Detection of end effector emersion in liquid

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11464535-B2
Application number	US-201816115240-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 28, 2018
Priority date	Dec 28, 2017
Publication date	Oct 11, 2022
Grant date	Oct 11, 2022

Abstract

A surgical instrument is disclosed. The surgical instrument comprises an end effector comprising an ultrasonic blade and a clamp arm. The clamp arm is movable relative to the ultrasonic blade to transition the end effector between an open configuration and a closed configuration to clamp tissue between the ultrasonic blade and the clamp arm. The surgical instrument further comprises an ultrasonic transducer configured to generate an ultrasonic energy output and a waveguide configured to transmit the ultrasonic energy output to the ultrasonic blade. The surgical instrument further comprises a control circuit, configured to detect an immersion of the end effector in a liquid and compensate for heat flux lost due to the immersion of the end effector in the liquid.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A surgical instrument, comprising:
an end effector, comprising:
an ultrasonic blade; and
a clamp arm movable relative to the ultrasonic blade to transition the end effector between an open configuration and a closed configuration to clamp tissue between the ultrasonic blade and the clamp arm;

an ultrasonic transducer configured to generate an ultrasonic energy output;
a waveguide configured to transmit the ultrasonic energy output to the ultrasonic blade;
a drive member configured to motivate the clamp arm to move to transition the end effector to the closed configuration; and
a control circuit configured to:
monitor a position of the drive member;
monitor a temperature of the ultrasonic blade;
determine that an estimated temperature of the tissue, based on the temperature of the ultrasonic blade, has reached a first temperature at a first position of the drive member, wherein the first temperature of the tissue is less than a predetermined temperature threshold and the first position is less than the closed configuration, wherein reaching the first temperature of the tissue at the first position is indicative that the temperature of the ultrasonic blade will exceed the predetermined temperature threshold prior to reaching the closed configuration, and wherein the first position and the first temperature of the tissue are determined based on a temperature trajectory calculation; and
prevent the temperature of the tissue from exceeding the predetermined temperature threshold prior to the closed configuration.

2. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the temperature of the ultrasonic blade is inferred from the phase angle φ between voltage Vg(t) and current Ig(t) signals applied to the ultrasonic transducer.

3. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the position of the drive member is determined by an absolute positioning system.

4. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined temperature threshold is 100° C.

5. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein preventing the temperature of the tissue from exceeding the predetermined temperature threshold is achieved by adjusting power delivered to the ultrasonic transducer.

6. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the closed configuration corresponds to a predetermined distance traveled by the drive member from a starting position.

7. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the closed configuration corresponds to a maximum compression applied to the tissue by the clamp arm.

Assignees

• Cilag Gmbh Int

Inventors

• Shelton Iv Frederick E
• Messerly Jeffrey D
• Harris Jason L
• Yates David C
• Sawhney Amrita S
• Leuck Stephen M
• Black Brian D
• Roberson Eric M

Classifications

• A61B2018/00684

  using lookup tables · CPC title

• A61B2090/065

  for measuring contact or contact pressure · CPC title

• A61B2017/320093

  additional movable means performing cutting operation · CPC title

• A61B2017/320095

  with sealing or cauterizing means · CPC title

• A61B18/1442

  Probes having pivoting end effectors, e.g. forceps · CPC title