Devices and techniques for cutting and coagulating tissue

• US 9,795,808 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2015
• Issued: 10/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cilag Gmbh International (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon, LLC (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Messerly, Jeffrey D., Wiener, Eitan T., Noyes, Brian T., Aldridge, Jeffrey L., Giordano, James R., Beetel, III, Robert J., Abbott, Daniel J., Miller, Matthew C., Voegele, Aaron C., Wiley, Jeffrey P., Price, Nathan J., Price, Daniel W., Koch, Jr., Robert L.
• Primary Examiner(s): DOUGHERTY, THOMAS M
• Application Number:
  US14/657,794
• Publication Number:
  US 20150182251A1
• Time in Patent Office: 956 Days
• Field of Search: 310311-371, 310800
• 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. An ultrasonic surgical system for treating tissue, the system comprising:

an ultrasonic transducer;

an end effector coupled to the ultrasonic transducer;

a switch having a first position and a second position; and

a generator in communication with the switch and the ultrasonic transducer, wherein;

in the first switch position, the generator is configured to provide a continuous drive signal to the ultrasonic transducer; and

in the second switch position, the generator is configured to provide a pulsed drive signal to the ultrasonic transducer.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a generator console, wherein the generator is positioned within the generator console;

a device housing, wherein the ultrasonic transducer and the switch are positioned at least partially within the device housing; and

a cable providing an electrical connection between the generator and the ultrasonic transducer.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the generator and the ultrasonic transducer are positioned within a common housing.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the continuous drive signal is at a power level less than a maximum power level for the system.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the pulsed drive signal is at a maximum power level for the system.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the continuous drive signal has a first power and the second pulsed drive signal has a second power higher than the first power.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein with respect to the pulsed drive signal, the generator is configured to provide:

a first pulse amplitude for a first pulse time; and

a second pulse amplitude for a second pulse time.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the generator is further configured to:

monitor the continuous drive signal against a first set of logic conditions; and

trigger a pulsing response when the first set of logic conditions is met, wherein with respect to the pulsing response, the generator is configured to provide;

a first pulse amplitude for a first pulse time; and

a second pulse amplitude for a second pulse time.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the end effector and the ultrasonic transducer are configured to resonate at a resonant frequency, and wherein with respect to the continuous drive signal, the generator is configured to:

set the continuous drive signal to a first frequency for a first time period, wherein the first frequency is different from the resonant frequency; and

after the first time period, set the continuous drive signal to the resonant frequency.

10. An ultrasonic surgical system for treating tissue, the system comprising:

an ultrasonic transducer;

an end effector coupled to the ultrasonic transducer;

a switch having a first position and a second position; and

a generator in communication with the switch and the ultrasonic transducer, wherein in the first switch position, the generator is configured to provide a continuous drive signal to the ultrasonic transducer and in the second switch position, the generator is configured to provide a pulsed drive signal to the ultrasonic transducer;

wherein with respect to the continuous drive signal, the generator is configured to provide;

a first current for a first interval;

a second current for a second interval after the first interval, wherein the second current is higher than the first current; and

a third current for a third interval after the second interval, wherein the third current is higher than the second current.

11. A surgical system for treating tissue, the system comprising:

an end effector for treating tissue;

a switch having a first position and a second position; and

a generator in communication with the switch, wherein the generator is configured to;

in the first switch position, provide a continuous drive signal to drive the end effector; and

in the second switch position, provide a pulsed drive signal to drive the end effector.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the continuous drive signal has a first power and the pulsed drive signal has a second power higher than the first power.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein with respect to the pulsed drive signal the generator is configured to provide:

a first pulse amplitude for a first pulse time; and

a second pulse amplitude for a second pulse time.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the generator is further configured to:

determine that the pulsed drive signal meets a first set of logic conditions;

trigger a pulsing response in the pulsed drive signal when the first set of logic conditions is met, wherein the pulsing response comprises;

a first pulse amplitude for a first pulse time; and

a second pulse amplitude for a second pulse time.

15. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

an ultrasonic transducer, wherein the end effector is coupled to the ultrasonic transducer, wherein the end effector and the ultrasonic transducer are configured to resonate at a resonant frequency, and wherein with respect to the continuous drive signal, the generator is configured to;

set the continuous drive signal to a first frequency for a first time period, wherein the first frequency is different from the resonant frequency; and

after the first time period, set the continuous drive signal to the resonant frequency.

16. A surgical system for treating tissue, the system comprising:

an end effector for treating tissue;

a switch having a first position and a second position; and

a generator in communication with the switch, wherein the generator is configured to;

in the first switch position, provide a first drive signal to drive the end effector; and

in the second switch position, provide a second drive signal to drive the end effector;

wherein with respect to the first drive signal, the generator is configured to provide;

a first current for a first interval;

a second current for a second interval after the first interval, wherein the second current is higher than the first current; and

a third current for a third interval after the second interval, wherein the third current is higher than the second current.