Devices and techniques for cutting and coagulating tissue

• US 8,749,116 B2
• Filed: 08/14/2012
• Issued: 06/10/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cilag Gmbh International (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Messerly, Jeffrey D., Wiener, Eitan T., Noyes, Brian T., Aldridge, Jeffrey L., Giordano, James R., Beetel, Robert J., Abbott, Daniel J., Stulen, Foster B., Miller, Matthew C., Price, Nathan J.
• Primary Examiner(s): DOUGHERTY, THOMAS M
• Application Number:
  US13/585,292
• Publication Number:
  US 20120310264A1
• Time in Patent Office: 665 Days
• Field of Search: 310/317, 310/318, 310/315, 227/110, 227/116, 227/129, 227/175.1, 227/178.1, 606/142, 606/167, 606/169, 606/178
• US Class Current: 310/315
• 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 18/1206 Generators therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/14 Probes or electrodes therefor
• 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 2017/00026 Conductivity or impedance, e.g. of tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00084 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00176 Two pulses, e.g. second pulse having an effect different from the first one
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00203 with speech control or speech recognition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00973 pedal-operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320093 additional movable means performing cutting operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320094 additional movable means performing clamping operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320095 with sealing or cauterizing means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00005 Cooling or heating of the probe or tissue immediately surrounding the probe
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00303 active, e.g. with a motor creating vibrations
• 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 2018/00666 using a threshold value
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00791 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00845 Frequency
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00875 : Resistance or impedance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00994 : combining two or more different kinds of non-mechanical energy or combining one or more non-mechanical energies with ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/053 : Measuring electrical impedance or conductance of a portion of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4836 : Diagnosis combined with treatment in closed-loop systems or methods A61B5/0036 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 7/00 : Ultrasound therapy lithotripsy A61B17/22, A61B17/225; massage using supersonic vibration A61H23/00 ; using ultrasound for introducing media into the body A61M37/0092
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 7/02 : Localised ultrasound hyperthermia hyperthermia in general A61F7/00
• CPC Class Codes: B06B 1/0284 : with consecutive, i.e. sequential generation, e.g. with frequency sweep
• CPC Class Codes: B06B 2201/76 : Medical, dental
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 : electric

Abstract

Various embodiments are directed to an apparatus and method of driving an end effector coupled to an ultrasonic drive system of a surgical instrument. The method comprises generating at least one electrical signal. The at least one electrical signal is monitored against a first set of logic conditions.

Claims

1. A method of driving an end effector coupled to an ultrasonic drive system of a surgical instrument, the method comprising:

generating by a generator at least one electrical signal;

monitoring the at least one electrical signal;

comparing the monitored at least one electrical signal against a first set of logic conditions;

triggering a first response of the generator when the first set of logic conditions is met; and

determining from the at least one electrical signal a parameter associated with the surgical instrument;

wherein the determined at least one electrical signal parameter is a rate of temperature change of the end effector, the method comprising assessing the rate of temperature change of the end effector by calculating a frequency slope and comparing the frequency slope against a predetermined threshold.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the determined at least one electrical signal parameter is an impedance of the end effector, the method comprising resetting the generator when the impedance crosses a predetermined threshold.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the rate of temperature change is a rate of cooling.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the rate of temperature change is a rate of heating.

5. The method of claim 1, comprising monitoring impedance of a transducer of the ultrasonic drive system in a dwell period while the frequency slope is substantially zero during pulsed activation.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring the at least one electrical signal comprises sampling the at least one electrical signal with an analog-to-digital converter.

7. An ultrasonic drive system for driving an end effector of a surgical instrument, the ultrasonic drive system comprising:

a generator to generate at least one electrical signal; and

a circuit coupled to the generator, wherein the circuit is operative to;

monitor the at least one electrical signal;

compare the monitored at least one electrical signal against a first set of logic conditions;

trigger a first response of the generator when the first set of logic conditions is met; and

determine from the at least one electrical signal a parameter associated with the surgical instrument;

wherein the determined at least one electrical signal parameter is a rate of temperature change of the end effector and the circuit is operative to assess the rate of temperature change of the end effector by calculating a frequency slope and comparing the frequency slope against a predetermined threshold.

8. The ultrasonic drive system of claim 7, wherein the determined at least one electrical signal parameter is an impedance of the end effector and the circuit is operative to reset the generator when the impedance crosses a predetermined threshold.

9. The ultrasonic drive system of claim 7, wherein the rate of temperature change is a rate of cooling.

10. The ultrasonic drive system of claim 7, wherein the rate of temperature change is a rate of heating.

11. The ultrasonic drive system of claim 7, wherein the circuit is operative to monitor impedance of a transducer of the ultrasonic drive system in a dwell period while the frequency slope is substantially zero during pulsed activation.

12. The ultrasonic drive system of claim 7, wherein the circuit comprises an analog-to-digital converter to sample the at least one electrical signal.

13. The ultrasonic drive system of claim 7, wherein the circuit comprises a processor.

14. A surgical instrument, comprising:

an end effector; and

an ultrasonic drive system coupled to the end effector for driving the end effector, the ultrasonic drive system comprising;

a generator to generate at least one electrical signal; and

a circuit coupled to the generator, wherein the circuit is operative to;

monitor the at least one electrical signal;

compare the monitored at least one electrical signal against a first set of logic conditions;

trigger a first response of the generator when the first set of logic conditions is met; and

determine from the at least one electrical signal a parameter associated with the surgical instrument;

wherein the determined at least one electrical signal parameter is a rate of temperature change of the end effector and the circuit is operative to assess the rate of temperature change of the end effector by calculating a frequency slope and comparing the frequency slope against a predetermined threshold.

15. The surgical instrument of claim 14, wherein the determined at least one electrical signal parameter is an impedance of the end effector and the circuit is operative to reset the generator when the impedance crosses a predetermined threshold.

16. The surgical instrument of claim 14, wherein the rate of temperature change is a rate of cooling.

17. The surgical instrument of claim 14, wherein the rate of temperature change is a rate of heating.

18. The surgical instrument of claim 14, wherein the circuit is operative to monitor impedance of a transducer of the ultrasonic drive system in a dwell period while the frequency slope is substantially zero during pulsed activation.

19. The surgical instrument of claim 14, wherein the circuit comprises an analog-to-digital converter to sample the at least one electrical signal.

20. The surgical instrument of claim 14, wherein the circuit comprises a processor.