Method and system for controlling delivery of energy to divide tissue

• US 20070173811A1
• Filed: 01/24/2006
• Published: 07/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien AG (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Sherwood Services AG
• Inventors: Weinberg, Craig, Sharp, Robert, Unger, Jeff, Wham, Robert, Couture, Gary, Johnson, Kristin
• Granted Patent: US 8,882,766 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/39
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1206 Generators therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1442 Probes having pivoting end effectors, e.g. forceps
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1445 at the distal end of a shaft, e.g. forceps or scissors at the end of a rigid rod
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00154 pulsed
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00601 Cutting
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00702 Power or energy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00875 Resistance or impedance

Abstract

System and method for controlling delivery of energy to divide tissue are disclosed. The system comprises an electrosurgical instrument having an electrically energizable cutting element which communicates electrical energy to the tissue and a generator to supply the energy to the electrosurgical instrument which supplies the energy to the tissue in a first pulse to react the tissue, in slow pulses to create a desiccation line until impedance at the tissue has reached a threshold, and in rapid pulses to divide tissue across the desiccation line.

Claims

1. A system for controlling delivery of energy to divide tissue comprising:

an electrosurgical instrument having an electrically energizable electrode which communicates energy to the tissue; and

a generator to supply the energy to the electrosurgical instrument which supplies the energy to the tissue in a first pulse to react the tissue, in slow pulses to create a desiccation line until impedance at the tissue has reached a predetermined threshold, and in rapid pulses to divide the tissue across the desiccation line.

2. A system as in claim 1, wherein the electrosurgical instrument is a bipolar forceps comprising an end effector assembly disposed at a distal end thereof, the end effector assembly including jaw members movable from a first position in spaced relation relative to one another to at least one subsequent position wherein the jaw members cooperate to grasp tissue therebetween, the end effector assembly further includes the electrically energizable cutting element.

3. A system as in claim 2, wherein the bipolar forceps is configured for endoscopic surgery.

4. A system as in claim 2, wherein the bipolar forceps is configured for open surgery.

5. A system as in claim 1, wherein the electrosurgical instrument is a monopolar instrument.

6. A system as in claim 1, wherein the predetermined threshold is from about 50 Ohms to about 2500 Ohms.

7. A system as in claim 1, further comprising:

a sensor module for measuring at least one of a tissue property and an energy property; and

a processor for determining when the tissue has been divided as a function of the tissue property.

8. A system as in claim 7, wherein the tissue property is selected from the group consisting of impedance and temperature.

9. A system as in claim 7, wherein the energy property is selected from the group consisting of voltage phase, current phase, and power.

10. A method for controlling delivery of energy to divide tissue, the method comprising the steps of:

supplying energy to an electrosurgical instrument having an electrically energizable electrode which communicates the energy to the tissue from a generator;

communicating the energy to the tissue in a first pulse to react the tissue;

slow pulsing the energy to create a desiccation line until impedance at the tissue has reached a predetermined threshold; and

rapid pulsing the energy to divide the tissue across the desiccation line.

11. A method as in claim 10, wherein the electrosurgical instrument is a bipolar forceps comprising an end effector assembly disposed at a distal end thereof, the end effector assembly including jaw members movable from a first position in spaced relation relative to one another to at least one subsequent position wherein the jaw members cooperate to grasp tissue therebetween, the end effector assembly further includes the electrically energizable cutting element.

12. A method as in claim 11, wherein the bipolar forceps is configured for endoscopic surgery.

13. A method as in claim 11, wherein the bipolar forceps is configured for open surgery.

14. A method as in claim 10, wherein the electrosurgical instrument is a monopolar instrument.

15. A method as in claim 10, wherein the predetermined threshold is from about 50 Ohms to about 2500 Ohms.

16. A method as in claim 10, further comprising:

measuring at least one of a tissue property and an energy property; and

determining when the tissue has been divided as a function of the tissue property.

17. A method as in claim 16, wherein the tissue property is selected from the group consisting of impedance and temperature.

18. A system as in claim 16, wherein the energy property is selected from the group consisting of voltage phase, current phase, and power.

19. A method for regulating application of electrosurgical energy for performing tissue division, the method comprising the steps of:

applying a first electrosurgical energy waveform to condition the tissue;

determining whether the tissue has been conditioned; and

applying a second electrosurgical energy waveform to divide the conditioned tissue.

20. A method according to claim 19, the method further comprising the step of sensing tissue and energy properties.

21. A method according to claim 19, wherein the determining step further comprises the step of receiving and analyzing the tissue and energy properties.

22. A method according to claim 21, wherein the tissue and energy properties are selected from the group consisting of temperature, impedance, voltage, current and power.

23. A method according to claim 19, wherein the determining step further comprising the steps of:

recognizing an occurrence of at least one event; and

altering the first electrosurgical energy waveform in accordance with the recognized at least one event.

24. A method according to claim 23, wherein the at least one event is selected from the group consisting of a time related event and a predetermined tissue response.

25. A method according to claim 23, wherein the regulating step further comprises the step of regulating parameters of the electrosurgical energy selected from the group consisting of power, frequency, current, voltage and waveform.

26. A method according to claim 25, wherein regulating a waveform of the electrosurgical energy includes:

regulating the waveform to have at least one characteristic selected from the group consisting of pulses, at least one spike, at least one ramp and a continual curve; and

adjusting parameters of the waveform selected from the group consisting of waveform shape, pulse width, duty cycle, crest factor, and repetition rate.

27. A system for regulating application of electrosurgical energy for performing tissue division, the system comprising:

a generator configured to apply a first electrosurgical energy waveform to condition the tissue, the generator including a control module for determining whether the tissue has been conditioned, the generator further configured to apply a second electrosurgical energy waveform to divide the conditioned tissue.

28. A system according to claim 27, wherein the generator further includes a sensor module senses tissue and energy properties.

29. A system according to claim 27, wherein the control module receives and analyzes the tissue and energy properties.

30. A system according to claim 29, wherein the tissue and energy properties are selected from the group consisting of temperature, impedance, voltage, current and power.

31. A system according to claim 29, wherein the control module is configured to recognizing an occurrence of at least one event and to alter the first electrosurgical energy waveform in accordance with the recognized at least one event.

32. A system according to claim 31, wherein the at least one event is selected from the group consisting of a time related event and a predetermined tissue response.

33. A system according to claim 31, wherein the control module is further configured to regulate parameters of the electrosurgical energy selected from the group consisting of power, frequency, current, voltage and waveform.

34. A system according to claim 33, wherein the control module regulates the waveform of the electrosurgical energy to have at least one characteristic selected from the group consisting of pulses, at least one spike, at least one ramp and a continual curve, the control module further configured to regulate parameters of the waveform selected from the group consisting of waveform shape, pulse width, duty cycle, crest factor, and repetition rate.