METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MONITORING TISSUE DURING AN ELECTROSURGICAL PROCEDURE

• US 20100217258A1
• Filed: 01/30/2008
• Published: 08/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Tyco Healthcare Group LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Floume, Timmy, Syms, Richard R.A., Hanna, George
• Granted Patent: US 8,777,945 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/34
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/2812 with a single pivotal connection A61B17/29 takes precedence
• 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 2017/00061 spectrum
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00702 Power or energy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00875 Resistance or impedance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0059 using light, e.g. diagnosis by transillumination, diascopy, fluorescence A61B5/0093, A61B5/1455, A61B5/02416 and A61B5/0261 take precedence

Abstract

A system for monitoring and/or controlling tissue modification during an electrosurgical procedure includes an electrosurgical apparatus connected to an electrosurgical generator and configured to grasp tissue therebetween via a pair of jaw members. The system also includes an optical system having an optical source that directs light through tissue. One or more optical detectors analyze the light transmitted through and reflected back from the tissue and a processor utilizes this information to control the delivery of electrosurgical energy from the electrosurgical generator to the tissue.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring and/or controlling tissue modification during an electrosurgical procedure comprising:

an electrosurgical apparatus adapted to connect to an electrosurgical generator, the electrosurgical apparatus including a pair of jaw members configured to grasp tissue therebetween and allow light transmission therethrough;

an optical system including;

at least one optical source configured to generate light;

at least one optical detector configured to analyze a first portion of the light transmitted through the tissue and configured to analyze a second portion of the light reflected from the tissue; and

a processor operatively coupled to the optical system and to the electrosurgical generator, the processor configured to control the delivery of electrosurgical energy from the electrosurgical generator to tissue based on information provided by the optical system.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the optical system is configured to control the electrosurgical generator in real-time during the electrosurgical procedure.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the optical system detects at least one of thermal damage of tissue and hydration of tissue and is configured to cooperate with the electrosurgical generator via the processor to control the delivery of electrosurgical energy to the tissue.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the optical system includes a continuous wave device.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the optical system includes a superluminescent light-emitting diode array.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the optical system includes an incandescent lamp.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the optical system operatively couples to at least one optical fibre disposed through the electrosurgical apparatus.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the optical system includes at least one lens for transmitting light therethrough.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the optical system includes a light delivery system and a light collection system, at least a portion of the light delivery system and at least a portion of the light collection system disposed within the electrosurgical apparatus.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of at least one of the jaw members is translucent.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one optical detector is a Fabry-Perot interferometer.

12. The system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one optical detector is a dispersive spectrometer.

13. The system according to claim 1, wherein the optical system includes:

a first optical detector configured to analyze the first portion of the light transmitted through tissue; and

a second optical detector configured to analyze the second portion of the light reflected from the tissue.

14. The system according to claim 1 wherein light is generated from the optical source in a wavelength range of about 1.2 μ

m to about 1.6 μ

m.

15. The system according to claim 1 wherein light is generated from the optical source in a wavelength range of 1.45 μ

m.

16. A method for monitoring and/or controlling the delivery of electrosurgical energy to tissue during an electrosurgical procedure, the method comprising the steps of:

providing an electrosurgical apparatus including a pair of jaw members configured to grasp tissue therebetween and allow light transmission therethrough;

directing electrosurgical energy from an electrosurgical generator through tissue held between jaw members;

directing light of at least one wavelength into tissue;

analyzing a spectral content of a first portion of the light transmitted through tissue and providing information relating thereto back to a processor;

analyzing a spectral content of a second portion of the light reflected from the tissue and providing information relating thereto back to the processor; and

controlling the delivery of electrosurgical energy from the electrosurgical generator to tissue based on the information provided to the processor.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein an optical detector is used to analyze the spectral content of the first and second portions of the light.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of controlling the delivery of electrical energy includes at least one of reducing, increasing and stopping RF energy delivery.

19. A method for monitoring and/or controlling the delivery of electrosurgical energy to tissue during an electrosurgical procedure, the method comprising the steps of:

directing electrosurgical energy through tissue;

directing an optical transmission signal of at least one wavelength into the tissue;

measuring the strength of the optical transmission signal;

measuring a first spectral content of the optical transmission signal transmitted through the tissue and providing information relating to the first spectral content back to a processor;

controlling the delivery of the electrosurgical energy based on the provided information relating to the first spectral content until the strength of the optical transmission signal falls below a predetermined detection limit;

when the strength of the optical transmission signal falls below the predetermined detection limit, measuring a second spectral content of the optical transmission signal reflected from the tissue and providing information relating to the second spectral content to the processor; and

controlling the delivery of the electrosurgical energy based on the provided information relating to the second spectral content.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein after the step of measuring the second spectral content of the optical transmission signal reflected from the tissue, when the strength of the optical transmission signal rises above the predetermined detection limit, the processor resumes controlling the delivery of electrosurgical energy based on the provided information relating to the first spectral content until electrosurgical procedure is completed.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein the predetermined detection limit of the initial measuring step is proportional to the hydration level of the tissue.