Surgical instrument with variable clamping force

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10973541-B2
Application number	US-201916280309-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 20, 2019
Priority date	Dec 21, 2015
Publication date	Apr 13, 2021
Grant date	Apr 13, 2021

Abstract

An ultrasonic instrument includes a body and a shaft assembly extending distally from the body. The shaft assembly includes an acoustic waveguide. The instrument further includes an end effector including an ultrasonic blade. The ultrasonic blade is in acoustic communication with the acoustic waveguide. The instrument further includes a sensor configured to sense at least one characteristic of the shaft assembly and/or the end effector. The end effector is configured to be activated at varying power levels based on the at least one characteristic sensed by the sensor.

First claim

We claim:

1. An ultrasonic surgical instrument, comprising:
(a) a body;
(b) a shaft assembly extending distally from the body and including an acoustic waveguide;
(c) an end effector, including:
(i) an ultrasonic blade in acoustic communication with the acoustic waveguide, and
(ii) a clamp arm movably secured relative to the ultrasonic blade and configured to move from an open position toward a closed position, wherein the clamp arm is further configured to compress tissue against the ultrasonic blade with a clamp force while moving the clamp arm toward the closed position;

(d) a first sensor operatively connected to the end effector and configured to sense a first characteristic associated with clamping tissue and provide a first value;
(e) a memory having a predetermined power profile that corresponds with a predetermined energy level associated with the first value indicative of a tissue state; and
(f) a controller in communication with the first sensor and memory, wherein the controller is operatively connected to the end effector, wherein the controller is configured to receive the first value and output the predetermined energy level according to the predetermined power profile based on the first value and thereby direct the end effector to operate with the predetermined energy level of the predetermined power.

2. The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the controller includes at least one of a compressor mechanism or a generator.

3. The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 2 , wherein the first characteristic sensed by the first sensor is selected from the group consisting of: a pressure, a deflection, a temperature, and a frequency slope.

4. The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 2 , wherein the predetermined energy level is a predetermined ultrasonic power level, and wherein the outputted predetermined ultrasonic power level of the predetermined power profile is linearly continuous with the sensed first characteristic.

5. The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 2 , wherein the predetermined energy level is a predetermined ultrasonic power level, and wherein the outputted predetermined ultrasonic power level of the predetermined power profile is discretely stepped with the sensed first characteristic.

6. The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to cease directing the ultrasonic blade to operate with the predetermined energy level when the first sensor senses a predetermined threshold value of the first characteristic.

7. The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the tissue state includes at least one of an initial unsealed state, a partially sealed state, a sealed state, or a cut and sealed state.

8. The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 1 , further comprising an input feature operatively connected to the clamp arm and configured to selectively direct movement of the clamp arm from the open position toward the closed position, and a force limiter operatively connected between the input feature and the clamp arm, wherein the force limiter is configured to restrict the clamp force transferred from the input feature to the clamp arm.

9. The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 2 , further comprising a second sensor operatively connected to the end effector and configured to sense a second characteristic associated with clamping tissue and provide a second value, and wherein the controller is further configured to receive the second value and output the predetermined energy level according to the predetermined power profile based on the first and second values.

10. the ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 9 , wherein the first characteristic is different than the second characteristic.

11. The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 9 , further comprising a third sensor operatively connected to the end effector and configured to sense a third characteristic associated with clamping tissue and provide a third value, and wherein the controller is further configured to receive the third value and output the predetermined energy level according to the predetermined power profile based on the first, second, and third values.

12. The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 11 , further comprising a fourth sensor operatively connected to the end effector and configured to sense a fourth characteristic associated with clamping tissue and provide a fourth value, wherein the controller is further configured to receive the fourth value and output the predetermined energy level according to the predetermined power profile based on the first, second, third and fourth values, and wherein the first, second, third, and fourth sensors are respectively configured to sense the first characteristic as a pressure, the second characteristic as a deflection, the third characteristic as a temperature, and the fourth characteristic as a frequency slope.

13. The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 2 , wherein the first sensor is located within the body.

14. The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 13 , further comprising a trigger operatively connected to the body and configured to move the clamp arm from the open position toward the closed position relative to the ultrasonic blade, and wherein the trigger is configured to transfer a clamp force from the trigger to the clamp arm for compression.

15. The ultrasonic surgical instrument of claim 14 , further comprising a resilient member operatively coupled to the shaft assembly and configured to bias the trigger distally and bias the clamp arm toward the open position.

16. An ultrasonic surgical instrument comprising:
(a) a body;
(b) a shaft assembly extending distally from the body, wherein the shaft assembly comprises an acoustic waveguide;
(c) an end effector, comprising:
(i) an ultrasonic blade, wherein the ultrasonic blade is in acoustic communication with the acoustic waveguide, and
(ii) a clamp arm, wherein the clamp arm is configured to move from an open position toward a closed position, wherein the clamp arm is further configured to compress tissue against the ultrasonic blade with a clamp force while moving the clamp arm towards the closed position;

(d) a resilient member, wherein the resilient member is operatively coupled to the shaft assembly, wherein the shaft assembly is operatively coupled to the clamp arm, wherein the resilient member is configured to bias a trigger distally and bias the clamping arm towards the open position.
(d) a first sensor operatively connected to the end effector and configured to sense a first characteristic associated with clamping tissue;
(e) a compressor mechanism operatively connected to the clamp arm; and
(f) a controller, wherein the controller is in communication with the first sensor and operatively connected to the compressor mechanism, wherein the controller is configured to determine a predetermined power profile based on the first characteristic, and wherein the controller is configured to direct the compressor mechanism to regulate the clamp force by adjusting a mechanical resistance to movement of the clamp arm towards the closed position.

17. A method of treating a tissue with an ultrasonic surgical instrument, wherein the ultrasonic surgical instrument includes a body, a shaft assembly distally extending from the body, and an end effector distally extending from the shaft assembly, wherein the shaft assembly has an acoustic waveguide, and the end effector has an ultrasonic blade, a clamp arm movable relative to the ultrasonic blade, a first sensor, a memory and a controller operativ

Assignees

• Ethicon Llc

Inventors

• Madan Ashvani K
• Groene David C
• Boyd Benjamin M
• Faller Craig N
• Gee Jacob S
• Riestenberg Paul F

Classifications

• A61B18/1445

  at the distal end of a shaft, e.g. forceps or scissors at the end of a rigid rod · CPC title

• A61B2090/0807

  Indication means · CPC title

• A61B2018/0063

  Sealing · CPC title

• A61B17/320092

  with additional movable means for clamping or cutting tissue, e.g. with a pivoting jaw · CPC title

• A61B2017/320094

  additional movable means performing clamping operation · CPC title