ELECTROSURGICAL SYSTEM

• US 20090248022A1
• Filed: 04/01/2009
• Published: 10/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Applied Medical Resources Corporation (Applied Medical Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Applied Medical Resources Corporation (Applied Medical Corporation)
• Inventors: Becerra, Matthew M., Pingleton, Edward D., Hilal, Said S., Brustad, John R., Hilal, Nabil, Hart, Charles C., Johnson, Gary M., Falkenstein, Zoran, Tran, Olivia J., Wixey, Matthew A., Pravongviengkham, Kennii, Cohen, Adam J., Pravong, Boun, Wikoff, Chris R., Cappello, Christopher J., Yawata, Haruyasu, Gianneschi, Benjamin A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,551,088 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/51
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/07207 the staples being applied sequentially
• 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 18/16 Indifferent or passive electrodes for grounding
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00199 with a console, e.g. a control panel with a display
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2945 Curved jaws
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00041 Heating, e.g. defrosting
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00077 high, i.e. electrically conducting
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00178 Electrical connectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00208 actively driven, e.g. by a motor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00345 Vascular system
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00404 Blood vessels other than those in or around the heart
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00494 Stomach, intestines or bowel
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00511 Kidney
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00589 Coagulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00601 Cutting
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00607 Coagulation and cutting with the same instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00619 Welding
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00642 with feedback, i.e. closed loop control
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00666 : using a threshold value
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00702 : Power or energy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00869 : Phase
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00875 : Resistance or impedance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00892 : Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00898 : Alarms or notifications created in response to an abnormal condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00916 : with means for switching or controlling the main function of the instrument or device
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00922 : by switching or controlling the treatment energy directly within the hand-piece
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00988 : Means for storing information, e.g. calibration constants, or for preventing excessive use, e.g. usage, service life counter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/124 : switching the output to different electrodes, e.g. sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/126 : bipolar
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1266 : with DC current output
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1412 : Blade
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1432 : curved
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/144 : Wire
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1455 : having a moving blade for cutting tissue grasped by the jaws
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1467 : using more than two electrodes on a single probe
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/162 : located on the probe body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/90 : Identification means for patients or instruments, e.g. tags

Abstract

Phase end point determination is provided to automatically halt the application of energy to tissue. Prior to the application of energy, the phase end point determination is identified by measuring the product of permittivity and conductivity of the tissue to be treated.

Claims

1. A method for controlling an output of an electrosurgical generator operatively coupled to a bipolar electrosurgical device, comprising:

measuring a phase angle of a first measurement signal applied to tissue of a patient via at least one electrode of the electrosurgical device, the first measurement signal applied to the tissue prior to treatment of the tissue by the electrosurgical device;

determining a target phase angle using the phase angle of the first measurement signal;

following delivery of a treatment signal to the tissue, measuring the phase angle of a second measurement signal applied to the tissue, the treatment signal capable of causing modification of the tissue; and

ceasing delivery of the treatment signal to the tissue when the phase angle of the second measurement signal reaches the target phase angle.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the treatment signal and the second measurement signal are alternatively applied to the tissue in a time interleaved fashion.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the treatment signal and the second measurement signal are applied to the tissue substantially simultaneously.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein modification of the tissue comprises tissue fusion.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein modification of the tissue comprises coagulation.

6. A method for controlling an output of an electrosurgical generator operatively coupled to a bipolar electrosurgical device, comprising:

determining permittivity and conductivity of tissue of a patient using a measurement signal, the measurement signal applied to tissue of a patient via at least one electrode of the electrosurgical device, the measurement signal applied to the tissue prior to modification of the tissue by the electrosurgical device;

determining a threshold phase angle based on the permittivity and the conductivity of the tissue;

measuring a phase angle of a signal applied to the tissue; and

ceasing the delivery of the treatment signal to the tissue when the phase angle of the signal reaches the threshold phase angle.

7. A method of characterizing tissue prior to the delivery of electrosurgical energy to the tissue via a bipolar electrosurgical device, comprising:

measuring phase angle of a measurement signal applied to tissue of a patient via at least one electrode of the electrosurgical device, the measurement signal applied to the tissue at a predetermined frequency prior to modification of the tissue by the electrosurgical device;

determining the product of the relative permittivity and conductivity of the tissue using the phase angle measurement and the predetermined frequency;

characterizing the tissue based on the product of the relative permittivity and conductivity of the tissue.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising controlling the delivery of a treatment signal to the tissue based at least in part on the characterization, the treatment signal capable of causing modification of the tissue.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the characterizing comprises determining a treatment endpoint.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the characterizing comprises determining a tissue type.

11. A method of characterizing tissue prior to the delivery of electrosurgical energy to the tissue via a bipolar electrosurgical device, comprising:

generating a measurement signal applied to tissue of a patient positioned between at least two jaw members of an electrosurgical device, at least one of the jaw members comprising an electrode, the measurement signal delivered to the tissue via the electrode and applied to modification of the tissue by the electrosurgical device;

determining a treatment endpoint condition using the measurement signal, the treatment endpoint condition determined substantially independent of the dimensions of the tissue positioned between the at least two jaw members; and

stopping delivery of a treatment signal to the tissue when the treatment endpoint condition is reached, the treatment signal capable of causing modification of the tissue.