Automatic control circuit for use in an electrosurgical generator

• US 8,377,054 B2
• Filed: 09/24/2009
• Issued: 02/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Gilbert, James A.
• Primary Examiner(s): PEFFLEY, MICHAEL F
• Application Number:
  US12/566,173
• Publication Number:
  US 20110071521A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,244 Days
• Field of Search: 606 32- 35, 606/41, 606/42, 606 48- 50
• US Class Current: 606/34
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1233 with circuits for assuring patient safety
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1442 Probes having pivoting end effectors, e.g. forceps
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1477 Needle-like probes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1815 using microwaves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00345 Vascular system
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00404 Blood vessels other than those in or around the heart
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00601 Cutting
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00619 Welding
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00875 Resistance or impedance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1425 Needle
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 17/0275 comprising non-recursive filters
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 17/0664 where the output-delivery frequency is lower than the input sampling frequency, i.e. decimation

Abstract

An automatic control circuit for an electrosurgical generator is herein disclosed. The automatic control circuit includes voltage and current sensing circuits, a processing circuit, a dosage calculating circuit, and control circuit. Samples of the voltage and current outputs are supplied to the processing circuit and the dosage calculating circuit to generate a dosage output signal. The dosage output signal is compared to a reference signal to generate a feedback signal that controls a drive circuit.

Claims

1. A system for controlling an output of an electrosurgical generator comprising:

a drive circuit for generating an output, the output being responsive to a feedback signal and operatively coupled to at least one electrode of the electrosurgical generator;

at least one sensing circuit operatively coupled to the at least one electrode for generating a first signal corresponding to a value of a voltage waveform present on the at least one electrode and a second signal corresponding to a value of a current waveform present on the at least one electrode;

a processing circuit for receiving the first and second signals, wherein the processing circuit implements a heterodyne polyphase demodulation and decimation filter for determining magnitudes and a power factor based on the voltage waveform and the current waveform, wherein the heterodyne polyphase demodulation and decimation filter includes a plurality of outputs, each of which is multiplied by a complex heterodyne of the form e<sup>jrθ

k</sup> where r ranges from 0 to the total number of filters of the heterodyne polyphase demodulation and decimation filter minus one, θ

is 2π

divided by the total number of filters, and k is the ratio of a modulating frequency θ

to a decimation frequency or an integer number of periods of the modulating frequency at an output sample rate, and wherein the modulating frequency is chosen in order to modulate the first signal and the second signal to a baseband frequency;

a determining circuit in communication with the processing circuit for generating an output signal as a function of a phase difference between the voltage waveform and the current waveform and/or real power; and

a control circuit for generating the feedback signal, the feedback signal representative of a difference between a value of the output signal and a reference value, the feedback signal operatively coupled to the drive circuit.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing circuit includes at least one digital signal processor.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the power factor is used to compensate for energy delivery at an operating site.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the power and power factor provides feedback to the generator about tissue relating to tissue change over time, tissue impedance, tissue type or tissue cycle completion.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensing circuit includes a voltage sensing circuit.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensing circuit includes a current sensing circuit.

7. A system for controlling an output of an electrosurgical generator comprising:

a drive circuit for generating an output, the output being responsive to a feedback signal from at least one electrode operatively coupled to the electrosurgical generator;

at least one sensing circuit operatively coupled to the at least one electrode that generates a first signal corresponding to a value of a voltage waveform present on the at least one electrode and a second signal corresponding to a value of a current waveform present on the at least one electrode;

a processing circuit for receiving the first and second signals, wherein the processing circuit implements a heterodyne polyphase demodulation and decimation filter for determining magnitudes and a power factor based on the voltage waveform, the current waveform, and/or real power, wherein the heterodyne polyphase demodulation and decimation filter includes a plurality of outputs, each of which is multiplied by a complex heterodyne of the form e<sup>jrθ

k</sup>, where r ranges from 0 to the total number of filters of the heterodyne polyphase demodulation and decimation filter minus one, θ

is 2π

divided by the total number of filters, and k is the ratio of a modulating frequency θ

to a decimation frequency or an integer number of periods of the modulating frequency at an output sample rate, and wherein the modulating frequency is chosen in order to modulate the signal to a baseband frequency, and wherein the modulating frequency is chosen to modulate the first signal and the second signal to a baseband frequency; and

a determining circuit in communication with the processing circuit that generates an output signal as a function of a phase difference between the voltage waveform and the current waveform and/or the real power.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprising:

a control circuit that generates the feedback signal, the feedback signal representative of a difference between a value of the output signal and a reference value, the feedback signal operatively coupled to the drive circuit.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the processing circuit includes at least one digital signal processor.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the power factor is used to compensate for energy delivery at an operating site.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the power factor provides feedback to the generator relating to tissue change over time, tissue impedance, tissue type or tissue cycle completion.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the at least one sensing circuit includes a voltage sensing circuit.

13. The system of claim 7, wherein the at least one sensing circuit includes a current sensing circuit.