Electrosurgical system

• US 8,915,910 B2
• Filed: 04/01/2009
• Issued: 12/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Applied Medical Resources Corporation (Applied Medical Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Applied Medical Resources Corporation (Applied Medical Corporation)
• Inventors: Falkenstein, Zoran, Cappello, Christopher J., Johnson, Gary M., Gianneschi, Benjamin A., Tran, Olivia J., Wixey, Matthew A., Pravongviengkham, Kennii, Pravong, Boun, Yawata, Haruyasu, Becerra, Matthew M., Brustad, John R., Cohen, Adam J., Hilal, Nabil, Pingleton, Edward D., Hilal, Said S., Hart, Charles C., Wikoff, Chris R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Quynh-Nhu H
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILSON, LARRY ROSS
• Application Number:
  US12/416,765
• Publication Number:
  US 20090248013A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,092 Days
• Field of Search: 606 33- 35, 606/38, 606/41, 606/48, 606/42, 606/50, 606/51, 606/52, 606/159, 606169-171, 606/180
• US Class Current: 606/34
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/07207 the staples being applied sequentially
• 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 18/16 Indifferent or passive electrodes for grounding
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00199 with a console, e.g. a control panel with a display
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2945 Curved jaws
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00041 Heating, e.g. defrosting
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00077 high, i.e. electrically conducting
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00178 Electrical connectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00208 actively driven, e.g. by a motor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00345 Vascular system
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00404 Blood vessels other than those in or around the heart
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00494 Stomach, intestines or bowel
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00511 Kidney
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00589 Coagulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00601 Cutting
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00607 Coagulation and cutting with the same instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00619 Welding
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00642 with feedback, i.e. closed loop control
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00666 : using a threshold value
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00702 : Power or energy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00869 : Phase
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00875 : Resistance or impedance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00892 : Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00898 : Alarms or notifications created in response to an abnormal condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00916 : with means for switching or controlling the main function of the instrument or device
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00922 : by switching or controlling the treatment energy directly within the hand-piece
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00988 : Means for storing information, e.g. calibration constants, or for preventing excessive use, e.g. usage, service life counter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/124 : switching the output to different electrodes, e.g. sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/126 : bipolar
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1266 : with DC current output
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1412 : Blade
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1432 : curved
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/144 : Wire
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1455 : having a moving blade for cutting tissue grasped by the jaws
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1467 : using more than two electrodes on a single probe
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/162 : located on the probe body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/90 : Identification means for patients or instruments, e.g. tags

Abstract

Phase end point determination is provided to automatically halt the application of energy to tissue. Prior to the application of energy, the phase end point determination is identified by measuring the product of permittivity and conductivity of the tissue to be treated. An electrosurgical system can include an electrosurgical generator, a feedback circuit or controller, and an electrosurgical tool. The feedback circuit can provide an electrosurgery endpoint by determining the phase end point of a tissue to be treated. The electrosurgical system can include more than one electrosurgical tool for different electrosurgical operations and can include a variety of user interface features and audio/visual performance indicators. The electrosurgical system can also power conventional bipolar electrosurgical tools and direct current surgical appliances.

Claims

1. A electrosurgical system for application of treatment energy to a patient involved in bipolar electrosurgery, the system comprising:

an electrosurgical generator configured to generate and output a treatment energy along with a measurement signal;

an electrosurgical control unit configured to direct the output of treatment energy and a measurement signal; and

a bipolar electrosurgical tool removably connected to one of the electrosurgical generator and the electrosurgical control unit and arranged to contact tissue via similarly sized electrodes on movable jaws and apply the treatment energy and the measurement signal to the tissue between the electrodes,

wherein the electrosurgical control unit is configured to measure permittivity and conductivity of the tissue through the application of the measurement signal, determine an initial phase angle based on a product of the measured permittivity and conductivity of the tissue, and determine an end point phase angle from the determined initial phase angle, the end point phase angle being a phase difference between applied voltage and current of the treatment energy and indicating fusion of the tissue in direct contact with the electrodes and the electrosurgical control unit disrupts the application of the treatment energy when a phase angle of the applied treatment energy exceeds the end point phase angle.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the electrosurgical control unit applies the measurement signal prior to the application of the treatment energy and further includes band pass filters to permit continuous application of the measurement signal during the application of the treatment energy.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the electrosurgical control unit disrupts the application of the treatment energy when a derivative of the phase difference of the applied treatment energy exceeds a pre-determined phase derivative.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the electrosurgical control unit measures impedance of the electrosurgical tool and adjusts the end point phase angle based on the measured impedance.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the end point phase angle is decreased based on adjustments of the initial phase angle that is decreased as compared to a predetermined phase angle of a predetermined electrosurgical tool when the impedance of the electrosurgical tool is greater than capacitance of the predetermined electrosurgical tool.

6. The system of claim 4 wherein the end point phase angle is increased when the impedance of the electrosurgical tool is less than capacitance of a predetermined electro surgical tool.

7. The system of claim 3 wherein the electrosurgical control unit measures capacitance of the electrosurgical tool and adjusts the end point phase angle based on the measured capacitance of the electrosurgical tool.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the end point phase angle is decreased based on adjustments of the initial phase angle that is decreased as compared to a predetermined phase angle of a predetermined electrosurgical tool when the capacitance of the electrosurgical tool is greater than capacitance of the predetermined electrosurgical tool.

9. The system of claim 7 wherein the end point phase angle is increased when the capacitance of the electrosurgical tool is less than capacitance of a predetermined electrosurgical tool.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the electrosurgical control unit disrupts the application of the treatment energy when a derivative of the phase difference exceeds 0.01 degrees per second.