Electrosurgical generator

• US 8,790,335 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2009
• Issued: 07/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Gilbert, James A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dvorak, Linda
• Assistant Examiner(s): SCOTT, AMANDA L
• Application Number:
  US12/549,563
• Publication Number:
  US 20110054460A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,796 Days
• Field of Search: 606 32- 35
• US Class Current: 606/33
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1206 Generators therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1233 with circuits for assuring patient safety
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/14 Probes or electrodes therefor
• 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 2018/00827 Current
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00892 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1425 Needle

Abstract

An electrosurgical system is provided. The electrosurgical system includes an electrosurgical generator adapted to supply electrosurgical energy to tissue. A power source operably couples to the electrosurgical generator and is configured to deliver power to one or more types of loads connected to the electrosurgical generator. The electrosurgical generator includes a controller including a microprocessor coupled to the electrosurgical generator and configured to control the output of the electrosurgical generator. A fiber optic connection circuit is in operative communication with the controller and includes one or more types of logic devices and one or more types of fiber optic channels. The fiber optic connection circuit is configured to mitigate leakage current associated with at least one of a plurality of components operatively associated with the electrosurgical generator by providing isolation.

Claims

1. An electrosurgical system, comprising:

an electrosurgical generator adapted to supply electrosurgical energy to tissue;

a power source operably coupled to the electrosurgical generator and configured to deliver power to at least one load connected to the electrosurgical generator;

a controller including a microprocessor coupled to the electrosurgical generator and configured to control the output of the electrosurgical generator;

a fiber optic connection circuit in operative communication with the controller and including at least one logic device and at least one fiber optic channel,

wherein the fiber optic connection circuit is a component of the electrosurgical generator and configured to provide isolation so as to mitigate leakage current associated with at least one of a plurality of internal components operatively associated with the electrosurgical generator and coupled to the at least one logic device.

2. An electrosurgical system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one logic device is selected from the group consisting of a complex programmable logic device, a field programmable gate array and a field programmable gate array including processor cores.

3. An electrosurgical system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one fiber optic channel is based on a data link protocol selected from the group consisting of Ethernet, R5232/422/485, and S/PDIF.

4. An electrosurgical system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of components associated with the generator includes an activation device selected from the group consisting of toggle switches, voltage divider networks and potentiometers.

5. An electrosurgical system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of components associated with the generator includes one of a port selection and relay control.

6. An electrosurgical system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of components associated with the generator includes at least one of a voltage and current sensor.

7. An electrosurgical system according to claim 6, wherein each of the voltage and current sensors is connected to an RF output module of the generator.

8. An electrosurgical system according to claim 1, wherein the fiber optic connection circuit further includes at least one buffer operatively disposed between the controller and the logic device.

9. An electrosurgical generator configured for use with an electrosurgical system, the electrosurgical generator comprising:

a power source operably coupled to the electrosurgical generator and configured to deliver power to at least one load connected to the electrosurgical generator;

a controller including a microprocessor coupled to the electrosurgical generator and configured to control the output of the electrosurgical generator;

a fiber optic connection circuit in operative communication with the controller and including at least one logic device and at least one fiber optic channel,

wherein the fiber optic connection circuit is configured to provide isolation so as to mitigate leakage current associated with at least one of a plurality of internal components operatively associated with the electrosurgical generator and coupled to the at least one logic device.

10. An electrosurgical generator according to claim 9, wherein the at least one logic device is selected from the group consisting of a complex programmable logic device, a field programmable gate array and a field programmable gate array including processor cores.

11. An electrosurgical generator according to claim 9, wherein the at least one fiber optic channel is based on a data link protocol selected from the group consisting of Ethernet, R5232/422/485 and S/PDIF.

12. An electrosurgical generator according to claim 9, wherein at least one of the plurality of components associated with the generator includes an activation device selected from the group consisting of toggle switches, voltage divider networks and potentiometers.

13. An electrosurgical generator according to claim 9, wherein at least one of the plurality of components associated with the generator includes one of a port selection and relay control.

14. An electrosurgical generator according to claim 9, wherein at least one of the plurality of components associated with the generator includes at least one of a voltage and current sensor.

15. An electrosurgical generator according to claim 14, wherein each of the voltage and current sensors is connected to an RF output module of the generator.

16. An electrosurgical generator according to claim 9, wherein the fiber optic connection circuit further includes at least one buffer operatively disposed between the controller and the logic device.