Electrosurgical system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016199125-A1
Application number	US-201614994464-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 13, 2016
Priority date	Jan 14, 2015
Publication date	Jul 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An electrosurgical system includes an electrosurgical instrument with a pair of opposing first and second jaw members ( 2 ), ( 3 ). A first sealing electrode ( 9 ) is located on the first jaw member ( 2 ), while a second sealing electrode ( 10 ) is located on the second jaw member ( 3 ). One or both of the sealing electrodes are provided with electrically conductive stop members ( 12 ), the one or more stop members maintaining a predetermined spacing between the first and second sealing electrodes when the jaw members are in their closed position. One or more insulating members ( 14 ), ( 17 ), ( 19 ) are present to prevent the conductive stop members from causing an electrical short between the first and second sealing electrodes when the jaw members are in their closed position. An electrosurgical generator ( 20 ) includes a controller ( 22 ) capable of supplying a sensing voltage between one or more of the conductive stop members ( 12 ) and a return electrode ( 9 ), ( 10 ), ( 18 ) present on one or other of the jaw members, the controller measuring the impedance between the one or more stop members and the return electrode in order to measure a parameter of the tissue grasped between the jaws of the instrument.

First claim

1 . An electrosurgical system including,
a) an electrosurgical instrument including
a handle including an actuating mechanism movable between a first position and a second position,
a pair of opposing first and second jaw members, movement of the actuating mechanism from its first position to its second position causing at least one of the jaw members to move relative to the other from a first open position in which the jaw members are disposed in a spaced relation relative to one another, to a second closed position in which the jaw members cooperate to grasp tissue therebetween,
a first sealing electrode located on the first jaw member,
a second sealing electrode located on the second jaw member,
a plurality of electrically conductive stop members disposed on one or both of the first and second sealing electrodes, the plurality of stop members maintaining a predetermined spacing between the first and second sealing electrodes when the jaw members are in their closed position, and
one or more insulating members adapted to prevent the conductive stop members from causing an electrical short between the first and second sealing electrodes when the jaw members are in their closed position,
b) an electrosurgical generator comprising
a source of electrosurgical energy,
a plurality of electrical connections capable of connecting the electrosurgical instrument to the generator, such that when the jaw members of the electrosurgical instrument are in their closed position with tissue grasped therebetween, the generator is capable of supplying the electrodes with an electrosurgical current in order to seal the tissue grasped between the jaw members,
a controller capable of supplying a sensing voltage between one or more of the plurality of conductive stop members and a return electrode present on one or other of the jaw members, the sensing voltage being less than the voltage required in order to modify tissue, the controller measuring the impedance between the one or more of the plurality of stop members and the return electrode in order to measure a parameter of the tissue grasped between the jaws of the instrument.

2 . An electrosurgical system according to claim 1 , wherein the sealing electrode on which the plurality of conductive stop members are disposed constitutes the return electrode.

3 . An electrosurgical system according to claim 2 , wherein the parameter measured by the controller is the presence of tissue between the jaw members.

4 . An electrosurgical system according to claim 2 , wherein the parameter measured by the controller is the degree of coagulation of the tissue between the jaw members.

5 . An electrosurgical system according to claim 1 , wherein the sealing electrode opposite the one on which the plurality of conductive stop members are disposed constitutes the return electrode.

6 . An electrosurgical system according to claim 5 , wherein the parameter measured by the controller is the thickness of tissue between the jaw members.

7 . An electrosurgical system according to claim 5 , wherein the parameter measured by the controller is the spacing between the jaw members.

8 . An electrosurgical system according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more insulating members comprise a pad of insulating material located opposite a respective conductive stop member on the other sealing electrode, such that each conductive stop member contacts a respective insulating pad when the jaw members are in their closed position.

9 . An electrosurgical instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more insulating members is constituted by a continuous structure of insulating material circumnavigating an island of conductive material so as to isolate the island of conductive material from the remainder of the sealing electrode on which the structure is located.

10 . An electrosurgical instrument according to claim 9 , wherein the one or more insulating members are located opposite a respective conductive stop member on the other sealing electrode, such that each conductive stop member contacts a respective isolated island of conductive material when the jaw members are in their closed position.

11 . An electrosurgical instrument according to claim 9 , wherein the one or more insulating members are located surrounding each conductive stop member on the same sealing electrode, such that each conductive stop member constitutes a respective isolated island of conductive material.

12 . An electrosurgical instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the first sealing electrode includes a plurality of conductive stop members, and the second sealing electrode includes a plurality of insulating members.

13 . An electrosurgical instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the second sealing electrode includes a plurality of conductive stop members, and the first sealing electrode includes a plurality of insulating members.

14 . An electrosurgical instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the first sealing electrode includes both a plurality of conductive stop members and a plurality of insulating members, and the second sealing electrode includes both a plurality of conductive stop members and a plurality of insulating members.

15 . An electrosurgical system according to claim 2 , wherein the conductive stop members are each individually connected to the controller.

16 . An electrosurgical instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the instrument includes a knife selectively movable from a first position relative to the first and second jaw members to a second position relative to the first and second jaw members, in order to sever tissue grasped therebetween.

17 . An electrosurgical system including,
a) an electrosurgical instrument including
a handle including an actuating mechanism movable between a first position and a second position,
a pair of opposing first and second jaw members, movement of the actuating mechanism from its first position to its second position causing at least one of the jaw members to move relative to the other from a first open position in which the jaw members are disposed in a spaced relation relative to one another, to a second closed position in which the jaw members cooperate to grasp tissue therebetween,
a first sealing electrode located on the first jaw member,
a second sealing electrode located on the second jaw member,
a cutting member actuable to cause the cutting of tissue grasped between the first and second jaw members,
one or more electrically conductive stop members disposed on one or both of the first and second sealing electrodes, the one or more stop members maintaining a predetermined spacing between the first and second sealing electrodes when the jaw members are in their closed position, the one or more conductive stop members being separate from the cutting member, and
one or more insulating members adapted to prevent the conductive stop members from causing an electrical short between the first and second sealing electrodes when the jaw members are in their closed position,
b) an electrosurgical generator comprising
a source of electrosurgical energy,
a plurality of electrical connections capable of connecting the electrosurgical instrument to the generator, such that when the jaw members of the electrosurgical instrument are in their closed position with tissue grasped therebetween, the generator is capable of supplying the electrodes with an electrosurgical current in order to seal the tissue grasped between the jaw members,
a controller capable of supplying a sensing voltage between one or more of the con

Assignees

• Gyrus Medical Ltd

Inventors

• Jones Lewis Meurig

Classifications

• A61B2018/1455

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

• A61B2018/00178

  Electrical connectors · CPC title

• A61B18/1445 Primary

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

• A61B2018/00642

  with feedback, i.e. closed loop control · CPC title

• A61B2018/00904

  Automatic detection of target tissue · CPC title