Electrosurgical generator and system
First Claim
1. An electrosurgical generator for supplying power to an electrosurgical instrument, the generator comprising a radio frequency output stage having at least a pair of electrosurgical output connections for the delivery of radio frequency power to the instrurnent, and control circuitry operable to limit the radio frequency peak output voltage developed across the output connections to at least first and second predetermined threshold values and, in a blend mode of the generator, to alternate constantly between said first and second threshold values.
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Abstract
An electrosurgical system including an electrode assembly having two electrodes for use immersed in an electrically conductive fluid has a generator with control circuitry for rapidly reducing the delivered radio frequency output power by at least 50% within at most a few cycles of the peak radio frequency output voltage reaching a predetermined threshold limit. In this way, tissue coagulation can be performed in, for example, saline without significant steam generation. The same peak voltage limitation technique is used in a tissue vaporization or cutting mode to limit the size of the steam pocket at the electrodes and to avoid electrode burning. In a blended mode, the output voltage is alternately limited to a value appropriate for coagulation and a value appropriate for cutting or vaporization.
1587 Citations
9 Claims
- 1. An electrosurgical generator for supplying power to an electrosurgical instrument, the generator comprising a radio frequency output stage having at least a pair of electrosurgical output connections for the delivery of radio frequency power to the instrurnent, and control circuitry operable to limit the radio frequency peak output voltage developed across the output connections to at least first and second predetermined threshold values and, in a blend mode of the generator, to alternate constantly between said first and second threshold values.
- 8. An electrosurgical system comprising an electrosurgical generator for generating radio frequency power and an electrosurgical instrument coupled to the generator, the instrument having an electrode structure for operation immersed in an electrically conductive liquid, wherein the system has a first mode of operation in which tissue is treated by the application of heat in the region of the electrode structure without forming an electrode-enveloping vapour pocket, and a second mode of operation in which the tissue is locally vaporised by energy transmitted from the electrode structure via an electrode-enveloping vapour pocket, said first and second modes being defined by different respective electrical control parameters selected in the generator, and wherein the system has a third, blended mode of operation produced by constantly alternating between the first and second modes.
Specification