Devices and techniques for cutting and coagulating tissue

• US 9,504,855 B2
• Filed: 03/20/2015
• Issued: 11/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cilag Gmbh International (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Surgery LLC
• Inventors: Price, Nathan J., Messerly, Jeffrey D., Wiener, Eitan T., Noyes, Brian T., Aldridge, Jeffrey L., Giordano, James R., Beetel, Robert J. III, Abbott, Daniel J., Stulen, Foster B., Miller, Matthew C., Voegele, Aaron C., Wiley, Jeffrey P., Price, Daniel W., Koch, Robert L.
• Primary Examiner(s): DOUGHERTY, THOMAS M
• Application Number:
  US14/664,233
• Publication Number:
  US 20150196318A1
• Time in Patent Office: 620 Days
• Field of Search: 310314-319
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 a 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. A first response is triggered when the first set of logic conditions is met. A parameter is determined from the at least one electrical signal.

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 against a first set of logic conditions;

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

determining, from the at least one electrical signal, a parameter associated with the surgical instrument, the determined parameter being a rate of temperature change of the end effector assessed by calculating a frequency slope; and

comparing the frequency slope against a predetermined threshold.

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

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

4. 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 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 parameter is proportional to a frequency slope, and wherein the determined parameter is a rate of temperature change of the end effector.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the rate of temperature change is a rate of cooling.

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

7. A device for driving an end effector coupled to an ultrasonic drive system of a surgical instrument, the device comprising:

a generator configured to generate at least one electrical signal; and

a control circuit, comprising;

a processor; and

a memory storing program instructions, which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform the steps of;

monitoring the 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;

determining, from the at least one electrical signal, a parameter associated with the surgical instrument, wherein the determined parameter is a rate of temperature change of the end effector assessed by calculating a frequency slope, and

comparing the frequency slope against a predetermined threshold.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the rate of temperature change is a rate of cooling.

9. The device of claim 7, wherein the rate of temperature change is a rate of heating.

10. A device for driving an end effector coupled to an ultrasonic drive system of a surgical instrument, the device comprising:

a generator configured to generate at least one electrical signal; and

a control circuit, comprising;

a processor; and

a memory storing program instructions, which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform the steps of;

monitoring the 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; and

wherein the determined parameter is proportional to a frequency slope, and wherein the determined parameter is a rate of temperature change of the end effector.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the rate of temperature change is a rate of cooling.

12. The device of claim 10, wherein the rate of temperature change is a rate of heating.

13. A device for driving an end effector coupled to an ultrasonic drive system of a surgical instrument, the device comprising:

a generator configured to generate at least one electrical signal; and

a control circuit, comprising;

a processor; and

memory-storing program instructions, which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform the steps of;

monitoring the 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;

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

monitoring impedance of a transducer of the ultrasonic drive system in a dwells region during pulsed activation.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the determined parameter is an impedance of the end effector, and wherein the steps further comprise:

resetting the generator when the impedance crosses a predetermined threshold.