Vessel sealing system

• US 8,591,506 B2
• Filed: 10/16/2012
• Issued: 11/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Covidien AG (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Covidien AG (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Wham, Robert H., Buysse, Steven P., Orszulak, James H.
• Primary Examiner(s): PEFFLEY, MICHAEL F
• Application Number:
  US13/652,932
• Publication Number:
  US 20130041367A1
• Time in Patent Office: 406 Days
• Field of Search: 606 32- 35, 606/41, 606 48- 52
• US Class Current: 606/34
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12 for ligaturing or otherwise compressing tubular parts of the body, e.g. blood vessels, umbilical cord specially adapted for vas deferens or fallopian tubes A61F6/20; materials for ligaturing blood vessels A61L17/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/00 Surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body eye surgery A61F9/007; ear surgery A61F11/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1206 Generators therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1442 Probes having pivoting end effectors, e.g. forceps
• 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 18/1482 having a long rigid shaft for accessing the inner body transcutaneously in minimal invasive surgery, e.g. laparoscopy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/18 by applying electromagnetic radiation, e.g. microwaves radiation therapy A61N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2945 Curved jaws
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00404 Blood vessels other than those in or around the heart
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00428 Severing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00589 Coagulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00601 Cutting
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0063 Sealing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00684 using lookup tables
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00702 Power or energy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00726 Duty cycle
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00791 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00827 Current
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00875 Resistance or impedance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/126 bipolar
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1432 : curved
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1467 : using more than two electrodes on a single probe

Abstract

An electrosurgical system is disclosed. The electrosurgical system includes an electrosurgical generator adapted to supply electrosurgical energy to tissue. The electrosurgical generator includes impedance sensing circuitry which measures impedance of tissue, a microprocessor configured to determine whether a tissue reaction has occurred as a function of a minimum impedance value and a predetermined rise in impedance, wherein tissue reaction corresponds to a boiling point of tissue fluid, and an electrosurgical instrument including at least one active electrode adapted to apply electrosurgical energy to tissue.

Claims

1. A method for electrosurgically sealing tissue, comprising the steps of:

positioning a first electrode and a second electrode about tissue forming a gap therebetween;

applying a first pulse of RF energy to the first and second electrodes forming an electrical potential therebetween; and

controlling at least one subsequent pulse of RF energy, wherein the difference in electrical potential between the first and second electrodes is decreased as the gap between the first and second electrodes is decreased.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the decrease in the gap is induced by desiccation of tissue during sealing.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the difference in electrical potential is decreased to avoid arcing between the first and second electrodes.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is terminated after applying one subsequent pulse of RF energy.

5. A method for electrosurgically sealing tissue, comprising the steps of:

positioning a first electrode and a second electrode about tissue forming a gap therebetween;

applying a first pulse of RF energy to the first and second electrodes forming an electrical potential therebetween; and

controlling successive pulses of RF energy wherein the difference in electrical potential between the first and second electrodes for each successive pulse of RF energy is decreased as the gap between the first and second electrodes is decreased.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the decrease in the gap is induced by desiccation of tissue during sealing.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the difference in electrical potential is decreased to avoid arcing between the first and second electrodes.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the RF energy is controllably decreased.