Intelligent selection system for electrosurgical instrument
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An intelligent mode-selection system for an electrosurgical instrument comprising:
- (a) an electrosurgical instrument capable of receiving a plurality of control signals for selecting an operating mode, each of said control signals when received by the electrosurgical instrument being capable of placing the instrument into one of a plurality of operating electrosurgical modes, (b) a handpiece for connection to the instrument and comprising multiple fingerswitches and having an output, (c) component means in the handpiece each connected to one of the fingerswitches for generating, when supplied with current and when a fingerswitch is activated, at the handpiece output one of a plurality of control signals, each of the control signals being associated with one of the plurality of operating eletctrosurgical modes, (d) means on the handpiece for holding an electrode for delivering one of a plurality of RF electrosurgical currents each representive of one of the instrument'"'"'s operating modes, (e) means on the handpiece for outputting control signals to the electrosurgical instrument in response to the activation of the fingerswitches for selecting one of the operating modes, (f) means in said instrument in response to receipt of the control signals from the handpiece for supplying to the electrode RF electrosurgical currents in the selected mode.
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Abstract
An intelligent selection system for operating an electrosurgical instrument for use by a surgeon that depends primarily on the surgical procedure to be employed. The operating mode as well as other operating parameters can be controlled by the handpiece chosen by the surgeon to perform the procedure. Each handpiece is customized to activate when operated one of several preset operating modes of the electrosurgical instrument.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. An intelligent mode-selection system for an electrosurgical instrument comprising:
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(a) an electrosurgical instrument capable of receiving a plurality of control signals for selecting an operating mode, each of said control signals when received by the electrosurgical instrument being capable of placing the instrument into one of a plurality of operating electrosurgical modes, (b) a handpiece for connection to the instrument and comprising multiple fingerswitches and having an output, (c) component means in the handpiece each connected to one of the fingerswitches for generating, when supplied with current and when a fingerswitch is activated, at the handpiece output one of a plurality of control signals, each of the control signals being associated with one of the plurality of operating eletctrosurgical modes, (d) means on the handpiece for holding an electrode for delivering one of a plurality of RF electrosurgical currents each representive of one of the instrument'"'"'s operating modes, (e) means on the handpiece for outputting control signals to the electrosurgical instrument in response to the activation of the fingerswitches for selecting one of the operating modes, (f) means in said instrument in response to receipt of the control signals from the handpiece for supplying to the electrode RF electrosurgical currents in the selected mode. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An intelligent selection system for an electrosurgical instrument comprising:
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(a) an electrosurgical instrument in response to one of a plurality of control signals for generating a selected one of a plurality of operating electrosurgical modes, each of the operating modes being associated with one of the control signals, (b) a handpiece for connection to the instrument and comprising multiple fingerswitches. (c) different component means in the handpiece each connected to one of the fingerswitches, (d) means interconnecting the handpiece and instrument for supplying a control current to the fingerswitches, (e) means in the handpiece connected to each of the component means for generating different control signals when supplied with the control current, (f) means on the handpiece for receiving and holding an electrode for delivering one of a plurality of RF electrosurgical currents each representing one of the operating modes, (g) means on the handpiece for outputting control signals to the electrosurgical instrument in response to the activation of the fingerswitches, (h) means in said instrument in response to receipt of the control signals from the handpiece to supply to the electrode RF electrosurgical currents in the selected mode. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A handpiece for connection to electrosurgical apparatus and comprising fingerswitches for selectively providing cutting mode or coagulation mode electrosurgical currents from the electrosurgical apparatus to an electrode connected to the handpiece, said handpiece comprising:
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(a) a pencil-like housing, (b) at least first and second fingerswitches on the housing, (c) means on the housing for receiving and holding an electrode for delivering RF electrosurgical currents, (d) means connected to the housing for supplying a control DC or AC current to the fingerswitches, (e) means connecting the fingerswitches such that when the first fingerswitch is activated a first DC or AC current level is established and when the second fingerswitch is activated a second DC or AC current level is established, (f) said first and second DC or AC current levels being usable to select, respectively, first and second operating modes of the electrosurgical apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A procedure-specific handpiece for connection to electrosurgical apparatus for providing one of cutting mode or coagulation mode electrosurgical currents from the electrosurgical apparatus to an electrode connected to the handpiece, said handpiece comprising:
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(a) a pencil-like housing, (b) means on the housing for receiving and holding an electrode for delivering RF electrosurgical currents, (c) means in the handpiece for providing a control signal to the electrosurgical apparatus when activated, (d) said control signal representing for the electrosurgical apparatus operating mode information associated with the specific procedure and usable by the electrosurgical apparatus to select an operating mode specific to the procedure. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
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26. In combination:
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a) an electrosurgical apparatus comprising a microcontroller and being capable of being switched via the microcontroller from a cutting mode to a coagulation mode and vice versa upon the inputting of mode selection signals to the microcontroller, said electrosurgical apparatus when in the cutting mode generating RF electrosurgical currents capable of performing a cutting operation when applied via an electrosurgical electrode and when in the coagulation mode generating RF electrosurgical currents capable of performing a coagulation operation when applied via the electrosurgical electrode, b) a handpiece for connection to the electrosurgical apparatus and comprising fingerswitches for selectively providing cutting mode or coagulation mode electrosurgical currents from the electrosurgical apparatus to an electrode connected to the handpiece, said handpiece comprising;
(i) a housing, (ii) at least first and second fingerswitches on the housing, (iii) means on the housing for receiving and holding an electrode for delivering RF electrosurgical currents, (iv) means connected to the housing for supplying a control current to the fingerswitches, (v) means connecting the fingerswitches such that when the first fingerswitch is activated a first current level is established and when the second fingerswitch is activated a second current level is established, c) said first and second current levels serving as the control signals and being usable by the microcontroller to select an operating mode of the electrosurgical apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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Specification