Electrosurgical forceps including tissue indication

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11903635-B2
Application number	US-202117186599-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 26, 2021
Priority date	Feb 28, 2020
Publication date	Feb 20, 2024
Grant date	Feb 20, 2024

Abstract

An electrosurgical system includes an end effector assembly, a display, and a controller. The end effector assembly includes first and second jaw members each defining a tissue-treating surface. At least one of the first or second jaw members is movable relative to the other between a spaced-apart position and an approximated position for grasping tissue between the tissue-treating surfaces thereof. At least one of the first or second jaw members includes a sensor. The controller is configured to receive sensor data from the sensor, generate a tissue indication based upon the sensor data, and output the tissue indication to the display. The display is configured to display the tissue indication. The tissue indication indicates a location along the first jaw member at which tissue is grasped between the tissue-treating surfaces of the first and second jaw members.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electrosurgical system, comprising:
an end effector assembly including first and second jaw members each defining a tissue-treating surface, at least one of the first or second jaw members movable relative to the other between a spaced-apart position and an approximated position for grasping tissue between the tissue-treating surfaces thereof, at least one of the first or second jaw members including a sensor;
a display; and
a controller configured to receive sensor data from the sensor, generate a tissue indication based upon the sensor data, and output the tissue indication to the display, the display configured to display, on the end effector assembly, the tissue indication generated based upon the sensor data, wherein the tissue indication indicates a location along the first jaw member at which tissue is grasped between the tissue-treating surfaces of the first and second jaw members.

2. The electrosurgical system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the display is an integrated display incorporated into the first jaw member and viewable from an exterior-facing surface thereof, and
wherein the tissue indication is display on the integrated display.

3. The electrosurgical system according to claim 1 , wherein the display is configured to project the tissue indication, virtually, onto an exterior-facing surface of the first jaw member.

4. The electrosurgical system according to claim 1 , wherein the display is a surgical display configured to display a video image of a surgical site, and wherein the display is configured to overlay the tissue indication, virtually, on an image of an exterior-facing surface of the first jaw member displayed on the surgical display.

5. The electrosurgical system according to claim 1 , wherein the tissue indication is further configured to indicate a size of tissue grasped between the tissue-treating surfaces of the first and second jaw members relative to a size of the first jaw member.

6. The electrosurgical system according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor includes at least one pressure-sensitive resistive panel.

7. The electrosurgical instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor includes an elastomeric contact sensor.

8. The electrosurgical instrument according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a housing; and
a shaft extending distally from the housing, wherein the end effector assembly is disposed at a distal end portion of the shaft.

9. The electrosurgical instrument according to claim 8 , further comprising a manual actuator coupled to the housing and configured to move the at least one of the first or second jaw members between the spaced-apart position and the approximated position.

10. The electrosurgical instrument according to claim 1 , further comprising:
first and second shaft members pivotably coupled to one another about a pivot, wherein the end effector assembly extends distally from the pivot, and wherein the first and second shaft members are movable relative to one another to move the at least one of the first or second jaw members between the spaced-apart position and the approximated position.

11. The electrosurgical instrument according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a robotic arm, wherein the end effector assembly extends distally from the robotic arm.

12. The electrosurgical instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the tissue indication is visually perceptible on the end effector assembly when an electrical signal generated based upon the sensor data is transmitted to the end effector assembly such that the electrical signal causes the tissue indication to be displayed on the end effector assembly.

13. The electrosurgical system according to claim 1 , further comprising a processor and a a memory having instructions stored thereon, which when executed by the processor, cause the tissue indication to be displayed on an exterior-facing surface of the end effector assembly.

14. An electrosurgical system, comprising:
an end effector assembly including first and second jaw members each defining a tissue-treating surface, at least one of the first or second jaw members movable relative to the other between a spaced-apart position and an approximated position for grasping tissue between the tissue-treating surfaces thereof, at least one of the first or second jaw members including a contact sensor; and
a controller configured to receive sensor data from the contact sensor indicating a texture of tissue grasped between the first and second jaw members, the controller configured to determine at least one of a type of tissue, a state of tissue, or the presence of a foreign object or a critical tissue based upon the sensor data, the controller configured to display, on the end effector assembly, a determination, based upon the sensor data, of at least one of a type of tissue, a state of tissue, or the presence of a foreign object or a critical tissue.

15. The electrosurgical instrument according to claim 14 , wherein the contact sensor is an elastomeric contact sensor.

16. The electrosurgical instrument according to claim 14 , further comprising:
a housing; and
a shaft extending distally from the housing, wherein the end effector assembly is disposed at a distal end portion of the shaft.

17. The electrosurgical instrument according to claim 16 , further comprising a manual actuator coupled to the housing and configured to move the at least one of the first or second jaw members between the spaced-apart position and the approximated position.

18. The electrosurgical instrument according to claim 14 , further comprising:
first and second shaft members pivotably coupled to one another about a pivot, wherein the end effector assembly extends distally from the pivot, and wherein the first and second shaft members are movable relative to one another to move the at least one of the first or second jaw members between the spaced-apart position and the approximated position.

19. The electrosurgical instrument according to claim 14 , further comprising:
a robotic arm, wherein the end effector assembly extends distally from the robotic arm.

20. The electrosurgical instrument according to claim 14 , further comprising:
a display,
wherein the controller is further configured to generate a tissue indication based upon the sensor data, and output the tissue indication to the display, the display configured to display the tissue indication.

Assignees

• Covidien Lp

Inventors

• Lennartz Amanda H
• Joseph Daniel A
• Mchenry Jennifer R
• Twomey Cornelia F
• Wehrly Erin E
• Gherardi Pierre
• Garrison David M
• Bagrosky Tyler J
• Zhao Jing

Classifications

• A61B18/1445 Primary

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

• A61B2018/0091

  Handpieces of the surgical instrument or device · CPC title

• A61B2018/00773

  Sensed parameters · CPC title

• A61B18/1442

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

• A61B2018/1455

  having a moving blade for cutting tissue grasped by the jaws · CPC title