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Devices, systems, and methods for cooling a surgical instrument

  • US 10,646,246 B2
  • Filed: 05/16/2016
  • Issued: 05/12/2020
  • Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2016
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A surgical system, comprising:

  • a surgical instrument defining an input and an output; and

    a cooling module operably coupled to the input and output of the surgical instrument, the cooling module including;

    a fluid reservoir retaining a conductive cooling fluid;

    a pump assembly operably coupled to the fluid reservoir and configured to pump the conductive cooling fluid along a flowpath from the fluid reservoir, into the input of the surgical instrument, through at least a portion of the surgical instrument, out the output of the surgical instrument, and back to the fluid reservoir;

    first and second electrodes disposed at an inflow position and an outflow position, respectively, along the flowpath, the first and second electrodes configured to sense an electrical property of the conductive cooling fluid at the inflow and outflow positions; and

    a controller configured to determine an impedance of the conductive cooling fluid between the inflow and outflow positions based upon the sensed electrical properties of the first and second electrodes,wherein the outflow position is disposed within or directly adjacent an end effector of the surgical instrument, andwherein the inflow position is disposed within or directly adjacent the cooling module.

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