Patent EP1108394A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP1108394A2
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EP
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Active load control of ultrasonic surgical instruments
Assignee: Ethicon Endo Surgery Inc
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Filing: 2000-12-13
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2020-12-13
Abstract
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.
Inventors
- 👤 Kenneth S. Kramer
- 👤 Kevin L. Houser
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 23:37
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B17/00; A61B17/32; A61B17/320068; A61B17/320092; A61B2017/00017; A61B2017/00022; A61B2017/00367; A61B2017/320093; A61B2017/320094; A61B2017/320095; A61B90/00; A61B90/03; A61B2090/033; A61B90/06; A61B2090/064
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
98 words
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; an end-effector 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.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
27 words
A system for use in surgical procedures according to claim 1, wherein
said load parameter is selected from the group consisting of voltage,
current, impedance and temperature.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
29 words
A system for use in surgical procedures according to claim 1, wherein
said surgical irstrument further comprises a transducer for converting
electrical energy into mechanical motion at ultrasonic frequencies.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
A system for use in surgical procedures according to claim 3, wherein
said end-effectcr comprises a clamp arm and a blade responsive to the
ultrasonic frequencies.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
45 words
A system for use in surgical procedures according to claim 4, wherein
said force responsive element is operatively coupled to said clamp arm to
alter the force of said clamp arm against said blade during operation of said
surgical instrument independently of said actuating lever.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
164 words
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.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
75 words
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 said surgical
instrument; an end-effector means for affecting 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.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
30 words
A system for use in surgical procedures according to claim 7, wherein
said surgical instrument further comprises a transducer means for
converting electrical energy into mechanical motion at ultrasonic
frequencies.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
32 words
A system for use in surgical procedures according to claims 8,
wherein said end-effector means comprises a clamp means for clamping
tissue and a blade means for delivering ultrasonic energy to tissue.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
81 words
A method of modifying the force exerted by an electrosurgical
instrument on tissue, said method comprising the steps of: a) applying energy to said tissue through said surgical instrument; b) sensing the tissue load on the surgical instrument; c) providing an electrical feedback signal to the surgical
instrument, the feedback signal having at least one component
representative of the tissue load; and d) modifying the load applied by the surgical instrument on the
tissue in response to the electrical feedback signal.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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