Method and apparatus for ultrasonic surgical cutting and hemostatis
First Claim
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1. An ultrasonic surgical apparatus having at least two operating modes, said apparatus comprising:
- an instrument for performing a surgical function including cutting and cauterization;
means for transmitting power at an ultrasonic frequency to the instrument at a relatively high level when in a first operating mode wherein the surgical function is to be effected and the load on said instrument is relatively high;
said means also transmitting power to the instrument at a relatively low level in a second operating mode wherein the surgical function is not be effected;
means responsive to said power transmitting means for sensing an electrical parameter with an instantaneous value indicative of a loaded or an unloaded condition wherein, respectively, the instrument is or is not in contact with a medium on which the surgical function is to be performed;
means responsive to said sensing means for operating the means for transmitting in said first operating mode when the instrument is in contact with said medium and for operating the transmitting means in said second mode when the instrument is not in contact with said medium.
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Abstract
A power control arrangement for an ultrasonic surgical device such as a scalpel which provides power on demand in response to the continuous or periodic sensing of the loading condition (tissue contact or withdrawal) of the blade such that the device goes from a low power, idle state to a selectable high power, cutting state automatically depending on whether the scalpel is or is not in contact with tissue. A third, high power coagulation mode is manually selectable with automatic return to an idle power level when the blade is not in contact with tissue.
834 Citations
34 Claims
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1. An ultrasonic surgical apparatus having at least two operating modes, said apparatus comprising:
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an instrument for performing a surgical function including cutting and cauterization; means for transmitting power at an ultrasonic frequency to the instrument at a relatively high level when in a first operating mode wherein the surgical function is to be effected and the load on said instrument is relatively high; said means also transmitting power to the instrument at a relatively low level in a second operating mode wherein the surgical function is not be effected; means responsive to said power transmitting means for sensing an electrical parameter with an instantaneous value indicative of a loaded or an unloaded condition wherein, respectively, the instrument is or is not in contact with a medium on which the surgical function is to be performed; means responsive to said sensing means for operating the means for transmitting in said first operating mode when the instrument is in contact with said medium and for operating the transmitting means in said second mode when the instrument is not in contact with said medium. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. In an ultrasonic cutting instrument having at least two operating modes, the method of supplying power to said instrument comprising:
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transmitting power at an ultrasonic frequency to the cutting instrument at a relatively high level when in a first operating mode wherein cutting is to be effected and the load on said cutting instrument is relatively high; transmitting power at an ultrasonic frequency to the cutting instrument at a relatively low level in a second operating mode wherein cutting is not to be effected; sensing an electrical parameter with an instantaneous value which is indicative of a loaded or unloaded condition where, respectively, the cutting instrument is or is not in contact with a medium to be cut; operating in said first mode when contact with the medium is sensed; and operating in said second mode when contact with the medium is not sensed. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A process of operating an ultrasonic instrument, said instrument having at least two operating modes, the process comprising the steps of:
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operating the instrument in a first power mode wherein the power applied is sufficiently high as to cause the instrument to exhibit ultrasonic vibratory movement; operating the instrument in a second power mode wherein power is applied at a level sufficient to monitor electrical operating parameters but is sufficiently reduced as to substantially eliminate any ultrasonic vibratory movement; monitoring an operating parameter which is indicative of whether or not the instrument is in contact with a medium on which the instrument is to operate; causing the instrument to operate in said first power mode when it is in contact with said medium; and causing the instrument to operate in said second power mode when it is not in contact with said medium. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. An ultrasonic apparatus for use in surgical incising and cauterizing of tissue, the apparatus comprising:
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a surgical instrument; a power element operative in a first mode of operation to supply driving power to said instrument that is of a sufficient level to cause ultrasonic vibratory movement of the instrument, and operative in a second mode to supply sufficient power to said instrument to monitor electrical operating parameters but insufficient to cause substantial ultrasonic movement of the instrument; a feedback network responsive to said power element for detecting said operating parameters; a processing circuit responsive to said feedback network for monitoring at least one of said parameters for detecting whether or not said instrument is in contact with tissue, said processing circuit causing said power element to operate in said first mode when said tissue contact is detected and in said second mode when no contact is detected. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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- 33. The ultrasonic apparatus of claim wherein the power delivered in said third mode of operation causes sufficient heating of the scalpel blade as to obtain white thermal and coaptive coagulation of vessels up to 4 mm in diameter.
Specification