Surgical instruments

• US 10,420,579 B2
• Filed: 09/06/2016
• Issued: 09/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cilag Gmbh International (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon, LLC (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Wiener, Eitan T., Kramer, Kenneth S., Stulen, Foster B., Madan, Ashvani K., Houser, Kevin L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fishback, Ashley L
• Application Number:
  US15/257,385
• Publication Number:
  US 20170056056A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,113 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/320068 using mechanical vibrations, e.g. ultrasonic A61B17/22012 takes precedence; dental tooth drilling devices operated by vibration A61C3/03; removing intra-ocular material using mechanical vibrations A61F9/00745
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/320092 with additional movable means for clamping or cutting tissue, e.g. with a pivoting jaw
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00084 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00106 ultrasonic
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00128 related to intensity or progress of surgical action
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00353 one mechanical instrument performing multiple functions, e.g. cutting and grasping channel for multiple instruments A61B2017/3445; instrument channel A61B2017/22072; replaceable heads A61B2017/2931; suction A61M1/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320069 for ablating tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320071 with articulating means for working tip
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320089 node location
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320094 additional movable means performing clamping operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320095 with sealing or cauterizing means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00607 Coagulation and cutting with the same instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00642 with feedback, i.e. closed loop control
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00791 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 7/02 Localised ultrasound hyperthermia hyperthermia in general A61F7/00

Abstract

An ultrasonic surgical instrument is disclosed including a transducer, an ultrasonic blade operably coupled to the transducer, and a control circuit. The control circuit is configured to provide a drive signal to the transducer to cause the transducer to transmit ultrasonic vibrations to the ultrasonic blade, detect a change in a vibration frequency of the ultrasonic blade based at least in part on a change in a frequency of the drive signal, wherein the change in the vibration frequency of the ultrasonic blade corresponds to a tissue condition of tissue treated with the ultrasonic blade, and modify the drive signal in response to the tissue condition.

Claims

1. An ultrasonic surgical instrument, comprising:

a transducer;

an ultrasonic blade operably coupled to the transducer; and

a control circuit, wherein the control circuit is configured to;

provide a drive signal to the transducer to cause the transducer to transmit ultrasonic vibrations to the ultrasonic blade;

detect a change in a vibration frequency of the ultrasonic blade based at least in part on a change in a frequency of the drive signal, wherein the change in the vibration frequency of the ultrasonic blade corresponds to a tissue condition of tissue treated with the ultrasonic blade; and

modify the drive signal in response to the tissue condition.

2. The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the change in the vibration frequency of the ultrasonic blade comprises a reduction in a rate of decrease of the vibration frequency of the ultrasonic blade.

3. The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 2, wherein the tissue condition is an onset of tissue coagulation.

4. The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 3, wherein the change in the vibration frequency of the ultrasonic blade is a first change in the vibration frequency of the ultrasonic blade, wherein the control circuit is further configured to detect a second change in the vibration frequency of the ultrasonic blade after the first change in the vibration frequency of the ultrasonic blade.

5. The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 4, wherein the second change in the vibration frequency of the ultrasonic blade comprises an increase in the rate of decrease of the vibration frequency of the ultrasonic blade after the reduction in the rate of decrease of the vibration frequency of the ultrasonic blade, and wherein the second change in the vibration frequency of the ultrasonic blade corresponds to an onset of tissue desiccation.

6. The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the change in the vibration frequency of the ultrasonic blade comprises an increase in a rate of decrease of the vibration frequency of the ultrasonic blade, and wherein the tissue condition is an onset of tissue desiccation.

7. The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the tissue condition is an onset of tissue coagulation, and wherein modifying the drive signal in response to the tissue condition comprises a reduction in a characteristic of the drive signal.

8. An ultrasonic surgical instrument, comprising:

a transducer;

an end effector, comprising;

a clamp; and

an ultrasonic blade operably coupled to the transducer, wherein the clamp is movable relative to the ultrasonic blade to capture tissue; and

a control circuit, wherein the control circuit is configured to;

provide a drive signal to the transducer to cause the transducer to transmit ultrasonic vibrations to the ultrasonic blade;

detect a change in a vibration frequency of the ultrasonic blade, wherein the change in the vibration frequency of the ultrasonic blade corresponds to a tissue condition of tissue treated with the ultrasonic blade; and

modify the drive signal in response to the tissue condition.

9. The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 8, wherein the change in the vibration frequency of the ultrasonic blade comprises a reduction in a rate of decrease of the vibration frequency of the ultrasonic blade.

10. The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 9, wherein the tissue condition is an onset of tissue coagulation.

11. The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 10, wherein the change in the vibration frequency of the ultrasonic blade is a first change in the vibration frequency of the ultrasonic blade, wherein the control circuit is further configured to detect a second change in the vibration frequency of the ultrasonic blade after the first change in the vibration frequency of the ultrasonic blade.

12. The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 11, wherein the second change in the vibration frequency of the ultrasonic blade comprises an increase in the rate of decrease of the vibration frequency of the ultrasonic blade after the reduction in the rate of decrease of the vibration frequency of the ultrasonic blade, and wherein the second change in the vibration frequency of the ultrasonic blade corresponds to an onset of tissue desiccation.

13. The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 8, wherein the change in the vibration frequency of the ultrasonic blade comprises an increase in a rate of decrease of the vibration frequency of the ultrasonic blade, and wherein the tissue condition is an onset of tissue desiccation.

14. The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 8, wherein the tissue condition is an onset of tissue coagulation, and wherein modifying the drive signal in response to the tissue condition comprises a reduction in a characteristic of the drive signal.

15. An ultrasonic surgical instrument, comprising:

a transducer;

an ultrasonic blade operably coupled to the transducer;

means for providing a drive signal to the transducer to cause the transducer to transmit ultrasonic vibrations to the ultrasonic blade;

monitoring means for detecting a change in a vibration frequency of the ultrasonic blade, wherein the change in the vibration frequency of the ultrasonic blade corresponds to a tissue condition of tissue treated with the ultrasonic blade; and

control means for modifying the drive signal in response to the tissue condition.

16. The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 15, wherein the change in the vibration frequency of the ultrasonic blade comprises a reduction in a rate of decrease of the vibration frequency of the ultrasonic blade.

17. The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 16, wherein the tissue condition is an onset of tissue coagulation.

18. The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 17, wherein the change in the vibration frequency of the ultrasonic blade is a first change in the vibration frequency of the ultrasonic blade, wherein the monitoring means is further configured to detect a second change in the vibration frequency of the ultrasonic blade after the first change in the vibration frequency of the ultrasonic blade.

19. The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 18, wherein the second change in the vibration frequency of the ultrasonic blade comprises an increase in the rate of decrease of the vibration frequency of the ultrasonic blade after the reduction in the rate of decrease of the vibration frequency of the ultrasonic blade, and wherein the second change in the vibration frequency of the ultrasonic blade corresponds to an onset of tissue desiccation.

20. The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 15, wherein the change in the vibration frequency of the ultrasonic blade comprises an increase in a rate of decrease of the vibration frequency of the ultrasonic blade, and wherein the tissue condition is an onset of tissue desiccation.

21. The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 15, wherein the tissue condition is an onset of tissue coagulation, and wherein the control means for modifying the drive signal in response to the tissue condition comprises a reduction in a characteristic of the drive signal.