Inductive Powered Surgical Device with Wireless Control

• US 20120004652A1
• Filed: 06/30/2010
• Published: 01/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Tyco Healthcare Group LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Moua, Tony, Craig, Jason L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,808,283 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/33
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1206 Generators therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/14 Probes or electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1402 Probes for open surgery
• 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 2018/00928 by sending a signal to an external energy source
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00946 slidable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1286 having a specific transformer

Abstract

A system and method for wirelessly powering an electrosurgical device using a generator to generate a radio frequency (RF) energy field. A switch on the electrosurgical device sends a wireless signal to the generator, where the generator allows a current to pass through an inductive coil to generate the RF energy field, The RF energy field induces a current to flow across an inductive coil within the electrosurgical device. The current flow is then processed though a RF conditioning circuit and outputted to the end effector assembly of the device.

Claims

1. A method for wirelessly operating a hand held electrosurgical device, comprising;

selecting a switch on the hand held electrosurgical device;

sending an instruction wirelessly to a generator to generate an RF energy field;

generating the RF energy field;

inducing, by the RF energy field, a current across an inductor within the hand held device that causes a RF signal; and

supplying the RF signal to an end effector assembly to perform a surgical procedure.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of selecting the switch further comprises selecting a mode of operation for the device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the mode is cut, ablate, coagulate or seal.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

conditioning the RF signal into the requested mode.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the requested mode is seal and the RF signal is conditioned into a pulsed waveform.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the requested mode is cut and the RF signal is conditioned into a sinusoidal waveform.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the device is a pencil or a forceps.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprises charging a rechargeable battery within the device.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprises charging a capacitor within the device.

10. A system for wirelessly operating a hand held electrosurgical device, comprising:

a generator configured with a power source and a first inductor to generate a RF energy field, the hand held electrosurgical device configured with a second inductor, a power board, a wireless communication board, a control interface, and an end effector assembly;

at least one switch operatively associated with the control interface and configured to send a first message to the wireless communication board when the at least one switch is selected, the wireless communication board, in response to receiving the first message from the control interface, configured to send a second message to the generator instructing the generator to generate the RF energy field, and

wherein upon reception of the RF energy field from the second inductor, the RF energy field induces a current across the second inductor, the power board sends a RF signal to the end effector.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the wireless communication board further includes a battery to provide power to the wireless communication board prior to the generator generating the RF energy field.

12. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

a rechargeable battery, wherein the second inductor charges the rechargeable battery when the generator generates the RF energy field and the rechargeable battery provides the RF signal to the power board.

13. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

a capacitor, wherein the second inductor charges the capacitor when the generator generates the RF energy field and the capacitor provides the RF signal to the power board.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the control interface is configured to allow a user to select an operating mode, and the operating mode is cut, ablate, coagulate or seal.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the power board conditions the RF signal into the selected mode.

16. A method for wirelessly operating a hand held electrosurgical device, comprising:

generating a RF energy field;

selecting a switch on the device to select a mode of operation;

inducing, by the RF energy field, a current across an inductor within the device that causes a RF signal;

conditioning the RF signal into the selected mode; and

supplying the conditioned RF signal to an end effector assembly to perform a surgical procedure.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the mode is cut, ablate, coagulate or seal.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the device is a pencil or a forceps.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprises charging a rechargeable battery within the device.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprises charging a capacitor within the device.