Active load control of ultrasonic surgical instruments
First Claim
1. A system for use in surgical procedures comprising:
- a generator, wherein said generator produces an electrical signal, said electrical signal having a load parameter indicative of a surgical instrument load on said generator;
a surgical instrument electrically connected to said generator, said surgical instrument comprising;
a handle comprising an actuating lever for operating an end-effector, wherein the end-effector is located at the distal end of said handle; and
a force responsive element operatively coupled to said actuating lever and said end-effector, wherein said force responsive element is adapted to alter a force on said end-effector in response to said electrical signal from said generator.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Ultrasonic instruments, and particularly solid core ultrasonic instruments, are advantageous because they may be used to cut and/or coagulate organic tissue using energy in the form of mechanical vibrations transmitted to a surgical end-effector at ultrasonic frequencies. The present invention provides a surgical instrument including force feedback system, in a closed loop arrangement that modulates the force applied to tissue from a surgical instrument. A generator provides electrical energy to the surgical instrument and an electrical signal representative of the generator load. The surgical instrument includes a handle that includes an actuating lever, and an end-effector located at the distal end of the handle. A force responsive element is operatively coupled to the actuating lever and the end-effector, wherein the force responsive element is adapted to alter a force on the end-effector in response to the electrical signal from the generator.
1769 Citations
10 Claims
-
1. A system for use in surgical procedures comprising:
-
a generator, wherein said generator produces an electrical signal, said electrical signal having a load parameter indicative of a surgical instrument load on said generator;
a surgical instrument electrically connected to said generator, said surgical instrument comprising;
a handle comprising an actuating lever for operating an end-effector, wherein the end-effector is located at the distal end of said handle; and
a force responsive element operatively coupled to said actuating lever and said end-effector, wherein said force responsive element is adapted to alter a force on said end-effector in response to said electrical signal from said generator. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
-
-
6. An ultrasonic system for use in surgical procedures comprising:
-
an ultrasonic signal generator, wherein said ultrasonic signal generator produces an electrical signal at an ultrasonic frequency, said electrical signal having a load parameter indicative of generator load;
a transducer electrically connected to said generator, wherein said transducer is adapted to convert electrical energy from said ultrasonic signal generator into mechanical motion;
an ultrasonic surgical instrument comprising;
a handle assembly, wherein said handle assembly is operatively coupled to said transducer;
a waveguide acoustically coupled to said transducer, wherein said waveguide is adapted to transmit ultrasonic energy therethrough;
an end-effector located at the distal end of said waveguide;
an actuation element, wherein said actuation element is operatively coupled to said end-effector; and
a force responsive element electrically connected to said ultrasonic signal generator and operatively coupled to said actuation element, wherein said force responsive element is adapted to alter a force on said actuation element in response to said electrical signal from said ultrasonic signal generator.
-
-
7. A system for use in surgical procedures comprising:
-
a generator, wherein said generator comprises a signal means for indicating generator load;
a surgical instrument electrically connected to said generator, said surgical instrument comprising;
an actuating means for actuating an end-effector means of said surgical instrument;
wherein the end-effector means is engageable with tissue; and
a force means operatively coupled to said actuating means and said end-effector means, for altering a force on said end-effector means in response to said signal means. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9)
-
-
10. A method of modifying the force exerted by an electrosurgical instrument on tissue, said method comprising the steps of:
-
a) clamping said tissue with an end-effector of the electrosurgical instrument;
b) applying energy to said tissue through said surgical instrument;
c) sensing the tissue load on the surgical instrument;
d) providing an electrical feedback signal to the surgical instrument, the feedback signal having at least one component representative of the tissue load; and
e) modifying the clamping force applied by the end-effector on the tissue in response to the electrical feedback signal.
-
Specification