Surgical instrument with tissue recognition

• US 10,251,695 B2
• Filed: 06/19/2014
• Issued: 04/09/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Erbe Elektromedizin GmbH (C. Erbe GmbH)
• Original Assignee: Erbe Elektromedizin GmbH (C. Erbe GmbH)
• Inventors: Fischer, Klaus, Neugebauer, Alexander, Spether, Dominik
• Primary Examiner(s): Fowler, Daniel W
• Application Number:
  US14/308,830
• Publication Number:
  US 20140378961A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,755 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1233 with circuits for assuring patient safety
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1477 Needle-like probes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1485 having a short rigid shaft for accessing the inner body through natural openings
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00061 spectrum
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00128 related to intensity or progress of surgical action
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00577 Ablation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00601 Cutting
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00642 with feedback, i.e. closed loop control
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0072 Current
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00904 Automatic detection of target tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1213 creating an arc
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2218/005 using gas or vapor, e.g. for protection or purging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0075 by spectroscopy, i.e. measuring spectra, e.g. Raman spectroscopy, infrared absorption spectroscopy A61B5/0071 takes precedence

Abstract

An electrosurgical device for recognizing tissue by means of spectral analysis of the light generated at an electrode. An acoustic or optical indicator device displays the tissue type permanently or when detecting certain tissue. Indicators, in particular optical indicators, are arranged in the application field of view, so as to support the user in response to making an incision.

Claims

1. An electrosurgical device for impacting a biological tissue by means of an electrical discharge comprising:

an instrument comprising an electrode, which can be connected to an electrical source;

a plurality of light-recording devices arranged radially around the electrode and oriented in an axial direction toward respective portions of biological tissue to record in respective light-recording fields light emitted from a spark hitting the respective portions of biological tissue, the light-recording fields extending from the plurality of light-recording devices to the portions of biological tissue and arranged radially around the electrode;

a light-analysis device configured to determine tissue type of the portions of biological tissue by means of spectral analysis of the light emitted by the spark and recorded by the light-recording devices; and

an indicator device for displaying a color corresponding to the determined tissue type and for indicating the radial direction relative to the electrode of the portions of the biological tissue having the respective tissue type,

wherein the indicator device comprises projection means to project the colored light corresponding to the determined tissue type into the light-recording fields.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the indicator device is arranged in an area that is visible by a user of the electrosurgical device.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the light-analysis device is equipped to compare the recorded light with at least one reference spectral dataset.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the light-analysis device is configured to obtain the reference spectral dataset in one or a plurality of calibration steps.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the projection means includes indicator fibers or a second part of an optical fiber, which are connected to a plurality of light outlet windows.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the light outlet windows are respectively arranged in or at a plurality of light inlet windows of respective light-recording devices.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of light-recording devices includes distal end areas of at least one fiber bundle extending from a respective light inlet window to the light-analysis device.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of light-recording devices comprises a light inlet window, to which a cleaning device is assigned.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of light-recording devices includes a lens arrangement.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the electrode is held at a coupling piece releasably connected to the instrument, wherein the coupling piece comprises a plurality of viewing windows corresponding respectively to the plurality of light-recording devices that are arranged around the electrode in a ring-shaped manner.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the light-analysis device comprises an operational control device, which is equipped to start the spectral tissue analysis as soon as the light-analysis device detects a predetermined spectral characteristic.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the light-recording fields do not overlap one another.