Battery-powered hand-held ultrasonic surgical cautery cutting device

• US 10,799,913 B2
• Filed: 04/18/2016
• Issued: 10/13/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien AG (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Bales, Jr., Thomas O., Deville, Derek D., Smith, Kevin W., Palmer, Matthew A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Baghdasaryan, Hovhannes
• Assistant Examiner(s): N'Dure, Amie M
• Application Number:
  US15/131,908
• Publication Number:
  US 20160228914A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,639 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00137 Details of operation mode
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00199 with a console, e.g. a control panel with a display
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00367 Details of actuation of instruments, e.g. relations between pushing buttons, or the like, and activation of the tool, working tip, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0038 Simultaneous actuation of two tools by pushing one button or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00389 Button or wheel for performing multiple functions, e.g. rotation of shaft and end effector
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00402 Piezo electric actuators
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00415 having power generation near the working tip of the tool
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0046 with a releasable handle; with handle and operating part separable for prosthetic joint-implanting tools A61F2/4603
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00734 battery operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320069 for ablating tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320089 node location
• 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 2050/301 carried on the medical practitioner's clothing or back
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 50/20 Holders specially adapted for surgical or diagnostic appliances or instruments drapes with means to hold surgical instruments A61B46/23; for catheters A61M25/02
• CPC Class Codes: B06B 1/0223 for generating signals continuous in time
• CPC Class Codes: B06B 1/0611 in a pile
• CPC Class Codes: B06B 2201/76 Medical, dental

Abstract

A battery-powered, modular surgical device comprising an electrically powered surgical instrument that requires a pre-determined minimum amount of electrical energy to complete a surgical procedure, and a power module assembly that has a battery that powers the surgical instrument and has a current state of electrical charge, and a control circuit that is electrically coupled to the battery and the surgical instrument and has a memory and a microprocessor. The microprocessor determines the current state of electrical charge of the battery, compares the current state of electrical charge to the pre-determined minimum amount of electrical energy, permits the battery to discharge if the current state of electrical charge is above the pre-determined minimum amount of electrical energy, and maintains the battery in a non-discharge state if the current state of electrical charge is below the pre-determined minimum amount of electrical energy.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a transducer and generator assembly, comprising:

receiving a current signal from a battery assembly;

generating a transducer input signal based on the current signal;

providing the transducer input signal to a transducer;

receiving a motional feedback signal corresponding to mechanical motion of the transducer;

amplifying the motional feedback signal according to a first gain level, thereby generating a first amplified motional feedback signal;

determining whether a magnitude of the first amplified motional feedback signal is greater than a low gain threshold; and

amplifying the motional feedback signal according to a second gain level lower than the first gain level, thereby generating a second amplified motional feedback signal when it is determined that the magnitude of the first amplified motional feedback signal is greater than the low gain threshold.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

executing a Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT) algorithm based on the second amplified motional feedback signal, thereby computing the magnitude of the second amplified motional feedback signal and a phase of the second amplified motional feedback signal.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining a frequency of the motional feedback signal based at least in part on the phase of the second amplified motional feedback signal.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

determining whether the magnitude of the second amplified motional feedback signal is greater than a startup threshold; and

calculating, based on the frequency of the motional feedback signal, a frequency step of an adjustment to a frequency of the transducer input signal when it is determined that the magnitude of the second amplified motional feedback signal is greater than the startup threshold.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the calculating the frequency step includes calculating a size of the frequency step and a direction of the frequency step, based on the frequency of the motional feedback signal.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

determining whether a frequency based on the frequency step is within a range of frequencies; and

adjusting the frequency of the transducer input signal based on the frequency step, when it is determined that the frequency based on the frequency step is within the range of frequencies.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the frequency of the transducer input signal is adjusted by way of a direct digital synthesizer.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein a size of the frequency step is based on a difference between the frequency of the motional feedback signal and a target frequency.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the size of the frequency step is proportional to the difference between the frequency of the motional feedback signal and the target frequency.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein, based on the difference between the frequency of the motional feedback signal and the target frequency, one of a plurality of gain values is selected by which to calculate the frequency step.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the plurality of gain values is stored in an index table.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing, to a battery microcontroller of the battery assembly, a measurement of an amplitude of the motional feedback signal;

wherein the battery microcontroller;

determines whether the measurement of the amplitude is within a target range; and

activates an amplitude feedback control loop when the measurement of the amplitude is within the predetermined target range.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein, if the measurement of the amplitude is within the predetermined target range, the battery microcontroller:

determines whether a predetermined time threshold has elapsed; and

deactivates the current signal when the predetermined time threshold has elapsed.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prior to the receiving of current signal, receiving an initialization signal from the battery assembly in response to actuation of a trigger.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein a battery microcontroller of the battery assembly:

determines whether an acknowledgment signal is received from a transducer and generator microcontroller within a predetermined time threshold; and

deactivates the current signal when the acknowledgment signal is not received within the predetermined time threshold.