Dual synchro-resonant electrosurgical apparatus with bi-directional magnetic coupling

• US 8,202,271 B2
• Filed: 02/25/2009
• Issued: 06/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien AG (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Covidien AG (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Orszulak, James H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Peffley, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): GOOD, SAMANTHA M
• Application Number:
  US12/392,176
• Publication Number:
  US 20090157073A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,210 Days
• Field of Search: 606/32, 606 34- 40
• US Class Current: 606/34
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/12 by passing a current through the tissue to be heated, e.g. high-frequency current
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1206 Generators therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0066 without feedback, i.e. open loop control
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/124 switching the output to different electrodes, e.g. sequentially

Abstract

An electrosurgical generator is disclosed. The generator includes an RF output stage configured to generate a sinusoidal waveform for a selected electrosurgical mode. The RF output stage includes first and second connections, the first connection including a first switching component and a first parallel inductor-capacitor resonant circuit and the second connection including a second switching component and a second parallel inductor-capacitor resonant circuit. The first parallel inductor-capacitor resonant circuit is configured to produce a first half-sinusoidal waveform and the second parallel inductor-capacitor resonant circuit is configured to produce a second half-sinusoidal waveform. The first and second switching components are in a 180 degree out-of-phase relationship and are configured to operate at a predetermined frequency based on a phase-correlated dual drive signal.

Claims

1. An electrosurgical generator comprising:

an RF output stage configured to generate at least one sinusoidal waveform suitable for at least one electrosurgical mode, the RF output stage including first and second connections, the first connection including a first switching component and a first parallel inductor-capacitor resonant circuit and the second connection including a second switching component and a second parallel inductor-capacitor resonant circuit, the first parallel inductor-capacitor resonant circuit being configured to produce a first half-sinusoidal waveform and the second parallel inductor-capacitor resonant circuit being configured to produce a second half-sinusoidal waveform, wherein the first and second switching components are configured in a 180 degree out-of-phase relationship to operate at a predetermined frequency based on a phase-correlated dual drive signal, wherein the RF output stage further includes a transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding and a series inductor-capacitor resonant circuit, the series inductor-capacitor resonant circuit and the transformer configured to generate a sinusoidal waveform.

2. An electrosurgical generator according to claim 1, wherein the first parallel inductor-capacitor resonant circuit is tuned to a first self-resonant frequency that is substantially equivalent to the predetermined frequency.

3. An electrosurgical generator according to claim 2, wherein the first parallel inductor-capacitor resonant circuit includes a first inductor having a first inductance value and a first capacitor having a first capacitance value, wherein the first inductance value and the first capacitance correspond to the first self-resonant frequency.

4. An electrosurgical generator according to claim 1, wherein the second parallel inductor-capacitor resonant circuit is tuned to a second self-resonant frequency that is substantially equivalent to the predetermined frequency.

5. An electrosurgical generator according to claim 4, wherein the second parallel inductor-capacitor resonant circuit includes a second inductor having a second inductance value and a second capacitor having a second capacitance value, wherein the second inductance value and the second capacitance correspond to the second self-resonant frequency.

6. An electrosurgical generator according to claim 1, wherein the first and second switching components are selected from the group consisting of transistors and relays.

7. An electrosurgical generator according to claim 1, wherein the first and second switching components are selected from the group consisting of metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors and insulated gate bipolar transistors.

8. An electrosurgical generator according to claim 1, wherein the series inductor-capacitor resonant circuit is tuned to a third self-resonant frequency that is substantially equivalent to the predetermined frequency.

9. An electrosurgical generator according to claim 1, wherein the series inductor-capacitor resonant circuit includes a third inductor having a third inductance value and a third capacitor having a third capacitance value, wherein the third inductance value and the third capacitance correspond to the third self-resonant frequency.

10. An electrosurgical generator according to claim 1, wherein the first and second half-sinusoidal waveforms generate in-sync ripple components at the primary winding thereby producing opposing magnetic fields that prevent transfer of parasitic RF harmonic ring energy to the secondary winding.

11. An electrosurgical generator according to claim 1, wherein at least one electrosurgical mode is selected from the group consisting of cutting, blending, division with hemostasis, fulguration, ablation, vessel sealing and coagulation.

12. An electrosurgical generator according to claim 1, further including at least one output configured to interface with an electrosurgical instrument suitable for performing a specific electrosurgical procedure.

13. An electrosurgical generator according to claim 1, further comprising:

a selection module configured to transmit control signals that adjust the RF output stage to produce the at least one sinusoidal waveform suitable for a corresponding electrosurgical mode.

14. An RF output stage configured to generate at least one sinusoidal waveform for at least one electrosurgical mode, the RF output stage comprising:

a first connection including a first switching component and a first parallel inductor-capacitor resonant circuit configured to produce a first half-sinusoidal waveform;

a second connection including a second switching component and a second parallel inductor-capacitor resonant circuit configured to produce a second half-sinusoidal waveform, wherein the first and second switching components are in a 180 degree out-of-phase relationship and are configured to operate at a predetermined frequency based on a phase-correlated dual drive signal; and

a transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding and a series inductor-capacitor resonant circuit, the series inductor-capacitor resonant circuit and the transformer configured to generate a sinusoidal waveform.

15. An RF output stage according to claim 14, further comprising:

a switching module that adjusts the first and second half-sinusoidal waveforms thereby producing a sinusoidal waveform suitable for at least one electrosurgical mode.

16. An RF output stage according to claim 14, wherein the first parallel inductor-capacitor resonant circuit is tuned to a first self-resonant frequency that is substantially equivalent to the predetermined frequency.

17. An RF output stage according to claim 14, wherein the first parallel inductor-capacitor resonant circuit includes a first inductor having a first inductance value and a first capacitor having a first capacitance value, wherein the first inductance value and the first capacitance correspond to the first self-resonant frequency.