Electric treatment system

• US 6,666,860 B1
• Filed: 08/16/2000
• Issued: 12/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Olympus Optical Company Ltd. (Olympus Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Olympus Optical Company Ltd. (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Takahashi, Hiroyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Peffley, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vrettakos, Peter J
• Application Number:
  US09/640,039
• Time in Patent Office: 1,224 Days
• Field of Search: 606/1, 606/10-12, 606/32-35, 606/38, 606/45-50
• US Class Current: 606/34
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/320068 using mechanical vibrations, e.g. ultrasonic A61B17/22012 takes precedence; dental tooth drilling devices operated by vibration A61C3/03; removing intra-ocular material using mechanical vibrations A61F9/00745
• 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 18/14 Probes or electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00199 with a console, e.g. a control panel with a display
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00482 with a code
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320069 for ablating tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/32007 with suction or vacuum means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320082 for incising tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2217/005 with suction drainage system
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2217/007 with irrigation system

Abstract

A treatment tool for performing a treatment for a curative procedure with ultrasonic waves, high frequency current and so on is provided with an identifier formed of a resistor or the like for indicating the type of the treatment tool. A medical instrument such as an ultrasonic wave output apparatus discriminates the type of a treatment tool connected thereto from the identifier to automatically set operating parameters such as an output value suitable for the treatment tool and to associatively operate an ancillary medical instrument such as a perfusion/aspiration apparatus depending on the treatment tool, thereby reducing extra work such as manual setting to allow for a smooth treatment.

Claims

1. An electric treatment system comprising:

a plurality of types of treatment tools each for performing a curative procedure;

a first medical instrument to which at least one of said plurality of types of treatment tools is selectively and removably connected, including a first control unit for electrically controlling an operation of said at least one treatment tool connected thereto

a second medical instrument to which at least one of said plurality types of treatment tools is selectively and removably connected unit for controlling an ancillary operation of said at least one treatment tools, said second medical instrument being removably connected to said first medical instrument;

an identifier provided in each of said plurality of types of treatment tools for identifying said each treatment tool; and

an identifier discriminating device provided in said first medical instrument for discriminating the type of a connected treatment tool from said identifier and communicating a discrimination result to said second medical instrument;

wherein said second control unit selectively performs an associative control processing association with said first medical instrument and an independent control processing independent of said first medical instrument based on the discrimination result by said identifier discriminating device provided in said first medical instrument.

2. An electric treatment system according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of types of treatment tools each include an ultrasonic treatment tool for performing an ultrasonic-based treatment.

3. An electric treatment system according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of types of treatment tools include an electric knife treatment tool for performing a treatment with a high frequency current.

4. An electric treatment system according to claim 1, wherein said first medical instrument is an ultrasonic wave output apparatus for outputting ultrasonic waves.

5. An electric treatment system according to claim 4 wherein said operating parameters include an output setting for an ultrasonic wave output apparatus.

6. An electric treatment system according to claim 1, wherein said first medical instrument is an electric knife apparatus for outputting a high frequency current for an electric knife.

7. An electric treatment system according to claim 6, wherein said operating parameters include an output mode and an output setting for an electric knife apparatus.

8. An electric treatment system according to claim 1, wherein said second medical instrument is a perfusion/aspiration apparatus for performing perfusion and aspiration.

9. An electric treatment system according to claim 1, wherein said second medical instrument is a pneumoperitoneum apparatus for performing pneumoperitoneum.

10. An electric treatment system according to claim 1, wherein said first medical instrument and said second medical instrument are connected through a communication cable for communicating therebetween.

11. An electric treatment system according to claim 10, wherein said first medical instrument transmits information on the result of discrimination by said identifier discriminating device to said second medical instrument through said communication cable.

12. An electric treatment system according to claim 11, wherein said medical instrument relies on said information to determine whether or not said second medical instrument operates together with said first medical instrument.

13. An electric treatment system according to claim 11, wherein said second medical instrument relies on said information to determine operating parameters for which said second medical instrument operates together with said first medical instrument.

14. An electric treatment system according to claim 13, wherein said operating parameters include a perfusion amount and an aspiration amount when said second medical instrument is a perfusion/aspiration apparatus.

15. An electric treatment system according to claim 13, wherein said operating parameters include an abdominal pore pressure when said second medical instrument is a pneumoperitoneum apparatus.

16. An electric treatment system according to claim 1, wherein said first medical instrument and said second medical instrument are controlled by a controller for intensively controlling said medical instruments.

17. An electric treatment system according to claim 16, wherein said first medical instrument transmits information on the result of discrimination by said identifier discriminating device to said controller.

18. An electric treatment system according to claim 17, wherein said controller selectively indicates said second control unit of said second medical instrument to perform said associative control processing or said independent control processing in accordance with said information.

19. An electric treatment system according to claim 1, wherein said identifier is formed of a resistor.

20. An electric treatment system according to claim 1, wherein said second medical instrument includes a manipulation switch connected thereto for manipulating and indicating operations performed by said second medical instrument and said first medical instrument.

21. An electric treatment system according to claim 1, wherein said first medical instrument and said second medical instrument each comprise an ID information generator for generating ID information unique to said medical instrument and for transmitting said ID information through a communication cable.

22. An electric treatment system according to claim 21, wherein said first medical instrument and said second medical instrument each comprise an ID information identifier for identifying a medical instrument which has transmitted thereto through said communication cable.

23. An electric treatment system according to claim 22, wherein said first medical instrument determines whether or not said second medical instrument is connected thereto by transmitting and receiving said ID information to and from said second medical instrument.

24. An electric treatment system according to claim 23, wherein said medical instrument operates as a stand-alone medical instrument when said first medical instrument determines that said second medical instrument is not connected thereto by transmitting and receiving said ID information to and from said second medical instrument.

25. An electric treatment system according to claim 23, wherein when said first medical instrument determines that said second medical instrument is connected thereto by transmitting and receiving said ID information to and from said second medical instrument, said first medical instrument sends a control signal for selectively indicating to perform said associative control processing or said independent control processing to said second medical instrument depending on the type of the connected treatment tool.

26. An electric treatment system according to claim 1, further comprising an output switching apparatus connected to said first medical instrument for removably connecting a plurality of treatment tools simultaneously.

27. An electric treatment system according to claim 26, wherein said output switching apparatus is switched through a selection switch to make operable one of a plurality of treatment tools connected thereto.

28. An electric treatment system according to claim 1,

wherein said first medical instrument and said second medical instrument include communication units, respectively, for communicating between said first medical instrument and said second medical instrument.

29. An electric treatment system comprising:

a plurality of types of treatment tools each for performing a treatment for a curative procedure;

a first medical instrument to which at least one of said plurality of types of treatment tools is selectively and removably connected, including a first control unit for electrically controlling an operation of said at least one treatment tool connected thereto;

a second medical instrument to which at least one of said plurality of types of treatment tools is selectively and removably connected, including a second control unit for controlling an ancillary operation of said at least one treatment tool, said second medical instrument being removably connected to said first medical instrument;

an information storing unit provided in each of said plurality of types of treatment tools;

a reader unit provided in each of said first medical instrument for reading information from said storing unit to discriminate at least the type of a treatment tool connected to said first medical instrument and communicating a discrimination result to said second medical instrument;

wherein said second control unit selectively performs an associative control processing in association with said first medical instrument and an independent control processing independent of said first medical instrument based on the discrimination result by said reader unit provided in said first medical instrument.

30. An electric treatment system according to claim 29, wherein said storing unit is a non-volatile electrically rewritable memory.

31. An electric treatment system according to claim 30, wherein said memory is EEPROM.

32. An electric treatment system according to claim 29, wherein said plurality of types of treatment tools include an ultrasonic treatment tool for performing an ultrasonic-based treatment.

33. An electric treatment system according to claim 29, wherein said plurality of types of treatment tools include an electric knife treatment tool for performing a treatment with a high frequency current.

34. An electric treatment system according to claim 29, wherein said first medical instrument is an ultrasonic wave output apparatus for outputting ultrasonic waves.

35. An electric treatment system according to claim 29, wherein said first medical instrument is an electric knife apparatus for outputting a high frequency current for an electric knife.

36. An electric treatment system according to claim 29,

wherein said first medical instrument and said second medical instrument include communication units, respectively, for communicating between said first medical instrument and said second medical instrument.