Polarity control of electrosurgical generator

• US 8,636,730 B2
• Filed: 07/12/2010
• Issued: 01/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Keppel, David S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Peffley, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): VAHDAT, KHADIJEH A
• Application Number:
  US12/834,364
• Publication Number:
  US 20120010610A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,296 Days
• Field of Search: 606 30- 50, 323/302, 323/911
• US Class Current: 606/34
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1206 Generators therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00892 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1213 creating an arc

Abstract

A method for controlling an electrosurgical generator is contemplated by the present disclosure. The method includes applying an electrosurgical waveform to tissue through an electrode. The electrosurgical waveform includes one or more positive half-cycles one or more negative half-cycles. The method also includes measuring voltage and current of the electrosurgical waveform to detect a peak voltage of each of the positive half-cycles and the negative half-cycles and comparing the peak voltage of the positive half-cycles and the peak voltage of the negative half-cycles to determine generation of electrical discharges. The method further includes adjusting the current of the electrosurgical waveform to regulate the generation of the electrical discharges based on a comparison of the peak voltage of the positive half-cycles and the peak voltage of the negative half-cycles.

Claims

1. A method for controlling an electrosurgical generator, the method comprising:

applying at least one electrosurgical waveform to tissue through at least one electrode, the at least one electrosurgical waveform including a plurality of cycles, each cycle having one positive half-cycle and one negative half-cycle;

measuring a voltage and a current of the at least one electrosurgical waveform to determine a peak voltage of each of the positive half-cycle and the negative half-cycle;

comparing the peak voltage of the positive half-cycle and the peak voltage of the negative half-cycle to determine generation of electrical discharges; and

adjusting the current of the at least one electrosurgical waveform to regulate the generation of the electrical discharges during each of the cycles based on a comparison of the peak voltage of the positive half-cycle and the peak voltage of the negative half-cycle.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the comparing further includes determining whether the peak voltage of the negative half-cycle is less than the peak voltage of the positive half-cycle.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising determining whether the voltage and the current of the at least one electrosurgical waveform reach a zero value simultaneously to determine whether the at least one electrode is in contact with the tissue.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the adjusting further includes increasing the current of the at least one electrosurgical waveform to increase the generation of the electrical discharges.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the adjusting further includes decreasing the current of the at least one electrosurgical waveform to decrease the generation of the electrical discharges.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one electrosurgical waveform includes a duty cycle of less than 100% but greater than 0%.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising increasing the duty cycle of the at least one electrosurgical waveform to increase the generation of the electrical discharges.

8. The method according to claim 6, further comprising decreasing the duty cycle of the at least one electrosurgical waveform to decrease the generation of the electrical discharges.

9. An electrosurgical generator, comprising:

an RF output stage configured to generate at least one electrosurgical waveform including a plurality of cycles, each cycle having one positive half-cycle and one negative half-cycle;

at least one sensor coupled to the RF output stage, the at least one sensor configured to measure a voltage and a current of the at least one electrosurgical waveform and to detect a peak voltage of each of the positive half-cycle and the negative half-cycle; and

a controller coupled to the at least one sensor, the controller configured to compare the peak voltage of the positive half-cycle and the peak voltage of the negative half-cycle to determine generation of electrical discharges, the controller further configured to adjust the current of the at least one electrosurgical waveform to regulate the generation of the electrical discharges during each of the cycles based on a comparison of the peak voltage of the positive half-cycle and the peak voltage of the negative half-cycle.

10. The electrosurgical generator according to claim 9, wherein the controller is further configured to determine whether the peak voltage of the negative half-cycle is less than the peak voltage of the positive half-cycle.

11. The electrosurgical generator according to claim 9, wherein the controller is further configured to increase the current of the at least one electrosurgical waveform to increase the generation of the electrical discharges.

12. The electrosurgical generator according to claim 9, wherein the controller is further configured to decrease the current of the at least one electrosurgical waveform to decrease the generation of the electrical discharges.

13. The electrosurgical generator according to claim 9, wherein the at least one electrosurgical waveform includes a duty cycle of less than 100% but greater than 0%.

14. The electrosurgical generator according to claim 13, wherein the controller is further configured to increase the duty cycle of the at least one electrosurgical waveform to increase the generation of the electrical discharges.

15. The electrosurgical generator according to claim 13, wherein the controller is further configured to decrease the duty cycle of the at least one electrosurgical waveform to decrease the generation of the electrical discharges.

16. An electrosurgical system, comprising:

an electrosurgical generator including;

an RF output stage configured to generate at least one electrosurgical waveform including a plurality of cycles, each cycle having one positive half-cycle and one negative half-cycle;

at least one sensor coupled to the RF output stage, the at least one sensor configured to measure a voltage and a current of the at least one electrosurgical waveform and to detect a peak voltage of each of the positive half-cycle and the negative half-cycle; and

a controller coupled to the at least one sensor, the controller configured to compare the peak voltage of the positive half-cycle and the peak voltage of the negative half-cycle to determine generation of electrical discharges, the controller further configured to adjust the current of the at least one electrosurgical waveform to regulate the generation of the electrical discharges during each of the cycles based on a comparison of the peak voltage of the positive half-cycle and the peak voltage of the negative half-cycle; and

at least one electrosurgical instrument configured to couple to the electrosurgical generator and to supply the at least one electrosurgical waveform to a tissue.

17. The electrosurgical system according to claim 16, wherein the controller is configured to determine whether the voltage and the current of the at least one electrosurgical waveform reach a zero value simultaneously to determine whether the at least one electrode is in contact with the tissue.

18. The electrosurgical system according to claim 16, wherein the controller is further configured to determine whether the peak voltage of the negative half-cycle is less than the peak voltage of the positive half-cycle.

19. The electrosurgical system according to claim 16, wherein the controller is further configured to increase the current of the at least one electrosurgical waveform to increase the generation of the electrical discharges.

20. The electrosurgical system according to claim 16, wherein the controller is further configured to decrease the current of the at least one electrosurgical waveform to decrease the generation of the electrical discharges.