System and method for process monitoring and intelligent shut-off

• US 9,539,050 B2
• Filed: 04/12/2011
• Issued: 01/10/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Podhajsky, Ronald J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Peffley, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): GOOD, SAMANTHA M
• Application Number:
  US13/085,258
• Publication Number:
  US 20120265194A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,100 Days
• Field of Search: 606/32, 606/34, 606/35, 606 37- 40
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1206 Generators 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 18/1815 using microwaves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00345 Vascular system
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00577 Ablation
• 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 2018/00642 with feedback, i.e. closed loop control
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00648 using more than one sensed parameter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00666 using a threshold value
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00672 lower
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00678 upper
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00702 Power or energy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00708 switching the power on or off
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00779 Power or energy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00791 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00827 Current
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00869 Phase
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00875 Resistance or impedance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00886 : Duration
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00892 : Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00988 : Means for storing information, e.g. calibration constants, or for preventing excessive use, e.g. usage, service life counter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/124 : switching the output to different electrodes, e.g. sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1253 : monopolar
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/126 : bipolar
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1266 : with DC current output
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1467 : using more than two electrodes on a single probe
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1823 : Generators therefor

Abstract

An electrosurgical generator for supplying electrosurgical energy to tissue is disclosed. The generator includes sensor circuitry configured to measure at least one tissue or energy parameter and a controller configured to generate a plot of the at least one tissue or energy parameter including a plurality of tissue parameter values, wherein the controller is further configured to normalize the plot of the at least one tissue or energy parameter with respect to treatment volume.

Claims

1. An electrosurgical generator for supplying electrosurgical energy to tissue, comprising:

sensor circuitry configured to measure at least one tissue or energy parameter; and

a controller configured to;

generate a first plot of the at least one tissue or energy parameter including a plurality of peaks;

detect the plurality of peaks;

interconnect the plurality of peaks to generate an interconnected plot; and

normalize the interconnected plot with respect to treatment volume.

2. The electrosurgical generator according to claim 1, wherein the at least one tissue or energy parameter is selected from the group consisting of imaginary impedance, real impedance, phase angle, voltage, current and average power.

3. The electrosurgical generator according to claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to regulate output of the electrosurgical generator based on the normalized interconnected plot of the at least one tissue or energy parameter.

4. The electrosurgical generator according to claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to filter the first plot of the at least one tissue or energy parameter.

5. The electrosurgical generator according to claim 4, wherein the controller is further configured to execute at least two recursive filters configured to recursively process the first plot of the at least one tissue or energy parameter.

6. The electrosurgical generator according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to regulate the electrosurgical generator based on a rate of change of the at least one tissue or energy parameter and is configured to control the electrosurgical generator to continue application of the electrosurgical energy when the rate of change of the at least one tissue or energy parameter is above a first predetermined threshold.

7. The electrosurgical generator according to claim 6, wherein the controller is configured to regulate the electrosurgical generator to discontinue application of the electrosurgical energy when the rate of change of the at least one tissue or energy parameter is below a second predetermined threshold.

8. The electrosurgical generator according to claim 7, wherein the controller is configured to regulate the electrosurgical generator to commence intelligent shut-off of the electrosurgical energy for a duration of a predetermined time delay when the rate of change of the at least one tissue or energy parameter is between the first and second predetermined thresholds.

9. The electrosurgical generator according to claim 8, wherein the controller is configured to regulate the electrosurgical generator to restart application of the electrosurgical energy when the rate of change of the at least one tissue or energy parameter is above the first predetermined threshold during the time delay.