Devices, systems, and methods for cooling a surgical instrument
First Claim
1. A surgical system, comprising:
- an ultrasonic surgical instrument, including;
a waveguide defining a blade at a distal end thereof and a lumen extending through a portion of the blade,an inflow conduit disposed in communication with the lumen, the inflow conduit configured to supply fluid to the lumen, anda return conduit disposed in communication with the lumen, the return conduit configured to receive fluid from the lumen;
wherein the inflow conduit and the return conduit each define a proximal end and a distal end, the return conduit coaxially disposed about the inflow conduit, the distal ends of the inflow and return conduits extending into the lumen such that the distal end of the inflow conduit extends further distally into the lumen than the distal end of the return conduit; and
a cooling module, including;
a pump assembly operably coupled to the inflow and return conduits, the pump assembly configured to pump fluid through the inflow conduit, into the lumen, and back through the return conduit for cooling the blade,at least one sensor configured to sense at least one of a property of the fluid pumped into the inflow conduit or a property of the fluid returned from the return conduit, anda controller configured to control the pump assembly according to the at least one sensed property.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A surgical system includes an ultrasonic surgical instrument and a cooling module. The instrument includes a waveguide defining a blade and having a lumen, an inflow conduit disposed in communication with the lumen and configured to supply fluid to the lumen, and a return conduit disposed in communication with the lumen and configured to receive fluid from the lumen. The cooling module includes a pump assembly operably coupled to the inflow and return conduits and configured to pump fluid through the inflow conduit, into the lumen, and back through the return conduit for cooling the blade. The cooling module also includes at least one sensor configured to sense a property of the fluid pumped into the inflow conduit and/or a property of the fluid returned from the return conduit, and a controller configured to control the pump assembly according to the sensed property(s).
103 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A surgical system, comprising:
-
an ultrasonic surgical instrument, including; a waveguide defining a blade at a distal end thereof and a lumen extending through a portion of the blade, an inflow conduit disposed in communication with the lumen, the inflow conduit configured to supply fluid to the lumen, and a return conduit disposed in communication with the lumen, the return conduit configured to receive fluid from the lumen; wherein the inflow conduit and the return conduit each define a proximal end and a distal end, the return conduit coaxially disposed about the inflow conduit, the distal ends of the inflow and return conduits extending into the lumen such that the distal end of the inflow conduit extends further distally into the lumen than the distal end of the return conduit; and a cooling module, including; a pump assembly operably coupled to the inflow and return conduits, the pump assembly configured to pump fluid through the inflow conduit, into the lumen, and back through the return conduit for cooling the blade, at least one sensor configured to sense at least one of a property of the fluid pumped into the inflow conduit or a property of the fluid returned from the return conduit, and a controller configured to control the pump assembly according to the at least one sensed property. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. A method of cooling an end effector assembly of a surgical instrument, comprising:
-
circulating fluid from a cooling module through an inflow conduit extending distally into a lumen defined within a blade of an end effector assembly of a surgical instrument and back to the cooling module through a return conduit extending distally into the lumen, wherein a distal end of the inflow conduit extends further distally into the lumen than a distal end of the return conduit such that the fluid flows out the distal end of inflow conduit, proximally through the lumen, and into the distal end of the return conduit; sensing at least one of a property of fluid output from the cooling module to the lumen of the blade or a property of fluid input to the cooling module from the lumen of the blade; and controlling the circulation of fluid based upon the at least one sensed property. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
Specification