF) tissue energy control comprising:

generating a reference signal as a function of an arbitrary RF signal from an RF arbitrary source and a phase control signal including a phase adjustment relative to the arbitrary RF signal;

outputting a control signal as a function of the reference signal;

generating a first component of at least one electrosurgical waveform based on the control signal and the phase control signal at a first radio frequency amplifier;

generating a second component of the at least one electrosurgical waveform based on the control signal and the phase control signal at a second radio frequency amplifier;

generating the at least one electrosurgical waveform by combining the first component and the second component at a patient isolation transformer; and

controlling a phase compensator to adjust phase relative to the arbitrary RF signal based on the phase control signal.