Power Glove

• US 20120123405A1
• Filed: 11/16/2010
• Published: 05/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2010
• 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 8,945,122 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/33
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/12 by passing a current through the tissue to be heated, e.g. high-frequency current
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1233 with circuits for assuring patient safety
• 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 2018/00922 by switching or controlling the treatment energy directly within the hand-piece
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 42/00 Surgical gloves; Finger-stalls specially adapted for surgery; Devices for handling or treatment thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 42/10 Surgical gloves

Abstract

A system and method for powering a wireless electrosurgical device using a powered glove. The powered glove includes at least a conductive pad on a finger and a thumb. The glove is connected to a generator and supplies power to the wireless electrosurgical device when at least two conductive pads touch conductive buttons on the wireless device. The user selects the operating mode by selecting different combination of conductive buttons and/or switches on the wireless device. The generator senses a voltage drop across a circuit within the electrosurgical device to determine the operating mode. The generator then supplies the RF energy based on the selected operating mode via the glove to the wireless device.

Claims

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

attaching a glove to a generator with a cable, wherein the glove includes at least one embedded wire connected to a conductive pad on a finger tip, thumb, or palm of the glove;

selecting a contact button or contact trigger on a wireless electrosurgical device to select an operating mode using the conductive pad on the glove;

notifying the generator of the selected mode using a message signal sent through the glove to the generator; and

supplying an RF electrical signal through the glove to a treatment portion of the wireless device based on the selected mode.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising;

reading a voltage drop across a circuit within the wireless electrosurgical device to determine the operating mode.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the electrosurgical device is a monopolar or bipolar electro surgical device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the RF electrical signal is only supplied to the treatment portion when at least two separate conductive pads on the glove touch the contact button, the contact trigger, or a contact region on the electrosurgical device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein a first conductive pad on the glove contacts a first contact switch on the electrosurgical device to operate in a low power mode and a second conductive pad on the glove contacts a second contact switch to activate a high power mode while maintaining contact between the first conductive pad and the first contact switch.

6. A glove system for powering a surgical device, comprising:

a wireless electrosurgical device including at least a first contact switch for setting an operating mode and a second contact switch;

a glove including at least two conductive pads, at least one conductive pad configured to select the operating mode; and

a generator configured to supply RF energy based on the selected operating mode to the wireless electrosurgical device via the glove when the at least two conductive pads are touching the first and second contact switches.

7. The glove system of claim 6 wherein the generator determines the operating mode by determining a voltage drop across a circuit within the wireless device.

8. The glove system of claim 6 wherein the wireless device is a monopolar device and a return pad is attached to a patient.

9. The glove system of claim 8, further comprising:

a detachable cable configured to attach the glove to the generator in monopolar mode.

10. The glove system of claim 6, wherein the wireless device is a bipolar device and a return pad contact is part of a handle assembly that interconnects with a palm conductive pad on the power glove to return RF energy to the generator.

11. The glove system of claim 10, further comprising:

a detachable cable configured to attach the glove to the generator in a bipolar mode.

12. The glove system of claim 6, further comprising:

a cable connecting the glove to the generator in either a monopolor mode or a bipolar mode.

13. The glove system of claim 6, wherein the glove is detachably connected to the at least two conductive pads.

14. The glove system of claim 13, wherein the glove is a single use disposable glove and the at least two conductive pads are configured for multiple uses with more than one disposable glove.

15. A method of using a glove to power an electrosurgical instrument, comprising:

touching a contact switch on a wireless bipolar device with a conductive pad on the glove to select a first operating mode for the wireless bipolar device;

determining a voltage drop across a first circuit within the wireless bipolar device to determine the first operating mode;

supplying RF energy in the first selected mode through the glove to the wireless bipolar device to perform a first electrosurgical procedure;

touching a contact switch on a wireless monopolar device with the conductive pad on the glove to select a second operating mode for the monopolar device;

determining a voltage drop across a second circuit within the wireless monopolar device to determine the second operating mode; and

supplying RF energy in the second selected mode through the glove to the wireless to monopolar device to perform a second electrosurgical procedure.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

returning RF energy through a return pad embedded within the glove to the generator while using the wireless bipolar device.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

returning RF energy through a return pad attached to a patient to the generator while using the wireless monopolar device.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the RF energy is only supplied to wireless bipolar or monopolar device when at least two conductive pads on the glove contact two contact buttons, triggers, or regions on the wireless bipolar or monopolar device.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

adjusting an intensity controller on the wireless bipolar or monopolar device to control the level of RF energy supplied, wherein the level includes a zero level as a safety feature.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

adjusting an intensity controller on the glove to control the level of RF energy supplied, wherein the level includes a zero level as a safety feature.