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Methods, systems, and devices for performing electrosurgical procedures

  • US 8,500,727 B2
  • Filed: 05/12/2009
  • Issued: 08/06/2013
  • Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2008
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. An electrosurgical system comprising:

  • an electrosurgical electrode adapted to transmit electrical energy to patient tissue during an electrosurgical procedure, the electrode having a configuration that enhances rapid feedback used to automatically correct and regulate power levels applied to the electrode, the electrode comprising a working surface that is sharpened to concentrate the electrical energy transmitted from the electrode to the patient tissue during an electrosurgical procedure so that concentration of the electrical energy to the patient tissue improves both speed with which the electrode is able to cut or cauterize the tissue while also reducing likelihood of tissue damage in tissue surrounding the cut or cauterized tissue, the improved speed with which the electrode is able to cut or cauterize tissue providing more rapid feedback that can be used to regulate power levels applied to the electrode; and

    an electrosurgical wave generator electrically coupled to the electrode, the wave generator comprising;

    a power source for providing electrical energy to said electrode working surface at a specified frequency;

    at least one of a voltage sensor and a current sensor coupled between the power source and the electrode for sensing one or more electrical feedback parameters from which the tissue impedance can be essentially continuously sampled so that the tissue impedance can be used to rapidly adjust power levels applied to the electrode during a cut or cauterize procedure to avoid application of excess power and tissue damage; and

    a processor programmed with executable instructions for processing the sensed electrical parameters to re-compute tissue impedance for each sample taken while cutting or cauterizing the tissue so that (i) as cutting or cauterizing the tissue is initiated, power to the electrode is rapidly increased up to a pre-determined tissue impedance level, and then (ii) as tissue impedance increases above the pre-determined tissue impedance level, the power to the electrode is rapidly reduced in inverse proportion to further increases in tissue impedance.

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