Patent Grant
11134978
The present disclosure is related generally to surgical instruments and associated surgical techniques. More particularly, the present disclosure is related to ultrasonic and electrosurgical systems that allow surgeons to perform cutting and coagulation and to adapt and customize such procedures based on the type of tissue being treated.
Ultrasonic surgical instruments are finding increasingly widespread applications in surgical procedures by virtue of the unique performance characteristics of such instruments. Depending upon specific instrument configurations and operational parameters, ultrasonic surgical instruments can provide simultaneous or near-simultaneous cutting of tissue and hemostasis by coagulation, desirably minimizing patient trauma. The cutting action is typically realized by an-end effector, or blade tip, at the distal end of the instrument, which transmits ultrasonic energy to tissue brought into contact with the end effector. Ultrasonic instruments of this nature can be configured for open surgical use, laparoscopic, or endoscopic surgical procedures including robotic-assisted procedures.
Some surgical instruments utilize ultrasonic energy for both precise cutting and controlled coagulation. Ultrasonic energy cuts and coagulates by vibrating a blade in contact with tissue. Vibrating at high frequencies (e.g., 55,500 times per second), the ultrasonic blade denatures protein in the tissue to form a sticky coagulum. Pressure exerted on tissue with the blade surface collapses blood vessels and allows the coagulum to form a hemostatic seal. The precision of cutting and coagulation is controlled by the surgeon's technique and adjusting the power level, blade edge, tissue traction, and blade pressure.
Electrosurgical instruments for applying electrical energy to tissue in order to treat and/or destroy the tissue are also finding increasingly widespread applications in surgical procedures. An electrosurgical instrument typically includes a hand piece, an instrument having a distally-mounted end effector (e.g., one or more electrodes). The end effector can be positioned against the tissue such that electrical current is introduced into the tissue. Electrosurgical instruments can be configured for bipolar or monopolar operation. During bipolar operation, current is introduced into and returned from the tissue by active and return electrodes, respectively, of the end effector. During monopolar operation, current is introduced into the tissue by an active electrode of the end effector and returned through a return electrode (e.g., a grounding pad) separately located on a patient's body. Heat generated by the current flowing through the tissue may form hemostatic seals within the tissue and/or between tissues and thus may be particularly useful for sealing blood vessels, for example. The end effector of an electrosurgical instrument also may include a cutting member that is movable relative to the tissue and the electrodes to transect the tissue.
Electrical energy applied by an electrosurgical instrument can be transmitted to the instrument by a generator in communication with the hand piece. The electrical energy may be in the form of radio frequency (“RF”) energy. RF energy is a form of electrical energy that may be in the frequency range of 200 kilohertz (kHz) to 1 megahertz (MHz). In application, an electrosurgical instrument can transmit low frequency RF energy through tissue, which causes ionic agitation, or friction, in effect resistive heating, thereby increasing the temperature of the tissue. Because a sharp boundary is created between the affected tissue and the surrounding tissue, surgeons can operate with a high level of precision and control, without sacrificing un-targeted adjacent tissue. The low operating temperatures of RF energy is useful for removing, shrinking, or sculpting soft tissue while simultaneously sealing blood vessels. RF energy works particularly well on connective tissue, which is primarily comprised of collagen and shrinks when contacted by heat.
The RF energy may be in a frequency range described in EN 60601-2-2:2009+ A11:2011, Definition 201.3.218—HIGH FREQUENCY. For example, the frequency in monopolar RF applications may be typically restricted to less than 5 MHz. However, in bipolar RF applications, the frequency can be almost anything. Frequencies above 200 kHz can be typically used for monopolar applications in order to avoid the unwanted stimulation of nerves and muscles that would result from the use of low frequency current. Lower frequencies may be used for bipolar applications if the risk analysis shows the possibility of neuromuscular stimulation has been mitigated to an acceptable level. Normally, frequencies above 5 MHz are not used in order to minimize the problems associated with high frequency leakage currents. Higher frequencies may, however, be used in the case of bipolar applications. It is generally recognized that 10 mA is the lower threshold of thermal effects on tissue.
A challenge of using these surgical instruments is the inability to fully control and customize the functions of the surgical instruments. It would be desirable to provide a surgical instrument that overcomes some of the deficiencies of current instruments.
In one aspect, the present disclosure provides a system comprising a surgical instrument. The surgical instrument comprises a handle assembly; a shaft assembly coupled to the handle assembly; and an end effector coupled to a distal end of the shaft assembly; a self-diagnosing control switch system comprising: a control switch slidable within a slot comprising a first end and a second end of the slot, the control switch configured to: slide within the slot between the first end and the second end; and allow an amount of energy to be delivered to a functional component of the surgical instrument, the amount of energy in proportion to a degree of displacement of the control switch away from the first end of the slot; a displacement sensor configured to measure the degree of displacement of the control switch away from the first end of the slot; an energy sensor configured to measure the amount of energy delivered to the functional component; and a processor configured to: determine a threshold level of displacement of the control switch away from the first end of the slot that triggers a functional event of the functional component, based on the measured degree of displacement and the measured amount of energy delivered to the functional component.
In another aspect, the present disclosure provides a surgical instrument comprising: a handle assembly; a shaft assembly coupled to the handle assembly; and an end effector coupled to a distal end of the shaft assembly; a self-diagnosing control switch system comprising: a control switch slidable within a slot comprising a first end and a second end of the slot, the control switch configured to: slide within the slot between the first end and the second end; and allow an amount of energy to be delivered to a functional component of the surgical instrument, the amount of energy in proportion to a degree of displacement of the control switch away from the first end of the slot; a displacement sensor configured to measure the degree of displacement of the control switch away from the first end of the slot; an energy sensor configured to measure the amount of energy delivered to the functional component; and a processor configured to: determine a threshold level of displacement of the control switch away from the first end of the slot that triggers a functional event of the functional component, based on the measured degree of displacement and the measured amount of energy delivered to the functional component.
In another aspect, the present disclosure provides a surgical instrument comprising a handle assembly; a shaft assembly coupled to the handle assembly; and an end effector coupled to a distal end of the shaft assembly; a self-diagnosing control switch system comprising: a control switch slidable within a slot comprising a first end and a second end of the slot, the control switch configured to: slide within the slot between the first end and the second end; and allow an amount of energy to be delivered to a functional component of the surgical instrument, the amount of energy in proportion to a degree of displacement of the control switch away from the first end of the slot; a displacement sensor configured to measure the degree of displacement of the control switch away from the first end of the slot; an energy sensor configured to measure the amount of energy delivered to the functional component; and a processor configured to: determine a threshold level of displacement of the control switch away from the first end of the slot that triggers a functional event of the functional component, based on the measured degree of displacement and the measured amount of energy delivered to the functional component.
In addition to the foregoing, various other method and/or system and/or program product aspects are set forth and described in the teachings such as text (e.g., claims and/or detailed description) and/or drawings of the present disclosure.
The foregoing is a summary and thus may contain simplifications, generalizations, inclusions, and/or omissions of detail; consequently, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the summary is illustrative only and is NOT intended to be in any way limiting. Other aspects, features, and advantages of the devices and/or processes and/or other subject matter described herein will become apparent in the teachings set forth herein.
In one or more various aspects, related systems include but are not limited to circuitry and/or programming for effecting herein-referenced method aspects; the circuitry and/or programming can be virtually any combination of hardware, software, and/or firmware configured to affect the herein-referenced method aspects depending upon the design choices of the system designer. In addition to the foregoing, various other method and/or system aspects are set forth and described in the teachings such as text (e.g., claims and/or detailed description) and/or drawings of the present disclosure.
Further, it is understood that any one or more of the following-described forms, expressions of forms, examples, can be combined with any one or more of the other following-described forms, expressions of forms, and examples.
The foregoing summary is illustrative only and is not intended to be in any way limiting. In addition to the illustrative aspects, and features described above, further aspects, and features will become apparent by reference to the drawings and the following detailed description.
The novel features of the various aspects described herein are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The various aspects, however, both as to organization and methods of operation may be better understood by reference to the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings as follows:
This application is related to following commonly owned patent applications filed on Dec. 16, 2016, the content of each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety:
U.S. patent application Ser. No.15/382,515, titled MODULAR BATTERY POWERED HANDHELD SURGICAL INSTRUMENT AND METHODS THEREFOR, by inventors Frederick E. Shelton, IV, et al., filed Dec. 16, 2016, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2017/0202605.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/382,238, titled MODULAR BATTERY POWERED HANDHELD SURGICAL INSTRUMENT WITH SELECTIVE APPLICATION OF ENERGY BASED ON TISSUE CHARACTERIZATION, by inventors Frederick E. Shelton, IV, et al., filed Dec. 16, 2016, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2017/0202591.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/382,246, titled MODULAR BATTERY POWERED HANDHELD SURGICAL INSTRUMENT WITH SELECTIVE APPLICATION OF ENERGY BASED ON BUTTON DISPLACEMENT, INTENSITY, OR LOCAL TISSUE CHARACTERIZATION, by inventors Frederick E. Shelton, IV, et al., filed Dec. 16, 2016, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2017/0202607.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/382,252, titled MODULAR BATTERY POWERED HANDHELD SURGICAL INSTRUMENT WITH VARIABLE MOTOR CONTROL LIMITS, by inventors Frederick E. Shelton, IV, et al., filed Dec. 16, 2016, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2017/0202592.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/382,257, titled MODULAR BATTERY POWERED HANDHELD SURGICAL INSTRUMENT WITH MOTOR CONTROL LIMIT PROFILE, by inventors Frederick E. Shelton, IV, et al., filed Dec. 16, 2016, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,299,821.
U.S. patent application Ser. No.15/382,265, titled MODULAR BATTERY POWERED HANDHELD SURGICAL INSTRUMENT WITH MOTOR CONTROL LIMITS BASED ON TISSUE CHARACTERIZATION, by inventors Frederick E. Shelton, IV, et al., filed Dec. 16, 2016, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2017/0202594.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/382,274, titled MODULAR BATTERY POWERED HANDHELD SURGICAL INSTRUMENT WITH MULTI-FUNCTION MOTOR VIA SHIFTING GEAR ASSEMBLY, by inventors Frederick E. Shelton, IV, et al., filed Dec. 16, 2016, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,251,664.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/382,281, titled MODULAR BATTERY POWERED HANDHELD SURGICAL INSTRUMENT WITH A PLURALITY OF CONTROL PROGRAMS, by inventor Frederick E. Shelton, IV, filed Dec. 16, 2016, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2017/0202595.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/382,283, titled MODULAR BATTERY POWERED HANDHELD SURGICAL INSTRUMENT WITH ENERGY CONSERVATION TECHNIQUES, by inventors Frederick E. Shelton, IV, et al., filed Dec. 16, 2016, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2017/0202596.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/382,285, titled MODULAR BATTERY POWERED HANDHELD SURGICAL INSTRUMENT WITH VOLTAGE SAG RESISTANT BATTERY PACK, by inventors Frederick E. Shelton, IV, et al., filed Dec. 16, 2016, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2017/0207467.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/382,287, titled MODULAR BATTERY POWERED HANDHELD SURGICAL INSTRUMENT WITH MULTISTAGE GENERATOR CIRCUITS, by inventors Frederick E. Shelton, IV, et al., filed Dec. 16, 2016, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2017/0202597.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/382,288, titled MODULAR BATTERY POWERED HANDHELD SURGICAL INSTRUMENT WITH MULTIPLE MAGNETIC POSITION SENSORS, by inventors Frederick E. Shelton, IV, et al., filed Dec. 16, 2016, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2017/0202598.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/382,290, titled MODULAR BATTERY POWERED HANDHELD SURGICAL INSTRUMENT CONTAINING ELONGATED MULTI-LAYERED SHAFT, by inventors Frederick E. Shelton, IV, et al., filed Dec. 16, 2016, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2017/0202608.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/382,292, titled MODULAR BATTERY POWERED HANDHELD SURGICAL INSTRUMENT WITH MOTOR DRIVE, by inventors Frederick E. Shelton, IV, et al., filed Dec. 16, 2016, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2017/0202572.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/382,306, titled MODULAR BATTERY POWERED HANDHELD SURGICAL INSTRUMENT WITH REUSABLE ASYMMETRIC HANDLE HOUSING, by inventors Frederick E. Shelton, IV, et al., filed Dec. 16, 2016, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2017/0202571.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/382,309, titled MODULAR BATTERY POWERED HANDHELD SURGICAL INSTRUMENT WITH CURVED END EFFECTORS HAVING ASYMMETRIC ENGAGEMENT BETWEEN JAW AND BLADE, by inventors Frederick E. Shelton, IV, et al., filed Dec. 16, 2016, now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2017/0202609.
In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof. In the drawings, similar symbols and reference characters typically identify similar components throughout the several views, unless context dictates otherwise. The illustrative aspects described in the detailed description, drawings, and claims are not meant to be limiting. Other aspects may be utilized, and other changes may be made, without departing from the scope of the subject matter presented here.
Before explaining the various aspects of the present disclosure in detail, it should be noted that the various aspects disclosed herein are not limited in their application or use to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings and description. Rather, the disclosed aspects may be positioned or incorporated in other aspects, variations and modifications thereof, and may be practiced or carried out in various ways. Accordingly, aspects disclosed herein are illustrative in nature and are not meant to limit the scope or application thereof. Furthermore, unless otherwise indicated, the terms and expressions employed herein have been chosen for the purpose of describing the aspects for the convenience of the reader and are not to limit the scope thereof. In addition, it should be understood that any one or more of the disclosed aspects, expressions of aspects, and/or examples thereof, can be combined with any one or more of the other disclosed aspects, expressions of aspects, and/or examples thereof, without limitation.
Also, in the following description, it is to be understood that terms such as front, back, inside, outside, top, bottom and the like are words of convenience and are not to be construed as limiting terms. Terminology used herein is not meant to be limiting insofar as devices described herein, or portions thereof, may be attached or utilized in other orientations. The various aspects will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings.
In various aspects, the present disclosure is directed to a mixed energy surgical instrument that utilizes both ultrasonic and RF energy modalities. The mixed energy surgical instrument my use modular shafts using that accomplish existing end-effector functions such as ultrasonic functions disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 9,107,690, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, combination device functions disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,696,666 and 8,663,223, which are both incorporated herein by reference in their entireties, RF opposed electrode functions disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 9,028,478 and 9,113,907, which are both incorporated herein by reference in their entireties, and RF I-blade offset electrode functions as disclosed in U.S. Pub. No. 2013/0023868, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
In various aspects, the present disclosure is directed to a modular battery powered handheld ultrasonic surgical instrument comprising a first generator, a second generator, and a control circuit for controlling the energy modality applied by the surgical instrument. The surgical instrument is configured to apply at least one energy modality that comprises an ultrasonic energy modality, a radio frequency (RF) energy modality, or a combination ultrasonic and RF energy modalities.
In another aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a modular battery powered handheld surgical instrument that can be configured for ultrasonic energy modality, RF modality, or a combination of ultrasonic and RF energy modalities. A mixed energy surgical instrument utilizes both ultrasonic and RF energy modalities. The mixed energy surgical instrument may use modular shafts that accomplish end effector functions. The energy modality may be selectable based on a measure of specific measured tissue and device parameters, such as, for example, electrical impedance, tissue impedance, electric motor current, jaw gap, tissue thickness, tissue compression, tissue type, temperature, among other parameters, or a combination thereof, to determine a suitable energy modality algorithm to employ ultrasonic vibration and/or electrosurgical high-frequency current to carry out surgical coagulation/cutting treatments on the living tissue based on the measured tissue parameters identified by the surgical instrument. Once the tissue parameters have been identified, the surgical instrument may be configured to control treatment energy applied to the tissue in a single or segmented RF electrode configuration or in an ultrasonic device, through the measurement of specific tissue/device parameters. Tissue treatment algorithms are described in commonly owned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/177,430, titled SURGICAL INSTRUMENT WITH USER ADAPTABLE TECHNIQUES, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
In another aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a modular battery powered handheld surgical instrument having a motor and a controller, where a first limiting threshold is used on the motor for the purpose of attaching a modular assembly and a second threshold is used on the motor and is associated with a second assembly step or functionality of the surgical instrument. The surgical instrument may comprise a motor driven actuation mechanism utilizing control of motor speed or torque through measurement of motor current or parameters related to motor current, wherein motor control is adjusted via a non-linear threshold to trigger motor adjustments at different magnitudes based on position, inertia, velocity, acceleration, or a combination thereof. Motor driven actuation of a moving mechanism and a motor controller may be employed to control the motor velocity or torque. A sensor associated with physical properties of the moving mechanism provides feedback to the motor controller. In one aspect, the sensor is employed to adjust a predefined threshold which triggers a change in the operation of the motor controller. A motor may be utilized to drive shaft functions such as shaft rotation and jaw closure and switching that motor to also provide a torque limited waveguide attachment to a transducer. A motor control algorithm may be utilized to generate tactile feedback to a user through a motor drive train for indication of device status and/or limits of the powered actuation. A motor powered modular advanced energy based surgical instrument may comprise a series of control programs or algorithms to operate a series of different shaft modules and transducers. In one aspect, the programs or algorithms reside in a module and are uploaded to a control handle when attached. The motor driven modular battery powered handheld surgical instrument may comprise a primary rotary drive capable of being selectably coupleable to at least two independent actuation functions (first, second, both, neither) and utilize a clutch mechanism located in a distal modular elongated tube.
In another aspect, the present disclosure is directed to modular battery powered handheld surgical instrument comprising energy conservation circuits and techniques using sleep mode de-energizing of a segmented circuit with short cuts to minimize non-use power drain and differing wake-up sequence order than the order of a sleep sequence. A disposable primary cell battery pack may be utilized with a battery powered modular handheld surgical instrument. The disposable primary cell may comprise power management circuits to compensate the battery output voltage with additional voltage to offset voltage sags under load and to prevent the battery pack output voltage from sagging below a predetermined level during operation under load. The circuitry of the surgical instrument comprises radiation tolerant components and amplification of electrical signals may be divided into multiple stages. An ultrasonic transducer housing or RF housing may contain the final amplification stage and may comprise different ratios depending on an energy modality associated with the ultrasonic transducer or RF module.
In another aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a modular battery powered handheld surgical instrument comprising multiple magnetic position sensors along a length of a shaft and paired in different configurations to allow multiple sensors to detect the same magnet in order to determine three dimensional position of actuation components of the shaft from a stationary reference plane and simultaneously diagnosing any error from external sources. Control and sensing electronics may be incorporated in the shaft. A portion of the shaft control electronics may be disposed along the inside of moving shaft components and are separated from other shaft control electronics that are disposed along the outside of the moving shaft components. Control and sensing electronics may be situated and designed such that they act as a shaft seal in the device.
In another aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a modular battery powered handheld surgical instrument comprising self diagnosing control switches within a battery powered, modular, reusable handle. The control switches are capable of adjusting their thresholds for triggering an event as well as being able to indicate external influences on the controls or predict time till replacement needed. The reusable handle housing is configured for use with modular disposable shafts and at least one control and wiring harness. The handle is configured to asymmetrically part when opened so that the switches, wiring harness, and/or control electronics can be supportably housed in one side such that the other side is removably attached to cover the primary housing.
The ultrasonic transducer/generator assembly 104 comprises a housing 148, a display 176, such as a liquid crystal display (LCD), for example, an ultrasonic transducer 130, and an ultrasonic generator 162 (
The battery assembly 106 is electrically connected to the handle assembly 102 by an electrical connector 132. The handle assembly 102 is provided with a switch 120. The ultrasonic blade 116 is activated by energizing the ultrasonic transducer/generator circuit by actuating the switch 120. The battery assembly 106, according to one aspect, is a rechargeable, reusable battery pack with regulated output. In some cases, as is explained below, the battery assembly 106 facilitates user-interface functions. The handle assembly 102 is a disposable unit that has bays or docks for attachment to the battery assembly 106, the ultrasonic transducer/generator assembly 104, and the shaft assembly 110. The handle assembly 102 also houses various indicators including, for example, a speaker/buzzer and activation switches. In one aspect, the battery assembly is a separate component that is inserted into the housing of the handle assembly through a door or other opening defined by the housing of the handle assembly.
The ultrasonic transducer/generator assembly 104 is a reusable unit that produces high frequency mechanical motion at a distal output. The ultrasonic transducer/generator assembly 104 is mechanically coupled to the shaft assembly 110 and the ultrasonic blade 116 and, during operation of the device, produces movement at the distal output of the ultrasonic blade 116. In one aspect, the ultrasonic transducer/generator assembly 104 also provides a visual user interface, such as, through a red/green/blue (RGB) light-emitting diode (LED), LCD, or other display. As such, a visual indicator of the battery status is uniquely not located on the battery and is, therefore, remote from the battery.
In accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure, the three components of the surgical instrument 100, e.g., the ultrasonic transducer/generator assembly 104, the battery assembly 106, and the shaft assembly 110, are advantageously quickly disconnectable from one or more of the others. Each of the three components of the surgical instrument 100 is sterile and can be maintained wholly in a sterile field during use. Because the components of the surgical instrument 100 are separable, the surgical instrument 100 can be composed of one or more portions that are single-use items (e.g., disposable) and others that are multi-use items (e.g., sterilizable for use in multiple surgical procedures). Aspects of the components separate as part of the surgical instrument 100. In accordance with an additional aspect of the present disclosure, the handle assembly 102, battery assembly 106, and shaft assembly 110 components is equivalent in overall weight; each of the handle assembly 102, battery assembly 106, and shaft assembly 110 components is balanced so that they weigh the same or substantially the same. The handle assembly 102 overhangs the operator's hand for support, allowing the user's hand to more freely operate the controls of the surgical instrument 100 without bearing the weight. This overhang is set to be very close to the center of gravity. This combined with a triangular assembly configuration, makes the surgical instrument 100 advantageously provided with a center of balance that provides a very natural and comfortable feel to the user operating the device. That is, when held in the hand of the user, the surgical instrument 100 does not have a tendency to tip forward or backward or side-to-side, but remains relatively and dynamically balanced so that the waveguide is held parallel to the ground with very little effort from the user. Of course, the instrument can be placed in non-parallel angles to the ground just as easily.
A rotation knob 118 is operably coupled to the shaft assembly 110. Rotation of the rotation knob 118 ±360° in the direction indicated by the arrows 126 causes an outer tube 144 to rotate ±360° in the respective direction of the arrows 128. In one aspect, the rotation knob 118 may be configured to rotate the jaw member 114 while the ultrasonic blade 116 remains stationary and a separate shaft rotation knob may be provided to rotate the outer tube 144 ±360°. In various aspects, the ultrasonic blade 116 does not have to stop at ±360° and can rotate at an angle of rotation that is greater than ±360°. The outer tube 144 may have a diameter D1 ranging from 5 mm to 10 mm, for example.
The ultrasonic blade 116 is coupled to an ultrasonic transducer 130 (
The ultrasonic transducer/generator assembly 104 also comprises electronic circuitry for driving the ultrasonic transducer 130. The ultrasonic blade 116 may be operated at a suitable vibrational frequency range may be about 20 Hz to 120 kHz and a well-suited vibrational frequency range may be about 30-100 kHz. A suitable operational vibrational frequency may be approximately 55.5 kHz, for example. The ultrasonic transducer 130 is energized by the actuating the switch 120.
It will be appreciated that the terms “proximal” and “distal” are used herein with reference to a clinician gripping the handle assembly 102. Thus, the ultrasonic blade 116 is distal with respect to the handle assembly 102, which is more proximal. It will be further appreciated that, for convenience and clarity, spatial terms such as “top” and “bottom” also are used herein with respect to the clinician gripping the handle assembly 102. However, surgical instruments are used in many orientations and positions, and these terms are not intended to be limiting and absolute.
The ultrasonic generator 162 comprises an ultrasonic driver circuit such as the electrical circuit 177 shown in
The ultrasonic transducer 130, which is known as a “Langevin stack”, generally includes a transduction portion comprising piezoelectric elements 150a-150d, a first resonator portion or end-bell 164, and a second resonator portion or fore-bell 152, and ancillary components. The total construction of these components is a resonator. There are other forms of transducers, such as magnetostrictive transducers, that could also be used. The ultrasonic transducer 130 is preferably an integral number of one-half system wavelengths (nλ/2; where “n” is any positive integer; e.g., n=1, 2, 3 . . . ) in length as will be described in more detail later. An acoustic assembly includes the end-bell 164, ultrasonic transducer 130, fore-bell 152, and a velocity transformer 154.
The distal end of the end-bell 164 is acoustically coupled to the proximal end of the piezoelectric element 150a, and the proximal end of the fore-bell 152 is acoustically coupled to the distal end of the piezoelectric element 150d. The fore-bell 152 and the end-bell 164 have a length determined by a number of variables, including the thickness of the transduction portion, the density and modulus of elasticity of the material used to manufacture the end-bell 164 and the fore-bell 152, and the resonant frequency of the ultrasonic transducer 130. The fore-bell 152 may be tapered inwardly from its proximal end to its distal end to amplify the ultrasonic vibration amplitude at the velocity transformer 154, or alternately may have no amplification. A suitable vibrational frequency range may be about 20 Hz to 120 kHz and a well-suited vibrational frequency range may be about 30-100 kHz. A suitable operational vibrational frequency may be approximately 55.5 kHz, for example.
The ultrasonic transducer 130 comprises several piezoelectric elements 150a-150d acoustically coupled or stacked to form the transduction portion. The piezoelectric elements 150a-150d may be fabricated from any suitable material, such as, for example, lead zirconate-titanate, lead meta-niobate, lead titanate, barium titanate, or other piezoelectric ceramic material. Electrically conductive elements 170a, 170b, 170c, 170d are inserted between the piezoelectric elements 150a-150d to electrically couple the electrical circuit 177 to the piezoelectric elements 150a-150d. The electrically conductive element 170a located between piezoelectric elements 150a, 150b and the electrically conductive element 170d located between piezoelectric element 150d and the fore-bell 152 are electrically coupled to the positive electrode 174a of the electrical circuit 177. The electrically conductive element 170b located between piezoelectric elements 150b, 150c and the electrically conductive element 170c located between piezoelectric elements 150c, 150d are electrically coupled to the negative electrode 174b of the electrical circuit 177. The positive and negative electrodes 174a, 174b are electrically coupled to the electrical circuit 177 by electrical conductors.
The ultrasonic transducer 130 converts the electrical drive signal from the electrical circuit 177 into mechanical energy that results in primarily a standing acoustic wave of longitudinal vibratory motion of the ultrasonic transducer 130 and the ultrasonic blade 116 (
The wires transmit an electrical drive signal from the electrical circuit 177 to the positive electrode 170a and the negative electrode 170b. The piezoelectric elements 150a-150d are energized by the electrical signal supplied from the electrical circuit 177 in response to an actuator, such as the switch 120, for example, to produce an acoustic standing wave in the acoustic assembly. The electrical signal causes disturbances in the piezoelectric elements 150a-150d in the form of repeated small displacements resulting in large alternating compression and tension forces within the material. The repeated small displacements cause the piezoelectric elements 150a-150d to expand and contract in a continuous manner along the axis of the voltage gradient, producing longitudinal waves of ultrasonic energy. The ultrasonic energy is transmitted through the acoustic assembly to the ultrasonic blade 116 (
In order for the acoustic assembly to deliver energy to the ultrasonic blade 116 (
The components of the acoustic assembly are preferably acoustically tuned such that the length of any assembly is an integral number of one-half wavelengths (nλ/2), where the wavelength λ is the wavelength of a pre-selected or operating longitudinal vibration drive frequency fd of the acoustic assembly. It is also contemplated that the acoustic assembly may incorporate any suitable arrangement of acoustic elements.
The ultrasonic blade 116 (
In one aspect, the shifting assembly 200 may include a torque limited motor driven attachment of the ultrasonic transmission waveguide 145 via the motor located in the handle assembly 102 that controls shaft actuation of clamping, rotation, and articulation. The shifting assembly 200 in the handle assembly 102 applies the proper torque onto the ultrasonic transmission waveguide 145 into place with a predetermined minimum torque. For instance, the handle assembly 102 may include a transducer torqueing mechanism which shifts the primary motor longitudinally uncoupling the primary drive shaft spur gear and coupling the transducer torqueing gear which rotates the shaft and nozzle therefore screwing the wave guide into the transducer.
A drive circuit 186 provides left and right ultrasonic energy outputs. A digital signal the represents the signal waveform is provided to the SCL-A/SDA-A inputs of the analog multiplexer 180 from a control circuit, such as the control circuit 210 (
In one aspect, the main processor 214 is coupled to the electrical circuit 177 (
In one aspect, the main processor 214 may be an LM 4F230H5QR, available from Texas Instruments, for example. In at least one example, the Texas Instruments LM4F230H5QR is an ARM Cortex-M4F Processor Core comprising on-chip memory of 256 KB single-cycle flash memory, or other non-volatile memory, up to 40 MHz, a prefetch buffer to improve performance above 40 MHz, a 32 KB single-cycle serial random access memory (SRAM), internal read-only memory (ROM) loaded with StellarisWare® software, 2 KB electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), one or more pulse width modulation (PWM) modules, one or more quadrature encoder inputs (QED analog, one or more 12-bit Analog-to-Digital Converters (ADC) with 12 analog input channels, among other features that are readily available for the product datasheet. Other processors may be readily substituted and, accordingly, the present disclosure should not be limited in this context.
One feature of the present disclosure that severs dependency on high voltage (120 VAC) input power (a characteristic of general ultrasonic cutting devices) is the utilization of low-voltage switching throughout the wave-forming process and the amplification of the driving signal only directly before the transformer stage. For this reason, in one aspect of the present disclosure, power is derived from only a battery, or a group of batteries, small enough to fit either within the handle assembly 102 (
The output of the power supply 304 is fed to and powers the processor 302. The processor 302 receives and outputs signals and, as will be described below, functions according to custom logic or in accordance with computer programs that are executed by the processor 302. The electrical circuit 300 can also include a memory 326, preferably, random access memory (RAM), that stores computer-readable instructions and data.
The output of the power supply 304 also is directed to a switch 306 having a duty cycle controlled by the processor 302. By controlling the on-time for the switch 306, the processor 302 is able to dictate the total amount of power that is ultimately delivered to the transducer 316. In one aspect, the switch 306 is a MOSFET, although other switches and switching configurations are adaptable as well. The output of the switch 306 is fed to a drive circuit 308 that contains, for example, a phase detecting phase-locked loop (PLL) and/or a low-pass filter and/or a voltage-controlled oscillator. The output of the switch 306 is sampled by the processor 302 to determine the voltage and current of the output signal (V IN and I IN, respectively). These values are used in a feedback architecture to adjust the pulse width modulation of the switch 306. For instance, the duty cycle of the switch 306 can vary from about 20% to about 80%, depending on the desired and actual output from the switch 306.
The drive circuit 308, which receives the signal from the switch 306, includes an oscillatory circuit that turns the output of the switch 306 into an electrical signal having an ultrasonic frequency, e.g., 55 kHz (VCO). As explained above, a smoothed-out version of this ultrasonic waveform is ultimately fed to the ultrasonic transducer 130 to produce a resonant sine wave along the ultrasonic transmission waveguide 145 (
At the output of the drive circuit 308 is a transformer 310 that is able to step up the low voltage signal(s) to a higher voltage. It is noted that upstream switching, prior to the transformer 310, is performed at low (e.g., battery driven) voltages, something that, to date, has not been possible for ultrasonic cutting and cautery devices. This is at least partially due to the fact that the device advantageously uses low on-resistance MOSFET switching devices. Low on-resistance MOSFET switches are advantageous, as they produce lower switching losses and less heat than a traditional MOSFET device and allow higher current to pass through. Therefore, the switching stage (pre-transformer) can be characterized as low voltage/high current. To ensure the lower on-resistance of the amplifier MOSFET(s), the MOSFET(s) are run, for example, at 10 V. In such a case, a separate 10 VDC power supply can be used to feed the MOSFET gate, which ensures that the MOSFET is fully on and a reasonably low on resistance is achieved. In one aspect of the present disclosure, the transformer 310 steps up the battery voltage to 120V root-mean-square (RMS). Transformers are known in the art and are, therefore, not explained here in detail.
In the circuit configurations described, circuit component degradation can negatively impact the circuit performance of the circuit. One factor that directly affects component performance is heat. Known circuits generally monitor switching temperatures (e.g., MOSFET temperatures). However, because of the technological advancements in MOSFET designs, and the corresponding reduction in size, MOSFET temperatures are no longer a valid indicator of circuit loads and heat. For this reason, according to one aspect of the present disclosure, a sensing circuit 314 senses the temperature of the transformer 310. This temperature sensing is advantageous as the transformer 310 is run at or very close to its maximum temperature during use of the device. Additional temperature will cause the core material, e.g., the ferrite, to break down and permanent damage can occur. The present disclosure can respond to a maximum temperature of the transformer 310 by, for example, reducing the driving power in the transformer 310, signaling the user, turning the power off, pulsing the power, or other appropriate responses.
In one aspect of the present disclosure, the processor 302 is communicatively coupled to the end effector 112, which is used to place material in physical contact with the ultrasonic blade 116, e.g., the clamping mechanism shown in
According to one aspect of the present disclosure, the PLL portion of the drive circuit 308, which is coupled to the processor 302, is able to determine a frequency of waveguide movement and communicate that frequency to the processor 302. The processor 302 stores this frequency value in the memory 326 when the device is turned off. By reading the clock 330, the processor 302 is able to determine an elapsed time after the device is shut off and retrieve the last frequency of waveguide movement if the elapsed time is less than a predetermined value. The device can then start up at the last frequency, which, presumably, is the optimum frequency for the current load.
In one aspect, the disposable battery assembly 410 includes batteries 414a-d, electrical circuits 419, and other componentry that is resistant to gamma or other radiation sterilization. For instance, a switching mode power supply 460 (
The reusable battery assembly 420 comprises a battery test switch 426 and up to three LED indicators 427a, 427b, 427c to determine the health of the batteries 424a-e in the reusable battery assembly 420. The first LED indicator 427a may indicate fully charged batteries 424a-e that is ready to use. The second LED indicator 427b may indicate that the battery needs to be recharged. The third LED indicator 427c may indicate that battery is not good and to dispose. The reusable battery assembly 420 health indication to allow the user to determine the specific health and capabilities of the batteries 424a-e before it is inserted and used. For instance, charge status of the rechargeable secondary cells, sag voltage, primary cell voltage are checked by the activation of the battery test switch 426 which could measure these in an unload state or with a predefined resistive load placed on the system. The voltages could have at least one but more preferably three thresholds to compare the resulting voltages checks to. In the case of the first indicator 427a, the batteries 424a-e indicating whether or not they are suitable to use. With three levels the reusable battery assembly 420 could display full charge, minimum charge, and some marginal but limited charge status. This battery 424a-e health monitor would be useful for either the disposable battery assembly 410 (
According to aspects of the present disclosure, the circuit board 432, 434, 436 provides a specific function. For instance, one circuit board 432 can provide the components for carrying out the battery protection circuitry. Similarly, another circuit board 434 can provide the components for carrying out the battery controller. Another circuit board 436 can, for example, provide high power buck controller components. Finally, the battery protection circuitry can provide connection paths for coupling the battery cells 438a-n. By placing the circuit boards in a stacked configuration and separating the boards by their respective functions, the boards may be strategically placed in a specific order that best handles their individual noise and heat generation. For example, the circuit board having the high-power buck controller components produces the most heat and, therefore, it can be isolated from the other boards and placed in the center of the stack. In this way, the heat can be kept away from the outer surface of the device in an effort to prevent the heat from being felt by the physician or operator of the device. In addition, the battery board grounds may be configured in a star topology with the center located at the buck controller board to reduce the noise created by ground loops.
The strategically stacked circuit boards, the low thermal conductivity path from the circuit boards to the multi-lead battery terminal assembly, and a flex circuit 3516 are features that assist in preventing heat from reaching the exterior surface of the device. The battery cells and buck components are thermally connected to a flex circuit within the handle assembly 102 (
Another advantage of the removable battery assembly 430 is realized when Li-ion batteries are used. As previously stated, Li-ion batteries should not be charged in a parallel configuration of multiple cells. This is because, as the voltage increases in a particular cell, it begins to accept additional charge faster than the other lower-voltage cells. Therefore, the cells are monitored so that a charge to that cell can be controlled individually. When a Li-ion battery is formed from a group of cells 438a-n, a multitude of wires extending from the exterior of the device to the batteries 438a-n is needed (at least one additional wire for each battery cell beyond the first). By having a removable battery assembly 430, a battery cell 438a-n can, in one aspect, have its own exposed set of contacts and, when the removable battery assembly 430 is not present inside the handle assembly 102 (
In one aspect, the communication portion includes a processor 493 and a memory 497, which may be separate or a single component. The processor 493, in combination with the memory, is able to provide intelligent power management for the modular handheld ultrasonic surgical instrument 480. This aspect is particularly advantageous because an ultrasonic device, such as the modular handheld ultrasonic surgical instrument 480, has a power requirement (frequency, current, and voltage) that may be unique to the modular handheld ultrasonic surgical instrument 480. In fact, the modular handheld ultrasonic surgical instrument 480 may have a particular power requirement or limitation for one dimension or type of outer tube 494 and a second different power requirement for a second type of waveguide having a different dimension, shape, and/or configuration.
A smart battery assembly 486, according to one aspect of the present disclosure, therefore, allows a battery assembly to be used amongst several surgical instruments. Because the smart battery assembly 486 is able to identify to which device it is attached and is able to alter its output accordingly, the operators of various different surgical instruments utilizing the smart battery assembly 486 no longer need be concerned about which power source they are attempting to install within the electronic device being used. This is particularly advantageous in an operating environment where a battery assembly needs to be replaced or interchanged with another surgical instrument in the middle of a complex surgical procedure.
In a further aspect of the present disclosure, the smart battery assembly 486 stores in a memory 497 a record of each time a particular device is used. This record can be useful for assessing the end of a device's useful or permitted life. For instance, once a device is used 20 times, such batteries in the smart battery assembly 486 connected to the device will refuse to supply power thereto—because the device is defined as a “no longer reliable” surgical instrument. Reliability is determined based on a number of factors. One factor can be wear, which can be estimated in a number of ways including the number of times the device has been used or activated. After a certain number of uses, the parts of the device can become worn and tolerances between parts exceeded. For instance, the smart battery assembly 486 can sense the number of button pushes received by the handle assembly 482 and can determine when a maximum number of button pushes has been met or exceeded. The smart battery assembly 486 can also monitor an impedance of the button mechanism which can change, for instance, if the handle gets contaminated, for example, with saline.
This wear can lead to an unacceptable failure during a procedure. In some aspects, the smart battery assembly 486 can recognize which parts are combined together in a device and even how many uses a part has experienced. For instance, if the smart battery assembly 486 is a smart battery according to the present disclosure, it can identify the handle assembly 482, the waveguide shaft assembly 490, as well as the ultrasonic transducer/generator assembly 484, well before the user attempts use of the composite device. The memory 497 within the smart battery assembly 486 can, for example, record a time when the ultrasonic transducer/generator assembly 484 is operated, and how, when, and for how long it is operated. If the ultrasonic transducer/generator assembly 484 has an individual identifier, the smart battery assembly 486 can keep track of uses of the ultrasonic transducer/generator assembly 484 and refuse to supply power to that the ultrasonic transducer/generator assembly 484 once the handle assembly 482 or the ultrasonic transducer/generator assembly 484 exceeds its maximum number of uses. The ultrasonic transducer/generator assembly 484, the handle assembly 482, the waveguide shaft assembly 490, or other components can include a memory chip that records this information as well. In this way, any number of smart batteries in the smart battery assembly 486 can be used with any number of ultrasonic transducer/generator assemblies 484, staplers, vessel sealers, etc. and still be able to determine the total number of uses, or the total time of use (through use of the clock), or the total number of actuations, etc. of the ultrasonic transducer/generator assembly 484, the stapler, the vessel sealer, etc. or charge or discharge cycles. Smart functionality may reside outside the battery assembly 486 and may reside in the handle assembly 482, the ultrasonic transducer/generator assembly 484, and/or the shaft assembly 490, for example.
When counting uses of the ultrasonic transducer/generator assembly 484, to intelligently terminate the life of the ultrasonic transducer/generator assembly 484, the surgical instrument accurately distinguishes between completion of an actual use of the ultrasonic transducer/generator assembly 484 in a surgical procedure and a momentary lapse in actuation of the ultrasonic transducer/generator assembly 484 due to, for example, a battery change or a temporary delay in the surgical procedure. Therefore, as an alternative to simply counting the number of activations of the ultrasonic transducer/generator assembly 484, a real-time clock (RTC) circuit can be implemented to keep track of the amount of time the ultrasonic transducer/generator assembly 484 actually is shut down. From the length of time measured, it can be determined through appropriate logic if the shutdown was significant enough to be considered the end of one actual use or if the shutdown was too short in time to be considered the end of one use. Thus, in some applications, this method may be a more accurate determination of the useful life of the ultrasonic transducer/generator assembly 484 than a simple “activations-based” algorithm, which for example, may provide that ten “activations” occur in a surgical procedure and, therefore, ten activations should indicate that the counter is incremented by one. Generally, this type and system of internal clocking will prevent misuse of the device that is designed to deceive a simple “activations-based” algorithm and will prevent incorrect logging of a complete use in instances when there was only a simple de-mating of the ultrasonic transducer/generator assembly 484 or the smart battery assembly 486 that was required for legitimate reasons.
Although the ultrasonic transducer/generator assemblies 484 of the surgical instrument 480 are reusable, in one aspect a finite number of uses may be set because the surgical instrument 480 is subjected to harsh conditions during cleaning and sterilization. More specifically, the battery pack is configured to be sterilized. Regardless of the material employed for the outer surfaces, there is a limited expected life for the actual materials used. This life is determined by various characteristics which could include, for example, the amount of times the pack has actually been sterilized, the time from which the pack was manufactured, and the number of times the pack has been recharged, to name a few. Also, the life of the battery cells themselves is limited. Software of the present disclosure incorporates inventive algorithms that verify the number of uses of the ultrasonic transducer/generator assembly 484 and smart battery assembly 486 and disables the device when this number of uses has been reached or exceeded. Analysis of the battery pack exterior in each of the possible sterilizing methods can be performed. Based on the harshest sterilization procedure, a maximum number of permitted sterilizations can be defined and that number can be stored in a memory of the smart battery assembly 486. If it is assumed that a charger is non-sterile and that the smart battery assembly 486 is to be used after it is charged, then the charge count can be defined as being equal to the number of sterilizations encountered by that particular pack.
In one aspect, the hardware in the battery pack may be to disabled to minimize or eliminate safety concerns due to continuous drain in from the battery cells after the pack has been disabled by software. A situation can exist where the battery's internal hardware is incapable of disabling the battery under certain low voltage conditions. In such a situation, in an aspect, the charger can be used to “kill” the battery. Due to the fact that the battery microcontroller is OFF while the battery is in its charger, a non-volatile, System Management Bus (SMB) based electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM) can be used to exchange information between the battery microcontroller and the charger. Thus, a serial EEPROM can be used to store information that can be written and read even when the battery microcontroller is OFF, which is very beneficial when trying to exchange information with the charger or other peripheral devices. This example EEPROM can be configured to contain enough memory registers to store at least (a) a use-count limit at which point the battery should be disabled (Battery Use Count), (b) the number of procedures the battery has undergone (Battery Procedure Count), and/or (c) a number of charges the battery has undergone (Charge Count), to name a few. Some of the information stored in the EEPROM, such as the Use Count Register and Charge Count Register are stored in write-protected sections of the EEPROM to prevent users from altering the information. In an aspect, the use and counters are stored with corresponding bit-inverted minor registers to detect data corruption.
Any residual voltage in the SMBus lines could damage the microcontroller and corrupt the SMBus signal. Therefore, to ensure that the SMBus lines of the battery controller 703 do not carry a voltage while the microcontroller is OFF, relays are provided between the external SMBus lines and the battery microcontroller board.
During charging of the smart battery assembly 486, an “end-of-charge” condition of the batteries within the smart battery assembly 486 is determined when, for example, the current flowing into the battery falls below a given threshold in a tapering manner when employing a constant-current/constant-voltage charging scheme. To accurately detect this “end-of-charge” condition, the battery microcontroller and buck boards are powered down and turned OFF during charging of the battery to reduce any current drain that may be caused by the boards and that may interfere with the tapering current detection. Additionally, the microcontroller and buck boards are powered down during charging to prevent any resulting corruption of the SMBus signal.
With regard to the charger, in one aspect the smart battery assembly 486 is prevented from being inserted into the charger in any way other than the correct insertion position. Accordingly, the exterior of the smart battery assembly 486 is provided with charger-holding features. A cup for holding the smart battery assembly 486 securely in the charger is configured with a contour-matching taper geometry to prevent the accidental insertion of the smart battery assembly 486 in any way other than the correct (intended) way. It is further contemplated that the presence of the smart battery assembly 486 may be detectable by the charger itself. For example, the charger may be configured to detect the presence of the SMBus transmission from the battery protection circuit, as well as resistors that are located in the protection board. In such case, the charger would be enabled to control the voltage that is exposed at the charger's pins until the smart battery assembly 486 is correctly seated or in place at the charger. This is because an exposed voltage at the charger's pins would present a hazard and a risk that an electrical short could occur across the pins and cause the charger to inadvertently begin charging.
In some aspects, the smart battery assembly 486 can communicate to the user through audio and/or visual feedback. For example, the smart battery assembly 486 can cause the LEDs to light in a pre-set way. In such a case, even though the microcontroller in the ultrasonic transducer/generator assembly 484 controls the LEDs, the microcontroller receives instructions to be carried out directly from the smart battery assembly 486.
In yet a further aspect of the present disclosure, the microcontroller in the ultrasonic transducer/generator assembly 484, when not in use for a predetermined period of time, goes into a sleep mode. Advantageously, when in the sleep mode, the clock speed of the microcontroller is reduced, cutting the current drain significantly. Some current continues to be consumed because the processor continues pinging waiting to sense an input. Advantageously, when the microcontroller is in this power-saving sleep mode, the microcontroller and the battery controller can directly control the LEDs. For example, a decoder circuit could be built into the ultrasonic transducer/generator assembly 484 and connected to the communication lines such that the LEDs can be controlled independently by the processor 493 while the ultrasonic transducer/generator assembly 484 microcontroller is “OFF” or in a “sleep mode.” This is a power-saving feature that eliminates the need for waking up the microcontroller in the ultrasonic transducer/generator assembly 484. Power is conserved by allowing the generator to be turned off while still being able to actively control the user-interface indicators.
Another aspect slows down one or more of the microcontrollers to conserve power when not in use. For example, the clock frequencies of both microcontrollers can be reduced to save power. To maintain synchronized operation, the microcontrollers coordinate the changing of their respective clock frequencies to occur at about the same time, both the reduction and, then, the subsequent increase in frequency when full speed operation is required. For example, when entering the idle mode, the clock frequencies are decreased and, when exiting the idle mode, the frequencies are increased.
In an additional aspect, the smart battery assembly 486 is able to determine the amount of usable power left within its cells and is programmed to only operate the surgical instrument to which it is attached if it determines there is enough battery power remaining to predictably operate the device throughout the anticipated procedure. For example, the smart battery assembly 486 is able to remain in a non-operational state if there is not enough power within the cells to operate the surgical instrument for 20 seconds. According to one aspect, the smart battery assembly 486 determines the amount of power remaining within the cells at the end of its most recent preceding function, e.g., a surgical cutting. In this aspect, therefore, the smart battery assembly 486 would not allow a subsequent function to be carried out if, for example, during that procedure, it determines that the cells have insufficient power. Alternatively, if the smart battery assembly 486 determines that there is sufficient power for a subsequent procedure and goes below that threshold during the procedure, it would not interrupt the ongoing procedure and, instead, will allow it to finish and thereafter prevent additional procedures from occurring.
The following explains an advantage to maximizing use of the device with the smart battery assembly 486 of the present disclosure. In this example, a set of different devices have different ultrasonic transmission waveguides. By definition, the waveguides could have a respective maximum allowable power limit where exceeding that power limit overstresses the waveguide and eventually causes it to fracture. One waveguide from the set of waveguides will naturally have the smallest maximum power tolerance. Because prior-art batteries lack intelligent battery power management, the output of prior-art batteries must be limited by a value of the smallest maximum allowable power input for the smallest/thinnest/most-frail waveguide in the set that is envisioned to be used with the device/battery. This would be true even though larger, thicker waveguides could later be attached to that handle and, by definition, allow a greater force to be applied. This limitation is also true for maximum battery power. For example, if one battery is designed to be used in multiple devices, its maximum output power will be limited to the lowest maximum power rating of any of the devices in which it is to be used. With such a configuration, one or more devices or device configurations would not be able to maximize use of the battery because the battery does not know the particular device's specific limits.
In one aspect, the smart battery assembly 486 may be employed to intelligently circumvent the above-mentioned ultrasonic device limitations. The smart battery assembly 486 can produce one output for one device or a particular device configuration and the same smart battery assembly 486 can later produce a different output for a second device or device configuration. This universal smart battery surgical system lends itself well to the modern operating room where space and time are at a premium. By having a smart battery pack operate many different devices, the nurses can easily manage the storage, retrieval, and inventory of these packs. Advantageously, in one aspect the smart battery system according to the present disclosure may employ one type of charging station, thus increasing ease and efficiency of use and decreasing cost of surgical room charging equipment.
In addition, other surgical instruments, such as an electric stapler, may have a different power requirement than that of the modular handheld ultrasonic surgical instrument 480. In accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure, a smart battery assembly 486 can be used with any one of a series of surgical instruments and can be made to tailor its own power output to the particular device in which it is installed. In one aspect, this power tailoring is performed by controlling the duty cycle of a switched mode power supply, such as buck, buck-boost, boost, or other configuration, integral with or otherwise coupled to and controlled by the smart battery assembly 486. In other aspects, the smart battery assembly 486 can dynamically change its power output during device operation. For instance, in vessel sealing devices, power management provides improved tissue sealing. In these devices, large constant current values are needed. The total power output needs to be adjusted dynamically because, as the tissue is sealed, its impedance changes. Aspects of the present disclosure provide the smart battery assembly 486 with a variable maximum current limit. The current limit can vary from one application (or device) to another, based on the requirements of the application or device.
The activation switch 485, when depressed, places the modular handheld ultrasonic surgical instrument 480 into an ultrasonic operating mode, which causes ultrasonic motion at the waveguide shaft assembly 490. In one aspect, depression of the activation switch 485 causes electrical contacts within a switch to close, thereby completing a circuit between the smart battery assembly 486 and the ultrasonic transducer/generator assembly 484 so that electrical power is applied to the ultrasonic transducer, as previously described. In another aspect, depression of the activation switch 485 closes electrical contacts to the smart battery assembly 486. Of course, the description of closing electrical contacts in a circuit is, here, merely an example general description of switch operation. There are many alternative aspects that can include opening contacts or processor-controlled power delivery that receives information from the switch and directs a corresponding circuit reaction based on the information.
For a more detailed description of a combination ultrasonic/electrosurgical instrument, reference is made to U.S. Pat. No. 9,107,690, which is herein incorporated by reference.
The ultrasonic transducer/RF generator assembly 504 comprises a housing 548, a display 576, such as an LCD display, for example, an ultrasonic transducer 530, an electrical circuit 177 (
The battery assembly 506 is electrically connected to the handle assembly 502 by an electrical connector 532. The handle assembly 502 is provided with a switch section 520. A first switch 520a and a second switch 520b are provided in the switch section 520. The RF generator is activated by actuating the first switch 520a and the ultrasonic blade 516 is activated by actuating the second switch 520b. Accordingly, the first switch 520a energizes the RF circuit to drive high-frequency current through the tissue to form a seal and the second switch 520b energizes the ultrasonic transducer 530 to vibrate the ultrasonic blade 516 and cut the tissue.
A rotation knob 518 is operably coupled to the shaft assembly 510. Rotation of the rotation knob 518 ±360° in the direction indicated by the arrows 526 causes an outer tube 544 to rotate ±360° in the respective direction of the arrows 528. In one aspect, another rotation knob 522 may be configured to rotate the jaw member 514 while the ultrasonic blade 516 remains stationary and the rotation knob 518 rotates the outer tube 144 ±360°. The outer tube 144 may have a diameter D1 ranging from 5 mm to 10 mm, for example.
The ultrasonic transducer/RF generator assembly 604 comprises a housing 648, a display 676, such as an LCD display, for example. The display 676 provides a visual display of surgical procedure parameters such as tissue thickness, status of seal, status of cut, tissue thickness, tissue impedance, algorithm being executed, battery capacity, energy being applied (either ultrasonic vibration or RF current), among other parameters. The ultrasonic transducer/RF generator assembly 604 also comprises two visual feedback indicators 678, 679 to indicate the energy modality currently being applied in the surgical procedure. For example, one indicator 678 shows when RF energy is being used and another indicator 679 shows when ultrasonic energy is being used. It will be appreciated that when both energy modalities RF and ultrasonic are being applied, both indicators will show this condition. The surgical instrument 600 also comprises an ultrasonic transducer, an ultrasonic generator circuit and/or electrical circuit, a shaft assembly, and an end effector comprising a jaw member and an ultrasonic blade, the modular components being similar to those described in connection with
The battery assembly 606 is electrically connected to the handle assembly 602 by an electrical connector. The handle assembly 602 is provided with a switch section 620. A first switch 620a and a second switch 620b are provided in the switch section 620. The ultrasonic blade is activated by actuating the first switch 620a and the RF generator is activated by actuating the second switch 620b. In another aspect, force sensors such as strain gages or pressure sensors may be coupled to the trigger 608 to measure the force applied to the trigger 608 by the user. In another aspect, force sensors such as strain gages or pressure sensors may be coupled to the switch 620 button such that displacement intensity corresponds to the force applied by the user to the switch 620 button.
A rotation knob 618 is operably coupled to the shaft assembly. Rotation of the rotation knob 618 ±360° causes an outer tube to rotate ±360° in the respective direction, as described herein in connection with
In one aspect, the surgical instrument 500, 600 includes a battery powered advanced energy (ultrasonic vibration plus high-frequency current) with driver amplification broken into multiple stages. The different stages of amplification may reside in different modular components of the surgical instrument 500, 600 such as the handle assembly 502, 602 ultrasonic transducer/RF generator assembly 504, 604, battery assembly 506, 606, shaft assembly 510, and/or the end effector 112. In one aspect, the ultrasonic transducer/RF generator assembly 504, 604 may include an amplification stage in the ultrasonic transducer and/or RF electronic circuits within the housing 548, 648 and different ratios of amplification based on the energy modality associated with the particular energy mode. The final stage may be controlled via signals from the electronic system of the surgical instrument 100 located in the handle assembly 502, 602 and/or the battery assembly 506, 606 through a bus structure, such as I2C, as previously described. Final stage switches system may be employed to apply power to the transformer and blocking capacitors to form the RF waveform. Measurements of the RF output, such as voltage and current, are fed back to the electronic system over the bus. The handle assembly 502, 602 and/or battery assembly 506, 606 may contain the majority of the primary amplification circuits including any electrical isolation components, motor control, and waveform generator. The two differing ultrasonic transducers (e.g., ultrasonic transducer 130, 130′ shown in
The surgical instruments 500, 600 described in connection with
The structural and functional aspects of the battery assembly 506, 606 are similar to those of the battery assembly 106 for the surgical instrument 100 described in connection with
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A drive circuit 586 provides left and right RF energy outputs. A digital signal that represents the signal waveform is provided to the SCL-A/SDA-A inputs of the analog multiplexer 580 from a control circuit, such as the control circuit 210 (
Additionally, a gamma friendly charge circuit may be provided that includes a switch mode power supply 727 using diodes and vacuum tube components to minimize voltage sag at a predetermined level. With the inclusion of a minimum sag voltage that is a division of the NiMH voltages (3 NiMH cells) the switch mode power supply 727 could be eliminated. Additionally a modular system may be provided wherein the radiation hardened components are located in a module, making the module sterilizable by radiation sterilization. Other non-radiation hardened components may be included in other modular components and connections made between the modular components such that the componentry operates together as if the components were located together on the same circuit board. If only two NiMH cells are desired the switch mode power supply 727 based on diodes and vacuum tubes allows for sterilizable electronics within the disposable primary battery pack.
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Either type of system can have separate controls for the modalities that are not communicating with each other. The surgeon activates the RF and Ultrasonic separately and at their discretion. Another approach would be to provide fully integrated communication schemes that share buttons, tissue status, instrument operating parameters (such as jaw closure, forces, etc.) and algorithms to manage tissue treatment. Various combinations of this integration can be implemented to provide the appropriate level of function and performance.
In one aspect, the control circuit 800 includes a battery 801 powered RF generator circuit 802 comprising a battery as an energy source. As shown, RF generator circuit 802 is coupled to two electrically conductive surfaces referred to herein as electrodes 806a, 806b and is configured to drive the electrodes 806a, 806b with RF energy (e.g., high-frequency current). A first winding 810a of a step-up transformer 804 is connected in series with one pole of the bipolar RF generator circuit 802 and the return electrode 806b. In one aspect, the first winding 810a and the return electrode 806b are connected to the negative pole of the bipolar RF generator circuit 802. The other pole of the bipolar RF generator circuit 802 is connected to the active electrode 806a through a switch contact 809 of a relay 808, or any suitable electromagnetic switching device comprising an armature which is moved by an electromagnet 836 to operate the switch contact 809. The switch contact 809 is closed when the electromagnet 836 is energized and the switch contact 809 is open when the electromagnet 836 is de-energized. When the switch contact is closed, RF current flows through conductive tissue (not shown) located between the electrodes 806a, 806b. It will be appreciated, that in one aspect, the active electrode 806a is connected to the positive pole of the bipolar RF generator circuit 802.
A visual indicator circuit 805 comprises a step-up transformer 804, a series resistor R2, and a visual indicator 812. The visual indicator 812 can be adapted for use with the surgical instrument 500 and other electrosurgical systems and tools, such as those described herein. The first winding 810a of the step-up transformer 804 is connected in series with the return electrode 806b and a second winding 810b of the step-up transformer 804 is connected in series with a resistor R2 and a visual indicator 812 comprising a type NE-2 neon bulb, for example.
In operation, when the switch contact 809 of the relay 808 is open, the active electrode 806a is disconnected from the positive pole of the bipolar RF generator circuit 802 and no current flows through the tissue, the return electrode 806b, and the first winding 810a of the step-up transformer 804. Accordingly, the visual indicator 812 is not energized and does not emit light. When the switch contact 809 of the relay 808 is closed, the active electrode 806a is connected to the positive pole of the bipolar RF generator circuit 802 enabling current to flow through tissue, the return electrode 806b, and the first winding 810a of the step-up transformer 804 to operate on tissue, for example cut and cauterize the tissue.
A first current flows through the first winding 810a as a function of the impedance of the tissue located between the active and return electrodes 806a, 806b providing a first voltage across the first winding 810a of the step-up transformer 804. A stepped up second voltage is induced across the second winding 810b of the step-up transformer 804. The secondary voltage appears across the resistor R2 and energizes the visual indicator 812 causing the neon bulb to light when the current through the tissue is greater than a predetermined threshold. It will be appreciated that the circuit and component values are illustrative and not limited thereto. When the switch contact 809 of the relay 808 is closed, current flows through the tissue and the visual indicator 812 is turned on.
Turning now to the energy switch 826 portion of the control circuit 800, when the energy switch 826 is open position, a logic high is applied to the input of a first inverter 828 and a logic low is applied of one of the two inputs of the AND gate 832. Thus, the output of the AND gate 832 is low and the transistor 834 is off to prevent current from flowing through the winding of the electromagnet 836. With the electromagnet 836 in the de-energized state, the switch contact 809 of the relay 808 remains open and prevents current from flowing through the electrodes 806a, 806b. The logic low output of the first inverter 828 also is applied to a second inverter 830 causing the output to go high and resetting a flip-flop 818 (e.g., a D-Type flip-flop). At which time, the Q output goes low to turn off the ultrasound generator circuit 820 circuit and the
When the user presses the energy switch 826 on the instrument handle to apply energy to the tissue between the electrodes 806a, 806b, the energy switch 826 closes and applies a logic low at the input of the first inverter 828, which applies a logic high to other input of the AND gate 832 causing the output of the AND gate 832 to go high and turns on the transistor 834. In the on state, the transistor 834 conducts and sinks current through the winding of the electromagnet 836 to energize the electromagnet 836 and close the switch contact 809 of the relay 808. As discussed above, when the switch contact 809 is closed, current can flow through the electrodes 806a, 806b and the first winding 810a of the step-up transformer 804 when tissue is located between the electrodes 806a, 806b.
As discussed above, the magnitude of the current flowing through the electrodes 806a, 806b depends on the impedance of the tissue located between the electrodes 806a, 806b. Initially, the tissue impedance is low and the magnitude of the current high through the tissue and the first winding 810a. Consequently, the voltage impressed on the second winding 810b is high enough to turn on the visual indicator 812. The light emitted by the visual indicator 812 turns on the phototransistor 814, which pulls the input of the inverter 816 low and causes the output of the inverter 816 to go high. A high input applied to the CLK of the flip-flop 818 has no effect on the Q or the
As the tissue between the electrodes 806a, 806b dries up, due to the heat generated by the current flowing through the tissue, the impedance of the tissue increases and the current therethrough decreases. When the current through the first winding 810a decreases, the voltage across the second winding 810b also decreases and when the voltage drops below a minimum threshold required to operate the visual indicator 812, the visual indicator 812 and the phototransistor 814 turn off. When the phototransistor 814 turns off, a logic high is applied to the input of the inverter 816 and a logic low is applied to the CLK input of the flip-flop 818 to clock a logic high to the Q output and a logic low to the
While the switch contact 809 of the relay 808 is open, no current flows through the electrodes 806a, 806b, tissue, and the first winding 810a of the step-up transformer 804. Therefore, no voltage is developed across the second winding 810b and no current flows through the visual indicator 812.
The state of the Q and the
The ultrasonic blade 902 has a rhombic shape partially cut out in the section orthogonal to the axial direction. The sectional shape of the ultrasonic blade 902 is a shape which is cut out in the direction orthogonal to a longer diagonal line of the rhombic shape as shown in
When the trigger of the handle assembly is closed, the ultrasonic blade 902 and the jaw member 904 are fitted to each other. When they are fitted, the bottom surface portion 912 of the channel-shaped groove 906 abuts on a top surface portion 918 of the trapezoidal portion 914 of the ultrasonic blade 902, and two inner wall portions 920 of the channel-shaped groove 906 abut on inclined surface portions 922 of the trapezoidal portion 914.
Further, an apex portion 924 of the isosceles triangle portion 916 of the ultrasonic blade 902 is formed to be rounded, but the apex portion 924 has a slightly sharp angle.
When the surgical instrument is used as a spatulate ultrasound treatment instrument, the ultrasonic blade 902 acts as an ultrasound vibration treatment portion, and the apex portion 924 and its peripheral portion (shown by the dotted line) particularly act as a scalpel knife to the tissue of the treatment object.
Further, when the surgical instrument is used as a spatulate high-frequency treatment instrument, the apex portion 924 and its peripheral portion (shown by the dotted line) act as an electric scalpel knife to the tissue of the treatment object.
In one aspect, the bottom surface portion 912 and the inner wall portions 920, and the top surface portion 918 and the inclined surface portions 922 act as the working surfaces of an ultrasound vibration.
Further, in one aspect, the inner wall portions 920 and the inclined surface portions 922 act as the working surfaces of a bipolar high-frequency current.
In one aspect, the surgical instrument may be used as a spatulate treatment instrument of simultaneous output of ultrasound and high-frequency current, the ultrasonic blade 902 acts as the ultrasound vibration treatment portion, and the apex portion 924 and its peripheral portion (shown by the dotted line) particularly act as an electrical scalpel knife to the tissue of the treatment object.
Further, when the surgical instrument provides simultaneous output of ultrasound and high-frequency current, the bottom surface portion 912 and the top surface portion 918 act as the working surfaces of an ultrasound vibration, and the inner wall portions 920 and the inclined surface portions 922 act as the working surfaces of a bipolar high-frequency current.
Consequently, according to the configuration of the treatment portion shown in
When the surgical instrument performs high-frequency current output or simultaneous output of high-frequency current and ultrasound, monopolar output may be enabled instead of a bipolar output as the high-frequency output.
The ultrasonic blade 938 has a rhombic shape partially cut out in the section orthogonal to the axial direction. The sectional shape of the ultrasonic blade 938 is a shape in which part of the rhombic shape is cut out in the direction orthogonal to one diagonal line as shown in
When the trigger of the handle assembly is closed, the ultrasonic blade 938 and the jaw member 906 are fitted to each other. When they are fitted, the bottom surface portion 936 of the channel-shaped groove 942 abuts on a top surface portion 946 of the trapezoidal portion 940 of the ultrasonic blade 938, and two inner wall portions 954 of the channel-shaped groove 932 abut on inclined surface portions 948 of the trapezoidal portion 940.
Further, an apex portion 950 of the isosceles triangle portion 944 of the ultrasonic blade 938 is formed to be rounded, but an apex portion 952 of the inner side of the hook shape has a slightly sharp angle. An angle θ of the apex portion 952 is preferably 45° to 100°. 45° is a strength limit of the ultrasonic blade 938. As above, the apex portion 952 of the ultrasonic blade 938 configures a protruding portion having a predetermined angle at the inner side of the hook-shaped portion, that is, an edge portion.
The treatment portion in the hook shape is often used for dissection. The apex portion 952 of the end effector 930 becomes a working portion at the time of dissection. Since the apex portion 952 has the slightly sharp angle θ, the apex portion 952 is effective for dissection treatment.
The ultrasonic blade 938 and the jaw member 932 shown in
Referring now to
The ultrasonic blade 1006 is made of a conductive material having high acoustic effects and biocompatibility, for example, a titanium alloy such as a Ti-6Al-4V alloy. In the ultrasonic blade 1006, an insulating and elastic rubber lining 1008 is externally equipped in the position of nodes of the ultrasonic vibration. The rubber lining 1008 is disposed between the inner sheath 1004 and the ultrasonic blade 1006 in a compressed state. The ultrasonic blade 1006 is held to the inner sheath 1004 by the rubber lining 1008. A clearance is maintained between the inner sheath 1004 and the ultrasonic blade 1006.
An abutting portion 1010 is formed by the part of the ultrasonic blade 1012 facing the jaw member 1014 at the distal end portion of the ultrasonic blade 1006. Here, the ultrasonic blade 1012 is octagonal in its cross section perpendicular to the axial directions of the ultrasonic blade 1006. An abutting surface 1016 is formed by one surface of the abutting portion 1010 facing the jaw member 1014. A pair of electrode surfaces 1018 is formed by surfaces provided to the sides of the abutting surface 1016.
The jaw member 1014 is formed by a body member 1020, an electrode member 1022, a pad member 1024, and a regulating member 1026 as a regulating section.
The body member 1020 is made of a hard and conductive material. A proximal end portion of the body member 1020 constitutes a pivot connection portion 1028. The pivot connection portion 1028 is pivotally connected to a distal end portion of the outer sheath 1002 via a pivot connection shaft 1030. The pivot connection shaft 1030 extends in width directions perpendicular to the axial directions and the opening/closing directions. The body member 1020 can turn about the pivot connection shaft 1030 in the opening/closing directions relative to the outer sheath 1002. A distal end portion of the inner sheath 1004 is pivotally connected to the pivot connection portion 1028 of the body member 1020 at a position provided to the distal side and the opening-direction side of the pivot connection shaft 1030. If the movable handle is turned relative to the fixed handle in the handle unit, the inner sheath 1004 is moved back and forth relative to the outer sheath 1002, and the body member 1020 is driven by the inner sheath 1004 to turn about the pivot connection shaft 1030 in the opening/closing directions relative to the outer sheath 1002. In one aspect, a distal part of the body member 1020 constitutes a pair of pivot bearings 1032. The pair of pivot bearings 1032 are in the form of plates which extend in the axial directions and which are perpendicular to the width directions, and are disposed apart from each other in the width directions.
The electrode member 1022 is made of a hard and conductive material. The part of the electrode member 1022 provided on the opening-direction side constitutes a pivot support 1034. An insertion hole 1036 is formed through the pivot support 1034 in the width directions. A pivot support shaft 1038 is inserted through the insertion hole 1036 and extends in the width directions. The pivot support 1034 is disposed between the pair of pivot bearings 1032 of the body member 1020, and is pivotally supported on the pair of pivot bearings 1032 via the pivot support shaft 1038. The electrode member 1022 can oscillate about the pivot support shaft 1038 relative to the body member 1020. Further, the part of the electrode member 1022 provided on the closing-direction side constitutes an electrode section 1040. The electrode section 1040 extends in the axial directions and projects to the sides in the width directions. A recessed groove 1042 which is open toward the closing direction extends in the axial directions in the part of the electrode section 1040 provided on the closing-direction side. Teeth are axially provided in the parts of the groove 1042 provided in the closing direction side, thus forming a tooth portion 1044. The side surfaces that define the groove 1042 constitute a pair of electrode receiving surfaces 1046 that are inclined from the closing direction toward the sides in the width directions. A recessed mating receptacle 1048 which is open toward the closing direction axially extends in a bottom portion that defines the groove 1042. An embedding hole 1050 is formed through the pivot support 1034 of the electrode member 1022 in the opening/closing directions perpendicularly to the insertion hole 1036. The embedding hole 1050 is open to the mating receptacle 1048.
The pad member 1024 is softer than the ultrasonic blade 1006, and is made of an insulating material having biocompatibility such as polytetrafluorethylene. The pad member 1024 is mated with the mating receptacle 1048 of the electrode member 1022. The part of the pad member 1024 provided on the closing-direction side protrudes from the electrode member 1022 to the closing direction, thus forming an abutting receptacle 1052. In the cross section perpendicular to the axial directions, the abutting receptacle 1052 is in a recessed shape corresponding to the projecting shape of the abutting portion 1010 of the ultrasonic blade 1012. When the jaw member 1014 is closed relative to the ultrasonic blade 1012, the abutting portion 1010 of the ultrasonic blade 1012 abuts onto and engages with the abutting receptacle 1052 of the pad member 1024. The pair of electrode surfaces 1018 of the ultrasonic blade 1012 are arranged parallel to the pair of electrode receiving surfaces 1046 of the electrode section 1040, and a clearance is maintained between the electrode section 1040 and the ultrasonic blade 1012.
The regulating member 1026 is harder than the ultrasonic blade 1006, and is made of an insulating high-strength material such as ceramics. The regulating pad member 1024 is pin-shaped. The regulating pad member 1024 is inserted into the embedding hole 1050 of the pivot support 1034 of the electrode member 1022, protrudes toward the mating receptacle 1048 of the electrode section 1040, and is embedded in the abutting receptacle 1052 of the pad member 1024 in the mating receptacle 1048. A closing-direction end of the regulating member 1026 constitutes a regulating end 1054. The regulating end 1054 does not protrude from the abutting receptacle 1052 to the closing direction, and is accommodated in the abutting receptacle 1052. The insertion hole 1036 is also formed through the regulating member 1026, and the pivot support shaft 1038 is inserted through the insertion hole 1036 of the regulating member 1026.
Here, the inner sheath 1004, the body member 1020, and the electrode member 1022 are electrically connected to one another, and constitute the first electrical path 1056 used in a high-frequency surgical treatment. The electrode section 1040 of the electrode member 1022 functions as one of bipolar electrodes used in a high-frequency surgical treatment. In one aspect, the ultrasonic blade 1006 constitutes the second electrical path 1058 used in the high-frequency treatment. The ultrasonic blade 1012 provided to the distal end portion of the ultrasonic blade 1006 functions as the other of the bipolar electrodes used in a high-frequency treatment. As described above, the ultrasonic blade 1006 is held to the inner sheath 1004 by the insulating rubber lining 1008, and the clearance is maintained between the inner sheath 1004 and the ultrasonic blade 1006. This prevents a short circuit between the inner sheath 1004 and the ultrasonic blade 1006. When the jaw member 1014 is closed relative to the ultrasonic blade 1012, the abutting portion 1010 of the ultrasonic blade 1012 abuts onto and engages with the abutting receptacle 1052 of the pad member 1024. Thus, the pair of electrode surfaces 1018 of the ultrasonic blade 1012 are arranged parallel to the pair of electrode receiving surfaces 1046 of the electrode section 1040, and the clearance is maintained between the electrode section 1040 and the ultrasonic blade 1012. This prevents a short circuit between the electrode section 1040 and the ultrasonic blade 1012.
Referring to
The regulating member 1026 is made of a high-strength material harder than the ultrasonic blade 1006. Therefore, when the regulating end 1054 contacts the ultrasonically vibrated ultrasonic blade 1012, the regulating member 1026 is not worn, and the ultrasonic blade 1006 cracks. In the surgical treatment system according to one aspect, when the abutting receptacle 1052 is worn more than a predetermined amount, the regulating end 1054 contacts the ultrasonic blade 1012 to intentionally crack the ultrasonic blade 1006. By detecting this crack, the end of the life of the surgical treatment instrument is detected. Therefore, the position of the contact between the ultrasonic blade 1012 and the regulating end 1054 is set at the stress concentration region in the ultrasonic blade 1012 to ensure that the ultrasonic blade 1006 cracks when the regulating end 1054 contacts the ultrasonic blade 1012. In a linear ultrasonic blade 1006, stress concentrates in the positions of the nodes of the ultrasonic vibration, and a stress concentration region is located at the proximal end portion of the ultrasonic blade 1012.
For a more detailed description of a combination ultrasonic/electrosurgical instrument, reference is made to U.S. Pat. No. 8,696,666 and U.S. Pat. No. 8,663,223, each of which is herein incorporated by reference.
The shaft assembly 1110 comprises an outer tube 1144, a knife drive rod 1145, and an inner tube (not shown). The shaft assembly 1110 comprises an articulation section 1130 and a distal rotation section 1134. The end effector 1112 comprises jaw members 1114a, 1114b in opposing relationship and a motor driven knife. The jaw member 1114a, 1114b comprises an electrically conductive surface 1116a, 1116b coupled to the RF generator circuit for delivering high-frequency current to tissue grasped between the opposed jaw members 1114a, 1114b. The jaw members 1114a, 1114b are pivotally rotatable about a pivot pin 1136 to grasp tissue between the jaw members 1114a, 1114b. The jaw members 1114a, 1114b are operably coupled to a trigger 1108 such that when the trigger 1108 is squeezed the jaw members 1114a, 1114b close to grasp tissue and when the trigger 1108 is released the jaw members 1114a, 1114b open to release tissue.
The jaw members 1114a, 1114b are operably coupled to a trigger 1108 such that when the trigger 1108 is squeezed the jaw members 1114a, 1114b close to grasp tissue and when the trigger 1108 is released the jaw members 1114a, 1114b open to release tissue. In a one-stage trigger configuration, the trigger 1108 is squeezed to close the jaw members 1114a, 1114b and, once the jaw members 1114a, 1114b are closed, a first switch 1121a of a switch section 1121 is activated to energize the RF generator to seal the tissue. After the tissue is sealed, a second switch 1121b of the switch section 1120 is activated to advance a knife to cut the tissue. In various aspects, the trigger 1108 may be a two-stage, or a multi-stage, trigger. In a two-stage trigger configuration, during the first stage, the trigger 1108 is squeezed part of the way to close the jaw members 1114a, 1114b and, during the second stage, the trigger 1108 is squeezed the rest of the way to energize the RF generator circuit to seal the tissue. After the tissue is sealed, one of the first and second switches 1121a, 1121b can be activated to advance the knife to cut the tissue. After the tissue is cut, the jaw members 1114a, 1114b are opened by releasing the trigger 1108 to release the tissue. In another aspect, force sensors such as strain gages or pressure sensors may be coupled to the trigger 1108 to measure the force applied to the trigger 1108 by the user. In another aspect, force sensors such as strain gages or pressure sensors may be coupled to the switch section 1120 first and second switch 1121a, 1121b buttons such that displacement intensity corresponds to the force applied by the user to the switch section 1120 first and second switch 1121a, 1121b buttons.
The battery assembly 1106 is electrically connected to the handle assembly 1102 by an electrical connector 1132. The handle assembly 1102 is provided with a switch section 1120. A first switch 1121a and a second switch 1121b are provided in the switch section 1120. The RF generator is energized by actuating the first switch 1121a and the knife is activated by energizing the motor 1140 by actuating the second switch 1121b. Accordingly, the first switch 1121a energizes the RF circuit to drive the high-frequency current through the tissue to form a seal and the second switch 1121b energizes the motor to drive the knife to cut the tissue. The structural and functional aspects of the battery assembly 1106 are similar to those of the battery assembly 106 for the surgical instrument 100 described in connection with
A rotation knob 1118 is operably coupled to the shaft assembly 1110. Rotation of the rotation knob 1118 ±360° in the direction indicated by the arrows 1126 causes the outer tube 1144 to rotate ±360° in the respective direction of the arrows 1119. In one aspect, another rotation knob 1122 may be configured to rotate the end effector 1112 ±360° in the direction indicated by the arrows 1128 independently of the rotation of the outer tube 1144. The end effector 1112 may be articulated by way of first and second control switches 1124a, 1124b such that actuation of the first control switch 1124a articulates the end effector 1112 about a pivot 1138 in the direction indicated by the arrow 1132a and actuation of the second control switch 1124b articulates the end effector 1112 about the pivot 1138 in the direction indicated by the arrow 1132b. Further, the outer tube 1144 may have a diameter D3 ranging from 5 mm to 10 mm, for example.
In one aspect, a micro-electrical clutching configuration enables rotation of the distal rotation section 1134 and articulation of the articulation section 1130 about pivot 1138 and articulation axis 1175. In one aspect, a ferro-fluid clutch couples the clutch to the primary rotary drive shaft 1172 via a fluid pump. The clutch ferro-fluid is activated by electrical coils 1181, 1183, 1185 which are wrapped around the knife drive rod 1145. The other ends of the coils 1181, 1183, 1185 are connected to three separate control circuits to independently actuate the clutches 1174, 1178, 1179. In operation, when the coils 1181, 1183, 1185 are not energized, the clutches 1174, 1178, 1179 are disengaged and there is no articulation, rotation, or jaw movements.
When the articulation clutch 1174 is engaged by energizing the coil 1181 and the distal head rotation clutch 1178 and the jaw closure clutch 1179 are disengaged by de-energizing the coils 1183, 1185, a gear 1180 is mechanically coupled to the primary rotary drive shaft 1172 to articulate the articulation section 1130. In the illustrated orientation, when the primary rotary drive shaft 1172 rotates clockwise, the gear 1180 rotates clockwise and the shaft articulates in the right direction about the articulation axis 1175 and when the primary rotary drive shaft 1172 rotates counter clockwise, the gear 1180 rotates counter clockwise and the shaft articulates in the left direction about the articulation axis 1175. It will be appreciated that left/right articulation depends on the orientation of the surgical instrument 1100, 1150.
When the articulation clutch 1174 and the jaw closure clutch 1179 are disengaged by de-energizing the coils 1181, 1185, and the distal head rotation clutch 1178 is engaged by energizing the coil 1183, the primary rotary drive shaft 1172 rotates the distal rotation section 1134 in the same direction of rotation. When the coil 1183 is energized, the distal head rotation clutch 1178 engages the primary rotary drive shaft 1172 with the distal rotation section 1134. Accordingly, the distal rotation section 1134 rotates with the primary rotary drive shaft 1172.
When the articulation clutch 1174 and the distal head rotation clutch 1178 are disengaged by de-energizing the coils 1181, 1183, and the jaw closure clutch 1179 is engaged by energizing the coil 1185, the jaw members 1114a, 114b can be opened or closed depending on the rotation of the primary rotary drive shaft 1172. When the coil 1185 is energized, the jaw closure clutch 1179 engages a captive inner threaded drive member 1186, which rotates in place in the direction of the primary rotary drive shaft 1172. The captive inner threaded drive member 1186 includes outer threads that are in threaded engagement with an outer threaded drive member 1188, which includes an inner threaded surface. As the primary rotary drive shaft 1172 rotates clockwise, the outer threaded drive member 1188 that is in threaded engagement with the captive inner threaded drive member 1186 will be driven in a proximal direction 1187 to close the jaw members 1114a, 1114b. As the primary rotary drive shaft 1172 rotates counterclockwise, the outer threaded drive member 1188 that is in threaded engagement with the captive inner threaded drive member 1186 will be driven in a distal direction 1189 to open the jaw members 1114a, 1114b.
The jaw member 1114a also includes a jaw housing 1115a, an insulative substrate or insulator 1117a and an electrically conductive surface 1116a. The insulator 1117a is configured to securely engage the electrically conductive sealing surface 1116a. This may be accomplished by stamping, by overmolding, by overmolding a stamped electrically conductive sealing plate and/or by overmolding a metal injection molded seal plate. These manufacturing techniques produce an electrode having an electrically conductive surface 1116a that is surrounded by an insulator 1117a.
As mentioned above, the jaw member 1114a includes similar elements which include: a jaw housing 1115b; insulator 1117b; and an electrically conductive surface 1116b that is dimensioned to securely engage the insulator 1117b. Electrically conductive surface 1116b and the insulator 1117b, when assembled, form a longitudinally-oriented knife channel 1113 defined therethrough for reciprocation of the knife blade 1123. The knife channel 1113 facilitates longitudinal reciprocation of the knife blade 1123 along a predetermined cutting plane to effectively and accurately separate the tissue along the formed tissue seal. Although not shown, the jaw member 1114a may also include a knife channel that cooperates with the knife channel 1113 to facilitate translation of the knife through tissue.
The jaw members 1114a, 1114b are electrically isolated from one another such that electrosurgical energy can be effectively transferred through the tissue to form a tissue seal. The electrically conductive surfaces 1116a, 1116b are also insolated from the remaining operative components of the end effector 1112 and the outer tube 1144. A plurality of stop members may be employed to regulate the gap distance between the electrically conductive surfaces 1116a, 1116b to insure accurate, consistent, and reliable tissue seals.
The structural and functional aspects of the battery assembly 1106 are similar to those of the battery assembly 106 for the surgical instrument 100 described in connection with
For a more detailed description of an electrosurgical instrument comprising a cutting mechanism and an articulation section that is operable to deflect the end effector away from the longitudinal axis of the shaft, reference is made to U.S. Pat. Nos. 9,028,478 and 9,113,907, each of which is herein incorporated by reference.
The handle assembly 1202 of the surgical instrument shown in
The shaft assembly 1210 comprises an outer tube 1244, a knife drive rod 1245, and an inner tube (not shown). The shaft assembly 1210 comprises an articulation section 1230. The end effector 1212 comprises a pair of jaw members 1214a, 1214b and a knife 1274 configured to reciprocate with channels formed in the jaw members 1214a, 1214b. In one aspect, the knife 1274 may be driven by a motor. The jaw member 1214a, 1214b comprises an electrically conductive surface 1216a, 1216b coupled to the RF generator circuit for delivering high-frequency current to tissue grasped between the jaw members 1214a, 1214b. The jaw members 1214a, 1214b are pivotally rotatable about a pivot pin 1235 to grasp tissue between the jaw members 1214a, 1214b. The jaw members 1214a, 1214b are operably coupled to a trigger 1208 such that when the trigger 1208 is squeezed one or both of the jaw members 1214a, 1214b close to grasp tissue and when the trigger 1208 is released the jaw members 1214a, 1214b open to release tissue. In the illustrated example, one jaw member 1214a is movable relative to the other jaw member 1214b. In other aspects, both jaw members 1214a, 1214b may be movable relative to each other. In another aspect, force sensors such as strain gages or pressure sensors may be coupled to the trigger 1208 to measure the force applied to the trigger 1208 by the user. In another aspect, force sensors such as strain gages or pressure sensors may be coupled to the switch section 1220 first and second switch 1221a, 1221b buttons such that displacement intensity corresponds to the force applied by the user to the switch section 1220 first and second switch 1221a, 1221b buttons.
The jaw member 1214a is operably coupled to a trigger 1208 such that when the trigger 1208 is squeezed the jaw member 1214a closes to grasp tissue and when the trigger 1208 is released the jaw member 1214a opens to release tissue. In a one-stage trigger configuration, the trigger 1208 is squeezed to close the jaw member 1214a and, once the jaw member 1214a is closed, a first switch 1221a of a switch section 1220 is activated to energize the RF generator to seal the tissue. After the tissue is sealed, a second switch 1221b of the switch section 1220 is activated to advance a knife to cut the tissue. In various aspects, the trigger 1208 may be a two-stage, or a multi-stage, trigger. In a two-stage trigger configuration, during the first stage, the trigger 1208 is squeezed part of the way to close the jaw member 1214a and during the second stage, the trigger 1208 is squeezed the rest of the way to energize the RF generator circuit to seal the tissue. After the tissue is sealed, one of the switches 1221a, 1221b can be activated to advance the knife to cut the tissue. After the tissue is cut, the jaw member 1214a is opened by releasing the trigger 1208 to release the tissue.
The shaft assembly 1210 includes an articulation section 1230 that is operable to deflect the end effector 1212 away from the longitudinal axis “A” of the shaft assembly 1210. The dials 1232a, 1232b are operable to pivot the articulation section 1230 at the distal end of the elongated shaft assembly 1210 to various articulated orientations with respect to the longitudinal axis A-A. More particularly, the articulation dials 1232a, 1232b operably couple to a plurality of cables or tendons that are in operative communication with the articulation section 1230 of the shaft assembly 1210, as described in greater detail below. One articulation dial 1232a may be rotated in the direction of arrows “C0” to induce pivotal movement in a first plane, e.g., a vertical plane, as indicated by arrows “C1”. Similarly, another articulation dial 1232b may be rotated in the direction of arrows “D0” to induce pivotal movement in a second plane, e.g., a horizontal plane, as indicated by arrows “D1”. Rotation of the articulation dials 1232a, 1232b in either direction of arrows “C0” or “D0” results in the tendons pivoting or articulating the shaft assembly 1210 about the articulation section 1230.
The battery assembly 1206 is electrically connected to the handle assembly 1202 by an electrical connector 1231. The handle assembly 1202 is provided with a switch section 1220. A first switch 1221a and a second switch 1221b are provided in the switch section 1220. The RF generator is energized by actuating the first switch 1221a and the knife 1274 may be activated by energizing the motor assembly 1240 by actuating the second switch 1221b. Accordingly, the first switch 1221a energizes the RF circuit to drive the high-frequency current through the tissue to form a seal and the second switch 1221b energizes the motor to drive the knife 1274 to cut the tissue. In other aspects, the knife 1274 may be fired manually using a two-stage trigger 1208 configuration. The structural and functional aspects of the battery assembly 1206 are similar to those of the battery assembly 106 for the surgical instrument 100 described in connection with
A rotation knob 1218 is operably coupled to the shaft assembly 1210. Rotation of the rotation knob 1218 ±360° in the direction indicated by the arrows 1226 causes the outer tube 1244 to rotate ±360° in the respective direction of the arrows 1228. The end effector 1212 may be articulated by way of control buttons such that actuation of control buttons articulates the end effector 1212 in one direction indicated by arrows C1 and D1. Further, the outer tube 1244 may have a diameter D3 ranging from 5 mm to 10 mm, for example.
The links 1233 collectively define a central annulus 1238 therethrough that is configured to receive a drive mechanism, e.g., a drive rod, therethrough. As can be appreciated, the configuration of the central annulus 1238 provides adequate clearance for the drive rod therethrough. The central annulus 1238 defines an axis “B-B” therethrough that is parallel to the longitudinal axis “A-A” when the shaft assembly 1210 is in a non-articulated configuration, see
Continuing with reference to
The tendons 1234 operably couple to the articulating dials 1232a, 1232b that are configured to actuate the tendons 1234, e.g., “pull” the tendons 1234, when the articulating dials 1232a, 1232b are rotated. The plurality of tendons 1234 operably couple to the links 1233 via one or more suitable coupling methods. More particularly, the link 1233 includes a corresponding plurality of first apertures or bores 1236a defined therein (four (4) bores 1236a are shown in the representative figures) that are radially disposed along the links 1233 and centrally aligned along a common axis, see
Continuing with reference to
The surgical instrument 1220 includes electrical circuitry that is configured to selectively induce a voltage and current flow to the plurality of conductive leads 1237 such that a conductive lead 1237 transitions from the first state to the second state. To this end, the generator G provides a voltage potential Eo of suitable proportion. A voltage is induced in a conductive lead 1237 and current flow therethrough. The current flowing through a conductive lead 1237 causes the conductive lead 1237 to transition from the first state (
With continued referenced to
Still with reference to
The structural and functional aspects of the battery assembly 1206 are similar to those of the battery assembly 106 for the surgical instrument 100 described in connection with
For a more detailed description of an electrosurgical instrument comprising a cutting mechanism and an articulation section that is operable to deflect the end effector away from the longitudinal axis of the shaft, reference is made to U.S. Pub. No. 2013/0023868, which is herein incorporated by reference.
It should also be understood that any of the surgical instruments 100, 480, 500, 600, 1100, 1150, 1200 described herein may be modified to include a motor or other electrically powered device to drive an otherwise manually moved component. Various examples of such modifications are described in U.S. Pub. No. 2012/0116379 and U.S. Pub. No. 2016/0256184, each of which is incorporated herein by reference. Various other suitable ways in which a motor or other electrically powered device may be incorporated into any of the devices herein will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art in view of the teachings herein.
It should also be understood that the circuits described in connection with
The volatile memory 1304, such as a random-access memory (RAM), temporarily stores selected control programs or other software modules while the processor 1302 is in operation, such as when the processor 1302 executes a control program or software module. The one or more sensors 1306 may include force sensors, temperature sensors, current sensors or motion sensors. In some aspects, the one or more sensors 1306 may be located at the shaft, end effector, battery, or handle, or any combination or sub-combination thereof. The one or more sensors 1306 transmit data associated with the operation of any one of the surgical instruments 100, 480, 500, 600, 1100, 1150, 1200 described in connection with
In one aspect, the processor 1302 may be any single core or multicore processor such as those known under the trade name ARM Cortex by Texas Instruments. In one aspect, the processor 1302 may be implemented as a safety processor comprising two microcontroller-based families such as TMS570 and RM4x known under the trade name Hercules ARM Cortex R4, also by Texas Instruments. Nevertheless, other suitable substitutes for microcontrollers and safety processor may be employed, without limitation. In one aspect, the safety processor may be configured specifically for IEC 61508 and ISO 26262 safety critical applications, among others, to provide advanced integrated safety features while delivering scalable performance, connectivity, and memory options.
In certain aspects, the processor 1302 may be an LM 4F230H5QR, available from Texas Instruments, for example. In at least one example, the Texas Instruments LM4F230H5QR is an ARM Cortex-M4F Processor Core comprising on-chip memory of 256 KB single-cycle flash memory, or other non-volatile memory, up to 40 MHz, a prefetch buffer to improve performance above 40 MHz, a 32 KB single-cycle serial random access memory (SRAM), internal read-only memory (ROM) loaded with StellarisWare® software, 2 KB electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), one or more pulse width modulation (PWM) modules, one or more quadrature encoder inputs (QED analog, one or more 12-bit Analog-to-Digital Converters (ADC) with 12 analog input channels, among other features that are readily available for the product datasheet. Other processors may be readily substituted and, accordingly, the present disclosure should not be limited in this context.
In one aspect shown, the plurality of circuit segments 1402, 1414, 1416, 1420, 1424, 1428, 1434, 1440 start first in the standby mode, transition second to the sleep mode, and transition third to the operational mode. However, in other aspects, the plurality of circuit segments may transition from any one of the three modes to any other one of the three modes. For example, the plurality of circuit segments may transition directly from the standby mode to the operational mode. Individual circuit segments may be placed in a particular state by the voltage control circuit 1408 based on the execution by the processor 1302 of machine executable instructions. The states comprise a deenergized state, a low energy state, and an energized state. The deenergized state corresponds to the sleep mode, the low energy state corresponds to the standby mode, and the energized state corresponds to the operational mode. Transition to the low energy state may be achieved by, for example, the use of a potentiometer.
In one aspect, the plurality of circuit segments 1402, 1414, 1416, 1420, 1424, 1428, 1434, 1440 may transition from the sleep mode or the standby mode to the operational mode in accordance with an energization sequence. The plurality of circuit segments also may transition from the operational mode to the standby mode or the sleep mode in accordance with a deenergization sequence. The energization sequence and the deenergization sequence may be different. In some aspects, the energization sequence comprises energizing only a subset of circuit segments of the plurality of circuit segments. In some aspects, the deenergization sequence comprises deenergizing only a subset of circuit segments of the plurality of circuit segments.
Referring back to the system diagram 1400 in
In some aspects, the wake up circuit 1404 comprises an accelerometer button sensor 1405. In aspects, the transition circuit segment 1402 is configured to be in an energized state while other circuit segments of the plurality of circuit segments of the segmented circuit 1401 are configured to be in a low energy state, a deenergized state or an energized state. The accelerometer button sensor 1405 may monitor movement or acceleration of any one of the surgical instruments 100, 480, 500, 600, 1100, 1150, 1200 described herein in connection with
Additionally or alternatively, the accelerometer button sensor 1405 may sense external movement within a predetermined vicinity of the surgical instrument. For example, the accelerometer button sensor 1405 may sense a user of any one of the surgical instruments 100, 480, 500, 600, 1100, 1150, 1200 described herein in connection with
An energization sequence or a deenergization sequence may be defined based on the accelerometer button sensor 1405. For example, the accelerometer button sensor 1405 may sense a particular motion or a sequence of motions that indicates the selection of a particular circuit segment of the plurality of circuit segments. Based on the sensed motion or series of sensed motions, the accelerometer button sensor 1405 may transmit a signal comprising an indication of one or more circuit segments of the plurality of circuit segments to the processor 1302 when the processor 1302 is in an energized state. Based on the signal, the processor 1302 determines an energization sequence comprising the selected one or more circuit segments. Additionally or alternatively, a user of any one of the surgical instruments 100, 480, 500, 600, 1100, 1150, 1200 described herein in connection with
In various aspects, the accelerometer button sensor 1405 may send a signal to the voltage control circuit 1408 and a signal to the processor 1302 only when the accelerometer button sensor 1405 detects movement of any one the surgical instruments 100, 480, 500, 600, 1100, 1150, 1200 described herein in connection with
The boost current circuit 1406 is coupled to the battery 1310. The boost current circuit 1406 is a current amplifier, such as a relay or transistor, and is configured to amplify the magnitude of a current of an individual circuit segment. The initial magnitude of the current corresponds to the source voltage provided by the battery 1310 to the segmented circuit 1401. Suitable relays include solenoids. Suitable transistors include field-effect transistors (FET), MOSFET, and bipolar junction transistors (BJT). The boost current circuit 1406 may amplify the magnitude of the current corresponding to an individual circuit segment or circuit which requires more current draw during operation of any one of the surgical instruments 100, 480, 500, 600, 1100, 1150, 1200 described in connection with
The voltage control circuit 1408 is coupled to the battery 1310. The voltage control circuit 1408 is configured to provide voltage to or remove voltage from the plurality of circuit segments. The voltage control circuit 1408 is also configured to increase or reduce voltage provided to the plurality of circuit segments of the segmented circuit 1401. In various aspects, the voltage control circuit 1408 comprises a combinational logic circuit such as a multiplexer (MUX) to select inputs, a plurality of electronic switches, and a plurality of voltage converters. An electronic switch of the plurality of electronic switches may be configured to switch between an open and closed configuration to disconnect or connect an individual circuit segment to or from the battery 1310. The plurality of electronic switches may be solid state devices such as transistors or other types of switches such as wireless switches, ultrasonic switches, accelerometers, inertial sensors, among others. The combinational logic circuit is configured to select an individual electronic switch for switching to an open configuration to enable application of voltage to the corresponding circuit segment. The combination logic circuit also is configured to select an individual electronic switch for switching to a closed configuration to enable removal of voltage from the corresponding circuit segment. By selecting a plurality of individual electronic switches, the combination logic circuit may implement a deenergization sequence or an energization sequence. The plurality of voltage converters may provide a stepped-up voltage or a stepped-down voltage to the plurality of circuit segments. The voltage control circuit 1408 may also comprise a microprocessor and memory device, as illustrated in
The safety controller 1410 is configured to perform safety checks for the circuit segments. In some aspects, the safety controller 1410 performs the safety checks when one or more individual circuit segments are in the operational mode. The safety checks may be performed to determine whether there are any errors or defects in the functioning or operation of the circuit segments. The safety controller 1410 may monitor one or more parameters of the plurality of circuit segments. The safety controller 1410 may verify the identity and operation of the plurality of circuit segments by comparing the one or more parameters with predefined parameters. For example, if an RF energy modality is selected, the safety controller 1410 may verify that an articulation parameter of the shaft matches a predefined articulation parameter to verify the operation of the RF energy modality of any one of the surgical instruments 100, 480, 500, 600, 1100, 1150, 1200 described in connection with
The POST controller 1412 performs a POST to verify proper operation of the plurality of circuit segments. In some aspects, the POST is performed for an individual circuit segment of the plurality of circuit segments prior to the voltage control circuit 1408 applying a voltage to the individual circuit segment to transition the individual circuit segment from standby mode or sleep mode to operational mode. If the individual circuit segment does not pass the POST, the particular circuit segment does not transition from standby mode or sleep mode to operational mode. POST of the handle circuit segment 1416 may comprise, for example, testing whether the handle control sensors 1418 sense an actuation of a handle control of any one of the surgical instruments 100, 480, 500, 600, 1100, 1150, 1200 described in connection with
In various aspects, any one of the surgical instruments 100, 480, 500, 600, 1100, 1150, 1200 described in connection with
The processor circuit segment 1414 comprises the processor 1302 and the volatile memory 1304 described with reference to
The handle circuit segment 1416 comprises handle control sensors 1418. The handle control sensors 1418 may sense an actuation of one or more handle controls of any one of the surgical instruments 100, 480, 500, 600, 1100, 1150, 1200 described herein in connection with
The communication circuit segment 1420 comprises a communication circuit 1422. The communication circuit 1422 comprises a communication interface to facilitate signal communication between the individual circuit segments of the plurality of circuit segments. In some aspects, the communication circuit 1422 provides a path for the modular components of any one of the surgical instruments 100, 480, 500, 600, 1100, 1150, 1200 described herein in connection with
The display circuit segment 1424 comprises a LCD display 1426. The LCD display 1426 may comprise a liquid crystal display screen, LED indicators, etc. In some aspects, the LCD display 1426 is an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) screen. The Display 226 may be placed on, embedded in, or located remotely from any one of the surgical instruments 100, 480, 500, 600, 1100, 1150, 1200 described herein in connection with
The motor control circuit segment 1428 comprises a motor control circuit 1430 coupled to a motor 1432. The motor 1432 is coupled to the processor 1302 by a driver and a transistor, such as a FET. In various aspects, the motor control circuit 1430 comprises a motor current sensor in signal communication with the processor 1302 to provide a signal indicative of a measurement of the current draw of the motor to the processor 1302. The processor transmits the signal to the Display 226. The Display 226 receives the signal and displays the measurement of the current draw of the motor 1432. The processor 1302 may use the signal, for example, to monitor that the current draw of the motor 1432 exists within an acceptable range, to compare the current draw to one or more parameters of the plurality of circuit segments, and to determine one or more parameters of a patient treatment site. In various aspects, the motor control circuit 1430 comprises a motor controller to control the operation of the motor. For example, the motor control circuit 1430 controls various motor parameters, such as by adjusting the velocity, torque and acceleration of the motor 1432. The adjusting is done based on the current through the motor 1432 measured by the motor current sensor.
In various aspects, the motor control circuit 1430 comprises a force sensor to measure the force and torque generated by the motor 1432. The motor 1432 is configured to actuate a mechanism of any one of the surgical instruments 100, 480, 500, 600, 1100, 1150, 1200 described herein in connection with
The energy treatment circuit segment 1434 comprises a RF amplifier and safety circuit 1436 and an ultrasonic signal generator circuit 1438 to implement the energy modular functionality of any one of the surgical instruments 100, 480, 500, 600, 1100, 1150, 1200 described in connection with
The shaft circuit segment 1440 comprises a shaft module controller 1442, a modular control actuator 1444, one or more end effector sensors 1446, and a non volatile memory 1448. The shaft module controller 1442 is configured to control a plurality of shaft modules comprising the control programs to be executed by the processor 1302. The plurality of shaft modules implements a shaft modality, such as ultrasonic, combination ultrasonic and RF, RF I-blade, and RF-opposable jaw. The shaft module controller 1442 can select shaft modality by selecting the corresponding shaft module for the processor 1302 to execute. The modular control actuator 1444 is configured to actuate the shaft according to the selected shaft modality. After actuation is initiated, the shaft articulates the end effector according to the one or more parameters, routines or programs specific to the selected shaft modality and the selected end effector modality. The one or more end effector sensors 1446 located at the end effector may include force sensors, temperature sensors, current sensors or motion sensors. The one or more end effector sensors 1446 transmit data about one or more operations of the end effector, based on the energy modality implemented by the end effector. In various aspects, the energy modalities include an ultrasonic energy modality, a RF energy modality, or a combination of the ultrasonic energy modality and the RF energy modality. The non volatile memory 1448 stores the shaft control programs. A control program comprises one or more parameters, routines or programs specific to the shaft. In various aspects, the non volatile memory 1448 may be an ROM, EPROM, EEPROM or flash memory. The non volatile memory 1448 stores the shaft modules corresponding to the selected shaft of nay one of the surgical instruments 100, 480, 500, 600, 1100, 1150, 1200 described herein in connection with
A control circuit 1508 may receive the signals from the sensors 1512 and/or 1513. The control circuit 1508 may include any suitable analog or digital circuit components. The control circuit 1508 also may communicate with the generator 1502 and/or the transducer 1504 to modulate the power delivered to the end effector 1506 and/or the generator level or ultrasonic blade amplitude of the end effector 1506 based on the force applied to the trigger 1510 and/or the position of the trigger 1510 and/or the position of the outer tubular sheath described above relative to the reciprocating tubular actuating member 58 located within the outer tubular sheath 56 described above (e.g., as measured by a Hall-effect sensor and magnet combination). For example, as more force is applied to the trigger 1510, more power and/or a higher ultrasonic blade amplitude may be delivered to the end effector 1506. According to various aspects, the force sensor 1512 may be replaced by a multi-position switch.
According to various aspects, the end effector 1506 may include a clamp or clamping mechanism, for example, such as that described above with respect to
According to various aspects, the surgical instrument 1500 also may include one or more feedback devices for indicating the amount of power delivered to the end effector 1506. For example, a speaker 1514 may emit a signal indicative of the end effector power. According to various aspects, the speaker 1514 may emit a series of pulse sounds, where the frequency of the sounds indicates power. In addition to, or instead of the speaker 1514, the surgical instrument 1500 may include a visual display 1516. The visual display 1516 may indicate end effector power according to any suitable method. For example, the visual display 1516 may include a series of LEDs, where end effector power is indicated by the number of illuminated LEDs. The speaker 1514 and/or visual display 1516 may be driven by the control circuit 1508. According to various aspects, the surgical instrument 1500 may include a ratcheting device (not shown) connected to the trigger 1510. The ratcheting device may generate an audible sound as more force is applied to the trigger 1510, providing an indirect indication of end effector power. The surgical instrument 1500 may include other features that may enhance safety. For example, the control circuit 1508 may be configured to prevent power from being delivered to the end effector 1506 in excess of a predetermined threshold. Also, the control circuit 1508 may implement a delay between the time when a change in end effector power is indicated (e.g., by speaker 1514 or visual display 1516), and the time when the change in end effector power is delivered. In this way, a clinician may have ample warning that the level of ultrasonic power that is to be delivered to the end effector 1506 is about to change.
In one aspect, the ultrasonic or high-frequency current generators of any one of the surgical instruments 100, 480, 500, 600, 1100, 1150, 1200 described herein in connection with
The waveform signal may be configured to control at least one of an output current, an output voltage, or an output power of an ultrasonic transducer and/or an RF electrode, or multiples thereof (e.g. two or more ultrasonic transducers and/or two or more RF electrodes). Further, where the surgical instrument comprises an ultrasonic components, the waveform signal may be configured to drive at least two vibration modes of an ultrasonic transducer of the at least one surgical instrument. Accordingly, a generator may be configured to provide a waveform signal to at least one surgical instrument wherein the waveform signal corresponds to at least one wave shape of a plurality of wave shapes in a table. Further, the waveform signal provided to the two surgical instruments may comprise two or more wave shapes. The table may comprise information associated with a plurality of wave shapes and the table may be stored within the generator. In one aspect or example, the table may be a direct digital synthesis table, which may be stored in an FPGA of the generator. The table may be addressed by anyway that is convenient for categorizing wave shapes. According to one aspect, the table, which may be a direct digital synthesis table, is addressed according to a frequency of the waveform signal. Additionally, the information associated with the plurality of wave shapes may be stored as digital information in the table.
The analog electrical signal waveform may be configured to control at least one of an output current, an output voltage, or an output power of an ultrasonic transducer and/or an RF electrode, or multiples thereof (e.g., two or more ultrasonic transducers and/or two or more RF electrodes). Further, where the surgical instrument comprises ultrasonic components, the analog electrical signal waveform may be configured to drive at least two vibration modes of an ultrasonic transducer of the at least one surgical instrument. Accordingly, the generator circuit may be configured to provide an analog electrical signal waveform to at least one surgical instrument wherein the analog electrical signal waveform corresponds to at least one wave shape of a plurality of wave shapes stored in a lookup table 1604. Further, the analog electrical signal waveform provided to the two surgical instruments may comprise two or more wave shapes. The lookup table 1604 may comprise information associated with a plurality of wave shapes and the lookup table 1604 may be stored either within the generator circuit or the surgical instrument. In one aspect or example, the lookup table 1604 may be a direct digital synthesis table, which may be stored in an FPGA of the generator circuit or the surgical instrument. The lookup table 1604 may be addressed by anyway that is convenient for categorizing wave shapes. According to one aspect, the lookup table 1604, which may be a direct digital synthesis table, is addressed according to a frequency of the desired analog electrical signal waveform. Additionally, the information associated with the plurality of wave shapes may be stored as digital information in the lookup table 1604.
With the widespread use of digital techniques in instrumentation and communications systems, a digitally-controlled method of generating multiple frequencies from a reference frequency source has evolved and is referred to as direct digital synthesis. The basic architecture is shown in
Because the DDS circuit 1600 is a sampled data system, issues involved in sampling must be considered: quantization noise, aliasing, filtering, etc. For instance, the higher order harmonics of the DAC circuit 1608 output frequencies fold back into the Nyquist bandwidth, making them unfilterable, whereas, the higher order harmonics of the output of phase-locked-loop (PLL) based synthesizers can be filtered. The lookup table 1604 contains signal data for an integral number of cycles. The final output frequency fout can be changed changing the reference clock frequency fc or by reprogramming the PROM.
The DDS circuit 1600 may comprise multiple lookup tables 1604 where the lookup table 1604 stores a waveform represented by a predetermined number of samples, wherein the samples define a predetermined shape of the waveform. Thus multiple waveforms having a unique shape can be stored in multiple lookup tables 1604 to provide different tissue treatments based on instrument settings or tissue feedback. Examples of waveforms include high crest factor RF electrical signal waveforms for surface tissue coagulation, low crest factor RF electrical signal waveform for deeper tissue penetration, and electrical signal waveforms that promote efficient touch-up coagulation. In one aspect, the DDS circuit 1600 can create multiple wave shape lookup tables 1604 and during a tissue treatment procedure (e.g., “on-the-fly” or in virtual real time based on user or sensor inputs) switch between different wave shapes stored in separate lookup tables 1604 based on the tissue effect desired and/or tissue feedback. Accordingly, switching between wave shapes can be based on tissue impedance and other factors, for example. In other aspects, the lookup tables 1604 can store electrical signal waveforms shaped to maximize the power delivered into the tissue per cycle (i.e., trapezoidal or square wave). In other aspects, the lookup tables 1604 can store wave shapes synchronized in such way that they make maximizing power delivery by the multifunction surgical instrument any one of the surgical instruments 100, 480, 500, 600, 1100, 1150, 1200 described herein in connection with
A more flexible and efficient implementation of the DDS circuit 1600 employs a digital circuit called a Numerically Controlled Oscillator (NCO). A block diagram of a more flexible and efficient digital synthesis circuit such as a DDS circuit 1700 is shown in
The DDS circuit 1700 includes a sample clock that generates a clock frequency fc, a phase accumulator 1706, and a lookup table 1710 (e.g., phase to amplitude converter). The content of the phase accumulator 1706 is updated once per clock cycle fc. When time the phase accumulator 1706 is updated, the digital number, M, stored in the parallel delta phase register 1704 is added to the number in the phase register 1708 by an adder circuit 1716. Assuming that the number in the parallel delta phase register 1704 is 00 . . . 01 and that the initial contents of the phase accumulator 1706 is 00 . . . 00. The phase accumulator 1706 is updated by 00 . . . 01 per clock cycle. If the phase accumulator 1706 is 32-bits wide, 232 clock cycles (over 4 billion) are required before the phase accumulator 1706 returns to 00 . . . 00, and the cycle repeats.
The truncated output 1718 of the phase accumulator 1706 is provided to a phase-to amplitude converter lookup table 1710 and the output of the lookup table 1710 is coupled to a DAC circuit 1712. The truncated output 1718 of the phase accumulator 1706 serves as the address to a sine (or cosine) lookup table. An address in the lookup table corresponds to a phase point on the sinewave from 0° to 360°. The lookup table 1710 contains the corresponding digital amplitude information for one complete cycle of a sinewave. The lookup table 1710 therefore maps the phase information from the phase accumulator 1706 into a digital amplitude word, which in turn drives the DAC circuit 1712. The output of the DAC circuit is a first analog signal 1720 and is filtered by a filter 1714. The output of the filter 1714 is a second analog signal 1722, which is provided to a power amplifier coupled to the output of the generator circuit.
In one aspect, the electrical signal waveform may be digitized into 1024 (210) phase points, although the wave shape may be digitized is any suitable number of 2n phase points ranging from 256 (28) to 281,474,976,710,656 (248), where n is a positive integer, as shown in TABLE 1. The electrical signal waveform may be expressed as An(θn), where a normalized amplitude An at a point n is represented by a phase angle θn is referred to as a phase point at point n. The number of discrete phase points n determines the tuning resolution of the DDS circuit 1700 (as well as the DDS circuit 1600 shown in
The generator circuit algorithms and digital control circuits scan the addresses in the lookup table 1710, which in turn provides varying digital input values to the DAC circuit 1712 that feeds the filter 1714 and the power amplifier. The addresses may be scanned according to a frequency of interest. Using the lookup table enables generating various types of shapes that can be converted into an analog output signal by the DAC circuit 1712, filtered by the filter 1714, amplified by the power amplifier coupled to the output of the generator circuit, and fed to the tissue in the form of RF energy or fed to an ultrasonic transducer and applied to the tissue in the form of ultrasonic vibrations which deliver energy to the tissue in the form of heat. The output of the amplifier can be applied to an RF electrode, multiple RF electrodes simultaneously, an ultrasonic transducer, multiple ultrasonic transducers simultaneously, or a combination of RF and ultrasonic transducers, for example. Furthermore, multiple wave shape tables can be created, stored, and applied to tissue from a generator circuit.
With reference back to
For a phase accumulator 1706 configured to accumulate n-bits (n generally ranges from 24 to 32 in most DDS systems, but as previously discussed n may be selected from a wide range of options), there are 2n possible phase points. The digital word in the delta phase register, M, represents the amount the phase accumulator is incremented per clock cycle. If fc is the clock frequency, then the frequency of the output sinewave is equal to:
Equation 1 is known as the DDS “tuning equation.” Note that the frequency resolution of the system is equal to
For n=32, the resolution is greater than one part in four billion. In one aspect of the DDS circuit 1700, not all of the bits out of the phase accumulator 1706 are passed on to the lookup table 1710, but are truncated, leaving only the first 13 to 15 most significant bits (MSBs), for example. This reduces the size of the lookup table 1710 and does not affect the frequency resolution. The phase truncation only adds a small but acceptable amount of phase noise to the final output.
The electrical signal waveform may be characterized by a current, voltage, or power at a predetermined frequency. Further, where any one of the surgical instruments 100, 480, 500, 600, 1100, 1150, 1200 described herein in connection with
In one aspect, the generator circuit may be configured to provide electrical signal waveforms to at least two surgical instruments simultaneously. The generator circuit also may be configured to provide the electrical signal waveform, which may be characterized two or more wave shapes, via an output channel of the generator circuit to the two surgical instruments simultaneously. For example, in one aspect the electrical signal waveform comprises a first electrical signal to drive an ultrasonic transducer (e.g., ultrasonic drive signal), a second RF drive signal, and/or a combination thereof. In addition, an electrical signal waveform may comprise a plurality of ultrasonic drive signals, a plurality of RF drive signals, and/or a combination of a plurality of ultrasonic and RF drive signals.
In addition, a method of operating the generator circuit according to the present disclosure comprises generating an electrical signal waveform and providing the generated electrical signal waveform to any one of the surgical instruments 100, 480, 500, 600, 1100, 1150, 1200 described herein in connection with
The generator circuit as described herein may allow for the generation of various types of direct digital synthesis tables. Examples of wave shapes for RF/Electrosurgery signals suitable for treating a variety of tissue generated by the generator circuit include RF signals with a high crest factor (which may be used for surface coagulation in RF mode), a low crest factor RF signals (which may be used for deeper tissue penetration), and waveforms that promote efficient touch-up coagulation. The generator circuit also may generate multiple wave shapes employing a direct digital synthesis lookup table 1710 and, on the fly, can switch between particular wave shapes based on the desired tissue effect. Switching may be based on tissue impedance and/or other factors.
In addition to traditional sine/cosine wave shapes, the generator circuit may be configured to generate wave shape(s) that maximize the power into tissue per cycle (i.e., trapezoidal or square wave). The generator circuit may provide wave shape(s) that are synchronized to maximize the power delivered to the load when driving RF and ultrasonic signals simultaneously and to maintain ultrasonic frequency lock, provided that the generator circuit includes a circuit topology that enables simultaneously driving RF and ultrasonic signals. Further, custom wave shapes specific to instruments and their tissue effects can be stored in a non-volatile memory (NVM) or an instrument EEPROM and can be fetched upon connecting any one of the surgical instruments 100, 480, 500, 600, 1100, 1150, 1200 described herein in connection with
The DDS circuit 1700 may comprise multiple lookup tables 1604 where the lookup table 1710 stores a waveform represented by a predetermined number of phase points (also may be referred to as samples), wherein the phase points define a predetermined shape of the waveform. Thus multiple waveforms having a unique shape can be stored in multiple lookup tables 1710 to provide different tissue treatments based on instrument settings or tissue feedback. Examples of waveforms include high crest factor RF electrical signal waveforms for surface tissue coagulation, low crest factor RF electrical signal waveform for deeper tissue penetration, and electrical signal waveforms that promote efficient touch-up coagulation. In one aspect, the DDS circuit 1700 can create multiple wave shape lookup tables 1710 and during a tissue treatment procedure (e.g., “on-the-fly” or in virtual real time based on user or sensor inputs) switch between different wave shapes stored in different lookup tables 1710 based on the tissue effect desired and/or tissue feedback. Accordingly, switching between wave shapes can be based on tissue impedance and other factors, for example. In other aspects, the lookup tables 1710 can store electrical signal waveforms shaped to maximize the power delivered into the tissue per cycle (i.e., trapezoidal or square wave). In other aspects, the lookup tables 1710 can store wave shapes synchronized in such way that they make maximizing power delivery by any one of the surgical instruments 100, 480, 500, 600, 1100, 1150, 1200 described herein in connection with
In one aspect, as illustrated in
The processor 1902 may be any one of a number of single or multi-core processors known in the art. The memory circuit 1904 may comprise volatile and non-volatile storage media. In one aspect, as illustrated in
In one aspect, a circuit 1910 may comprise a finite state machine comprising a combinational logic circuit 1912, as illustrated in
In other aspects, the circuit may comprise a combination of the processor 1902 and the finite state machine to implement any of the algorithms, processes, or techniques described herein. In other aspects, the finite state machine may comprise a combination of the combinational logic circuit 1910 and the sequential logic circuit 1920.
The drive mechanism 1930 includes a selector gearbox assembly 1938 that can be located in the handle assembly of the surgical instrument. Proximal to the selector gearbox assembly 1938 is a function selection module which includes a first motor 1942 that functions to selectively move gear elements within the selector gearbox assembly 1938 to selectively position one of the drivetrains 1932, 1934, 1936 into engagement with an input drive component of an optional second motor 1944 and motor drive circuit 1946 (shown in dashed line to indicate that the second motor 1944 and motor drive circuit 1946 are optional components).
Still referring to
The surgical instrument further includes a microcontroller 1952 (“controller”). In certain instances, the controller 1952 may include a microprocessor 1954 (“processor”) and one or more computer readable mediums or memory units 1956 (“memory”). In certain instances, the memory 1956 may store various program instructions, which when executed may cause the processor 1954 to perform a plurality of functions and/or calculations described herein. The power source 1950 can be configured to supply power to the controller 1952, for example.
The processor 1954 be in communication with the motor control circuit 1946. In addition, the memory 1956 may store program instructions, which when executed by the processor 1954 in response to a user input 1958 or feedback elements 1960, may cause the motor control circuit 1946 to motivate the motor 1942 to generate at least one rotational motion to selectively move gear elements within the selector gearbox assembly 1938 to selectively position one of the drivetrains 1932, 1934, 1936 into engagement with the input drive component of the second motor 1944. Furthermore, the processor 1954 can be in communication with the motor control circuit 1948. The memory 1956 also may store program instructions, which when executed by the processor 1954 in response to a user input 1958, may cause the motor control circuit 1948 to motivate the motor 1944 to generate at least one rotational motion to drive the drivetrain engaged with the input drive component of the second motor 1948, for example.
The controller 1952 and/or other controllers of the present disclosure may be implemented using integrated and/or discrete hardware elements, software elements, and/or a combination of both. Examples of integrated hardware elements may include processors, microprocessors, microcontrollers, integrated circuits, ASICs, PLDs, DSPs, FPGAs, logic gates, registers, semiconductor devices, chips, microchips, chip sets, microcontrollers, system on a chip (SoC), and/or single in-line package (SIP). Examples of discrete hardware elements may include circuits and/or circuit elements such as logic gates, field effect transistors, bipolar transistors, resistors, capacitors, inductors, and/or relays. In certain instances, the controller 1952 may include a hybrid circuit comprising discrete and integrated circuit elements or components on one or more substrates, for example.
In certain instances, the controller 1952 and/or other controllers of the present disclosure may be an LM 4F230H5QR, available from Texas Instruments, for example. In certain instances, the Texas Instruments LM4F230H5QR is an ARM Cortex-M4F Processor Core comprising on-chip memory of 256 KB single-cycle flash memory, or other non-volatile memory, up to 40 MHz, a prefetch buffer to improve performance above 40 MHz, a 32 KB single-cycle SRAM, internal ROM loaded with StellarisWare® software, 2 KB EEPROM, one or more PWM modules, one or more QEI analog, one or more 12-bit ADC with 12 analog input channels, among other features that are readily available. Other microcontrollers may be readily substituted for use with the present disclosure. Accordingly, the present disclosure should not be limited in this context.
In various instances, one or more of the various steps described herein can be performed by a finite state machine comprising either a combinational logic circuit or a sequential logic circuit, where either the combinational logic circuit or the sequential logic circuit is coupled to at least one memory circuit. The at least one memory circuit stores a current state of the finite state machine. The combinational or sequential logic circuit is configured to cause the finite state machine to the steps. The sequential logic circuit may be synchronous or asynchronous. In other instances, one or more of the various steps described herein can be performed by a circuit that includes a combination of the processor 1958 and the finite state machine, for example.
In various instances, it can be advantageous to be able to assess the state of the functionality of a surgical instrument to ensure its proper function. It is possible, for example, for the drive mechanism, as explained above, which is configured to include various motors, drivetrains, and/or gear components in order to perform the various operations of the surgical instrument, to wear out over time. This can occur through normal use, and in some instances the drive mechanism can wear out faster due to abuse conditions. In certain instances, a surgical instrument can be configured to perform self-assessments to determine the state, e.g. health, of the drive mechanism and it various components.
For example, the self-assessment can be used to determine when the surgical instrument is capable of performing its function before a re-sterilization or when some of the components should be replaced and/or repaired. Assessment of the drive mechanism and its components, including but not limited to the rotation drivetrain 1932, the closure drivetrain 1934, and/or the firing drivetrain 1936, can be accomplished in a variety of ways. The magnitude of deviation from a predicted performance can be used to determine the likelihood of a sensed failure and the severity of such failure. Several metrics can be used including: Periodic analysis of repeatably predictable events, Peaks or drops that exceed an expected threshold, and width of the failure.
In various instances, a signature waveform of a properly functioning drive mechanism or one or more of its components can be employed to assess the state of the drive mechanism or the one or more of its components. One or more vibration sensors can be arranged with respect to a properly functioning drive mechanism or one or more of its components to record various vibrations that occur during operation of the properly functioning drive mechanism or the one or more of its components. The recorded vibrations can be employed to create the signature waveform. Future waveforms can be compared against the signature waveform to assess the state of the drive mechanism and its components.
Still referring to
In
With reference ow to
Aspects of the present disclosure are presented for a system and surgical instrument that includes self diagnosing control switches, examples of which are shown in
In some aspects, a self diagnosing control switch of the system or surgical instrument may include one or more sensors capable of measuring or detecting a signal strength of some kind, such as strength of a magnetic field. As an example, Hall-effect sensors may be located on a stationary component of the surgical instrument, such as on the inside of an outer frame of a handle assembly. One or more magnets may be placed on an actuator component, such as a sliding switch. The switch to may be configured to deliver power to a component of the surgical instrument when slid to one side, and may be configured to turn power off to the component when slid to the other side. In some aspects, the actuator component can also include a spring biased element on either side of where he can slide, or at the center of its functional range.
The slot in which the actuator mechanism slides in may offer a continuous voltage output, such that zero voltage is output when the actuator component is slid all the way on one side of the slot, and the voltage output continuously and monotonically increases to a maximum voltage output as the actuator component slides to the other side. The “on” threshold and the “off” thresholds for triggering the associated component with this switch may exist at some intermediary points along the sliding scale. However, due to natural wear and tear of movement of the switch and the electrical components connected to the actuator component, the distances along the sliding slot to represent when these thresholds occur may need to be adjusted over time in order to reflect the changing physical attributes of the actuator mechanism. The self diagnosing control switches of the present disclosures may be configured to automatically adjust for these thresholds using, for example, Hall effect sensors and magnets.
In some aspects, the self diagnosing control switch may be also configured to deliver a warning signal to signify when the self adjusting mechanisms are reaching their limits. At this point, it may be a signal to replace the modular component that includes this failing self diagnosing control switch.
Referring to
In some aspects, the self diagnosing control switches may be configured to provide an alert if it is determined that outside influences may be trying to tamper with or disrupt the predicted displacement versus voltage profile 6206. First off, a voltage may be detected that is beyond intended range of the control switch. These voltages are designated by the shaded regions 6212 and 6214. If a voltage is ever detected within these regions, an alarm can be set off and may signal that there is either a malfunction or there is a suspected tampering. In addition, the expected displacement versus voltage profile curve 6206 may be recorded, such as stored in a memory coupled to a processor of the medical instrument. The displacement along the sliding slot may be measured and compared to the voltage output is. At any given point, if it is detected that there is a drastic change in voltage that does not match with displacement, compared to the previously recorded voltage at that same displacement, then it may also be determined that there is either a malfunction or a suspected tampering, and the alarm may also be raised.
In some aspects, the control switch may be subjected to one or more thresholds that determine when an event occurs. For example, a first threshold 6208 may be in place to determine when a functional component associated with this control switch is powered on, e.g., representing an “on” threshold. In some aspects, this threshold 6208 is activated only in one direction. That is, the “on” threshold is utilized only when the control switch is being slid from the lower voltage to the higher voltage, and is not utilized when sliding the control switch from the higher voltage down to the lower voltage. Instead, in some aspects, a second threshold 6210 may be considered in these use cases. The second threshold 6210 may be used to determine when a second event occurs, such as when the functional component associated with this control switch is powered off, e.g., representing an “off” threshold. Again, the second threshold may be utilized only when the control switch is being slid from the higher voltage down to the lower voltage, and is not utilized when sliding the control switch from the lower voltage up to the higher voltage. In this way, the use of two or more thresholds may allow for a buffer zone 6212 in which no change in event occurs when the control switch is displaced into this zone. The use of such buffer zones may increase safety and prevent harmful dithering of quick oscillations between on and off states, for example. In general, other types of events may be codified with these determined thresholds, such as changing speeds or changing power levels, and other events apparent to those with skill in the art. Similarly, any number of thresholds may be utilized, and aspects are not so limited.
The self diagnosing switches may be configured to adjust these thresholds to account for changing physical conditions over time of the electrical and mechanical components that make up this power, according to some aspects. Referring to
The changing attributes of the control switch over time may be a problem if the “on” and “off” thresholds 6224, 6226, respectively, remain as they were according to the initial displacement versus voltage profile. This may be because the amount of voltage being output at an intended displacement of the control switch is now considerably different at the same amount of displacement along the sliding slot. Thus, the thresholds 6224, 6226 may not accurately reflect when a functional component associated with the control switch has enough power to be turned on, and/or no longer has enough power and is to be turned off.
To address this, in some aspects, a sensor may be coupled to the functional component or the self diagnosing control switch to measure voltage output. The self diagnosing control switch may include a system to measure displacement sliding along the slot, such as including one or more sensors, such as a hall effect sensor, and one or more tracking components, such as a magnet, to be included in or around the sliding slot. For example, a Hall effect sensor may be coupled to the stationary frame around the control switch, while the actuator component of the control switch may have a magnet coupled to it. The sensors may then deliver data to a processor that monitors the relationship between voltage output and displacement along the sliding slot. Over time, it may be determined that the voltage output has changed at a given point of displacement, based on the simultaneous readings from the different sensors. Specified thresholds for when an event (e.g., “on” or “off”) occurs may be adjusted to account either for the change in the displacement at a given voltage or the change in voltage at a given displacement. Thereafter, the processor may activate or deactivate the event in accordance with the new thresholds. In general, these thresholds may be continually adjusted based on automatic feedback of the self diagnosing control switch. In other cases, a user may manually activate a calibration or self diagnosing routine to cause the processor to perform this kind of maintenance and adjust the thresholds as needed.
Referring to
As another example, the curve 6234 shown in light dashed line shows a situation where maximum sliding displacement of the control switch is unnecessary, as maximum voltage may already be achieved after just a small amount of sliding. This may also be a problem because it may signal that a mechanism for controlling the output voltage is malfunctioning. Also in this case, the self diagnosing control switch may be configured to transmit an alert or alarm signifying that proper voltage control is not present or malfunctioning. In general, this signal may represent that repairs are needed, or that this modular component associated with this control switch needs to be replaced. In general, these examples show how the self diagnosing control switch of the present disclosures may be used to provide alerts for end-of-life stages of the control switches.
In addition, in some aspects, the self diagnosing control switches also may be configured to anticipate end-of-life scenarios. For example, the displacement versus voltage curves may be continually recorded over time, such that the changes over time may be monitored. These changes over time may be used to create an extrapolation profile that projects when these changes, assuming they continue at the observed rate (or based on other projected factors), will result in an abnormal endpoint, similar to the example curves 6232, 6234. The self diagnosing control switch may then be configured to report this projected end-of-life term, or deliver a signal representing that there is a set amount of time- or number of uses—estimated until repairs are needed.
Examples of self diagnosing control switches provided on battery powered modular surgical instrument are shown in
The interface 6308 may comprise at least one user-actuated input device, such as a switch, that may be configured to provide functionality as described herein. According to aspects the interface 6308 may be utilized to implement an articulation function of an interchangeable shaft assembly. Additionally, according to the aspect shown in
As shown in
According to aspects and with reference to
Aspects of the devices disclosed herein can be designed to be disposed of after a single use, or they can be designed to be used multiple times. Various aspects may, in either or both cases, be reconditioned for reuse after at least one use. Reconditioning may include any combination of the steps of disassembly of the device, followed by cleaning or replacement of particular pieces, and subsequent reassembly. In particular, aspects of the device may be disassembled, and any number of the particular pieces or parts of the device may be selectively replaced or removed in any combination. Upon cleaning and/or replacement of particular parts, aspects of the device may be reassembled for subsequent use either at a reconditioning facility, or by a surgical team immediately prior to a surgical procedure. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that reconditioning of a device may utilize a variety of techniques for disassembly, cleaning/replacement, and reassembly. Use of such techniques, and the resulting reconditioned device, are all within the scope of the present application.
By way of example only, aspects described herein may be processed before surgery. First, a new or used instrument may be obtained and if necessary cleaned. The instrument may then be sterilized. In one sterilization technique, the instrument is placed in a closed and sealed container, such as a plastic or TYVEK bag. The container and instrument may then be placed in a field of radiation that can penetrate the container, such as gamma radiation, x-rays, or high-energy electrons. The radiation may kill bacteria on the instrument and in the container. The sterilized instrument may then be stored in the sterile container. The sealed container may keep the instrument sterile until it is opened in a medical facility. A device may also be sterilized using any other technique known in the art, including but not limited to beta or gamma radiation, ethylene oxide, or steam.
While various details have been set forth in the foregoing description, it will be appreciated that the various aspects of the techniques for operating a generator for digitally generating electrical signal waveforms and surgical instruments may be practiced without these specific details. One skilled in the art will recognize that the herein described components (e.g., operations), devices, objects, and the discussion accompanying them are used as examples for the sake of conceptual clarity and that various configuration modifications are contemplated. Consequently, as used herein, the specific exemplars set forth and the accompanying discussion are intended to be representative of their more general classes. In general, use of any specific exemplar is intended to be representative of its class, and the non-inclusion of specific components (e.g., operations), devices, and objects should not be taken limiting.
Further, while several forms have been illustrated and described, it is not the intention of the applicant to restrict or limit the scope of the appended claims to such detail. Numerous modifications, variations, changes, substitutions, combinations, and equivalents to those forms may be implemented and will occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Moreover, the structure of each element associated with the described forms can be alternatively described as a means for providing the function performed by the element. Also, where materials are disclosed for certain components, other materials may be used. It is therefore to be understood that the foregoing description and the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications, combinations, and variations as falling within the scope of the disclosed forms. The appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications, variations, changes, substitutions, modifications, and equivalents.
For conciseness and clarity of disclosure, selected aspects of the foregoing disclosure have been shown in block diagram form rather than in detail. Some portions of the detailed descriptions provided herein may be presented in terms of instructions that operate on data that is stored in one or more computer memories or one or more data storage devices (e.g. floppy disk, hard disk drive, Compact Disc (CD), Digital Video Disk (DVD), or digital tape). Such descriptions and representations are used by those skilled in the art to describe and convey the substance of their work to others skilled in the art. In general, an algorithm refers to a self-consistent sequence of steps leading to a desired result, where a “step” refers to a manipulation of physical quantities and/or logic states which may, though need not necessarily, take the form of electrical or magnetic signals capable of being stored, transferred, combined, compared, and otherwise manipulated. It is common usage to refer to these signals as bits, values, elements, symbols, characters, terms, numbers, or the like. These and similar terms may be associated with the appropriate physical quantities and are merely convenient labels applied to these quantities and/or states.
Unless specifically stated otherwise as apparent from the foregoing disclosure, it is appreciated that, throughout the foregoing disclosure, discussions using terms such as “processing” or “computing” or “calculating” or “determining” or “displaying” or the like, refer to the action and processes of a computer system, or similar electronic computing device, that manipulates and transforms data represented as physical (electronic) quantities within the computer system's registers and memories into other data similarly represented as physical quantities within the computer system memories or registers or other such information storage, transmission or display devices.
In a general sense, those skilled in the art will recognize that the various aspects described herein which can be implemented, individually and/or collectively, by a wide range of hardware, software, firmware, or any combination thereof can be viewed as being composed of various types of “electrical circuitry.” Consequently, as used herein “electrical circuitry” includes, but is not limited to, electrical circuitry having at least one discrete electrical circuit, electrical circuitry having at least one integrated circuit, electrical circuitry having at least one application specific integrated circuit, electrical circuitry forming a general purpose computing device configured by a computer program (e.g., a general purpose computer configured by a computer program which at least partially carries out processes and/or devices described herein, or a microprocessor configured by a computer program which at least partially carries out processes and/or devices described herein), electrical circuitry forming a memory device (e.g., forms of random access memory), and/or electrical circuitry forming a communications device (e.g., a modem, communications switch, or optical-electrical equipment). Those having skill in the art will recognize that the subject matter described herein may be implemented in an analog or digital fashion or some combination thereof.
The foregoing detailed description has set forth various forms of the devices and/or processes via the use of block diagrams, flowcharts, and/or examples. Insofar as such block diagrams, flowcharts, and/or examples contain one or more functions and/or operations, it will be understood by those within the art that each function and/or operation within such block diagrams, flowcharts, and/or examples can be implemented, individually and/or collectively, by a wide range of hardware, software, firmware, or virtually any combination thereof. In one form, several portions of the subject matter described herein may be implemented via an application specific integrated circuits (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), a digital signal processor (DSP), or other integrated formats. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that some aspects of the forms disclosed herein, in whole or in part, can be equivalently implemented in integrated circuits, as one or more computer programs running on one or more computers (e.g., as one or more programs running on one or more computer systems), as one or more programs running on one or more processors (e.g., as one or more programs running on one or more microprocessors), as firmware, or as virtually any combination thereof, and that designing the circuitry and/or writing the code for the software and or firmware would be well within the skill of one of skill in the art in light of this disclosure. In addition, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the mechanisms of the subject matter described herein are capable of being distributed as one or more program products in a variety of forms, and that an illustrative form of the subject matter described herein applies regardless of the particular type of signal bearing medium used to actually carry out the distribution. Examples of a signal bearing medium include, but are not limited to, the following: a recordable type medium such as a floppy disk, a hard disk drive, a Compact Disc (CD), a Digital Video Disk (DVD), a digital tape, a computer memory, etc.; and a transmission type medium such as a digital and/or an analog communication medium (e.g., a fiber optic cable, a waveguide, a wired communications link, a wireless communication link (e.g., transmitter, receiver, transmission logic, reception logic, etc.), etc.).
In some instances, one or more elements may be described using the expression “coupled” and “connected” along with their derivatives. It should be understood that these terms are not intended as synonyms for each other. For example, some aspects may be described using the term “connected” to indicate that two or more elements are in direct physical or electrical contact with each other. In another example, some aspects may be described using the term “coupled” to indicate that two or more elements are in direct physical or electrical contact. The term “coupled,” however, also may mean that two or more elements are not in direct contact with each other, but yet still co-operate or interact with each other. It is to be understood that depicted architectures of different components contained within, or connected with, different other components are merely examples, and that in fact many other architectures may be implemented which achieve the same functionality. In a conceptual sense, any arrangement of components to achieve the same functionality is effectively “associated” such that the desired functionality is achieved. Hence, any two components herein combined to achieve a particular functionality can be seen as “associated with” each other such that the desired functionality is achieved, irrespective of architectures or intermedial components. Likewise, any two components so associated also can be viewed as being “operably connected,” or “operably coupled,” to each other to achieve the desired functionality, and any two components capable of being so associated also can be viewed as being “operably couplable,” to each other to achieve the desired functionality. Specific examples of operably couplable include but are not limited to physically mateable and/or physically interacting components, and/or wirelessly interactable, and/or wirelessly interacting components, and/or logically interacting, and/or logically interactable components, and/or electrically interacting components, and/or electrically interactable components, and/or optically interacting components, and/or optically interactable components.
In other instances, one or more components may be referred to herein as “configured to,” “configurable to,” “operable/operative to,” “adapted/adaptable,” “able to,” “conformable/conformed to,” etc. Those skilled in the art will recognize that “configured to” can generally encompass active-state components and/or inactive-state components and/or standby-state components, unless context requires otherwise.
While particular aspects of the present disclosure have been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that, based upon the teachings herein, changes and modifications may be made without departing from the subject matter described herein and its broader aspects and, therefore, the appended claims are to encompass within their scope all such changes and modifications as are within the true scope of the subject matter described herein. It will be understood by those within the art that, in general, terms used herein, and especially in the appended claims (e.g., bodies of the appended claims) are generally intended as “open” terms (e.g., the term “including” should be interpreted as “including but not limited to,” the term “having” should be interpreted as “having at least,” the term “includes” should be interpreted as “includes but is not limited to,” etc.). It will be further understood by those within the art that if a specific number of an introduced claim recitation is intended, such an intent will be explicitly recited in the claim, and in the absence of such recitation no such intent is present. For example, as an aid to understanding, the following appended claims may contain usage of the introductory phrases “at least one” and “one or more” to introduce claim recitations. However, the use of such phrases should not be construed to imply that the introduction of a claim recitation by the indefinite articles “a” or “an” limits any particular claim containing such introduced claim recitation to claims containing only one such recitation, even when the same claim includes the introductory phrases “one or more” or “at least one” and indefinite articles such as “a” or “an” (e.g., “a” and/or “an” should typically be interpreted to mean “at least one” or “one or more”); the same holds true for the use of definite articles used to introduce claim recitations.
In addition, even if a specific number of an introduced claim recitation is explicitly recited, those skilled in the art will recognize that such recitation should typically be interpreted to mean at least the recited number (e.g., the bare recitation of “two recitations,” without other modifiers, typically means at least two recitations, or two or more recitations). Furthermore, in those instances where a convention analogous to “at least one of A, B, and C, etc.” is used, in general such a construction is intended in the sense one having skill in the art would understand the convention (e.g., “a system having at least one of A, B, and C” would include but not be limited to systems that have A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, and/or A, B, and C together, etc.). In those instances where a convention analogous to “at least one of A, B, or C, etc.” is used, in general such a construction is intended in the sense one having skill in the art would understand the convention (e.g., “a system having at least one of A, B, or C” would include but not be limited to systems that have A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, and/or A, B, and C together, etc.). It will be further understood by those within the art that typically a disjunctive word and/or phrase presenting two or more alternative terms, whether in the description, claims, or drawings, should be understood to contemplate the possibilities of including one of the terms, either of the terms, or both terms unless context dictates otherwise. For example, the phrase “A or B” will be typically understood to include the possibilities of “A” or “B” or “A and B.”
With respect to the appended claims, those skilled in the art will appreciate that recited operations therein may generally be performed in any order. Also, although various operational flows are presented in a sequence(s), it should be understood that the various operations may be performed in other orders than those which are illustrated, or may be performed concurrently. Examples of such alternate orderings may include overlapping, interleaved, interrupted, reordered, incremental, preparatory, supplemental, simultaneous, reverse, or other variant orderings, unless context dictates otherwise. Furthermore, terms like “responsive to,” “related to,” or other past-tense adjectives are generally not intended to exclude such variants, unless context dictates otherwise.
It is worthy to note that any reference to “one aspect,” “an aspect,” “one form,” or “a form” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the aspect is included in at least one aspect. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in one aspect,” “in an aspect,” “in one form,” or “in an form” in various places throughout the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same aspect. Furthermore, the particular features, structures or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more aspects.
With respect to the use of substantially any plural and/or singular terms herein, those having skill in the art can translate from the plural to the singular and/or from the singular to the plural as is appropriate to the context and/or application. The various singular/plural permutations are not expressly set forth herein for sake of clarity.
In certain cases, use of a system or method may occur in a territory even if components are located outside the territory. For example, in a distributed computing context, use of a distributed computing system may occur in a territory even though parts of the system may be located outside of the territory (e.g., relay, server, processor, signal-bearing medium, transmitting computer, receiving computer, etc. located outside the territory).
A sale of a system or method may likewise occur in a territory even if components of the system or method are located and/or used outside the territory. Further, implementation of at least part of a system for performing a method in one territory does not preclude use of the system in another territory.
All of the above-mentioned U.S. patents, U.S. patent application publications, U.S. patent applications, foreign patents, foreign patent applications, non-patent publications referred to in this specification and/or listed in any Application Data Sheet, or any other disclosure material are incorporated herein by reference, to the extent not inconsistent herewith. As such, and to the extent necessary, the disclosure as explicitly set forth herein supersedes any conflicting material incorporated herein by reference. Any material, or portion thereof, that is said to be incorporated by reference herein, but which conflicts with existing definitions, statements, or other disclosure material set forth herein will only be incorporated to the extent that no conflict arises between that incorporated material and the existing disclosure material.
In summary, numerous benefits have been described which result from employing the concepts described herein. The foregoing description of the one or more forms has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or limiting to the precise form disclosed. Modifications or variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The one or more forms were chosen and described in order to illustrate principles and practical application to thereby enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the various forms and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the claims submitted herewith define the overall scope.
Various aspects of the subject matter described herein are set out in the following numbered clauses:
1. A system comprising: a surgical instrument comprising: a handle assembly; a shaft assembly coupled to the handle assembly; and an end effector coupled to a distal end of the shaft assembly; a self-diagnosing control switch system comprising: a control switch slidable within a slot comprising a first end and a second end of the slot, the control switch configured to: slide within the slot between the first end and the second end; and allow an amount of energy to be delivered to a functional component of the surgical instrument, the amount of energy in proportion to a degree of displacement of the control switch away from the first end of the slot; a displacement sensor configured to measure the degree of displacement of the control switch away from the first end of the slot; an energy sensor configured to measure the amount of energy delivered to the functional component; and a processor configured to: determine a threshold level of displacement of the control switch away from the first end of the slot that triggers a functional event of the functional component, based on the measured degree of displacement and the measured amount of energy delivered to the functional component.
2. The system of clause 1, wherein the processor is further configured to determine a limit to the degree of displacement.
3. The system of clause 2, wherein the processor is further configured to: determine that the measured degree of displacement exceeds the determined limit; and transmit an alarm based on the determined exceeded limit.
4. The system of any one of clauses 1-3, wherein the processor is further configured to determine a limit to the amount of energy delivered to the functional component.
5. The system of clause 4, wherein the processor is further configured to: determine that the measured amount of energy exceeds the determined limit; and transmit an alarm based on the determined exceeded limit.
6. The system of any one of clauses 1-5, wherein the processor is further configured to: record, in a memory, the threshold level of displacement of the control switch as a baseline threshold level of displacement away from the first end of the slot that triggers a functional event; receive, from the energy sensor, a second measurement of an amount of energy delivered to the functional component when the control switch is positioned at the baseline threshold level of displacement; and compare the second measurement of energy to the measurement of energy used to create the baseline threshold level of displacement.
7. The system of any one of clauses 1-6, wherein the processor is further configured to: determine that the comparison of the second measurement of energy to the measurement of energy used to create the baseline threshold level of displacement satisfies a predetermined level of change; and determine an adjusted threshold level of displacement of the control switch away from the first end of the slot that triggers the functional event of the functional component, based on the comparison between the second measurement of energy and the measurement of energy used to create the baseline threshold of displacement.
8. The system of clause 7, wherein the processor is further configured to calculate an end-of-life term of the control switch at which time the control switch is predicted to no longer function, based on an extrapolation calculation using the adjusted threshold level and the baseline threshold level.
9. The system of any one of clauses 1-8, wherein the displacement sensor comprises a Hall effect sensor positioned next to the control switch, and the control switch comprises a magnet.
10. A method for self-diagnosing operation of a control switch in a surgical instrument system, the method comprising: receiving, from a displacement sensor, a baseline degree of displacement of the control switch in a slidable slot of the surgical instrument system; receiving, from an energy sensor, an amount of energy to be delivered to a functional component of the surgical instrument in proportion to the measured baseline degree of displacement of the control switch; determining a baseline threshold level of displacement of the control switch away from the first end of the slot that triggers a functional event of the functional component, based on the measured baseline degree of displacement and the measured amount of energy delivered to the functional component; recording, in a memory, the baseline threshold level of displacement of the control switch; receiving, from the energy sensor, a second measurement of an amount of energy delivered to the functional component when the control switch is positioned at the baseline threshold level of displacement; and comparing the second measurement of energy to the measurement of energy used to create the baseline threshold level of displacement.
11. The method of clause 10, further comprising: determining that the comparison of the second measurement of energy to the measurement of energy used to create the baseline threshold level of displacement satisfies a predetermined level of change; and determining an adjusted threshold level of displacement of the control switch away from the first end of the slot that triggers the functional event of the functional component, based on the comparison between the second measurement of energy and the measurement of energy used to create the baseline threshold of displacement.
12. A surgical instrument having components according to any one of clauses 1-9.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/279,635 filed Jan. 15, 2016 and U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/330,669, filed May 2, 2016, the contents of each of these provisional applications is incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
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