Methods and devices to decrease tissue trauma during surgery

An automated control device for assisting a surgeon performing a procedure in which a patient's tissue is being deformed, comprising:

• at least one tissue engager adapted to engage a patient's tissue;
• a sensor configured to produce a first signal based on the deformation of the patient's tissue;
• and
• an automated control system configured to adjust input from all the surgeon during the procedure based on a state of the patient's tissue during the procedure and to control the at least one tissue engager to deform the patient's tissue based on the first signal received from the sensor,
• wherein the automated control system comprises a processor containing software instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the automated control system to:
• receive the first signal from the sensor during the procedure:
• perform a plurality of measurements during the procedure based on the first signal over time:
• calculate a variance in the plurality of measurements over an interval of time preceding an instantaneous measurement of the first signal, wherein the variance is a statistical distribution of amplitude of the plurality of measurements during the interval of time preceding the instantaneous measurement of the first signal;
• compare the instantaneous measurement of the first signal to the calculated variance in the plurality of measurements over the interval of time preceding the instantaneous measurement;
• detect the state of the patient's tissue based on the comparison;
• and
• adjust, at least in part, a motion of the at least one tissue engager based on the detected state of the patient's tissue based on the comparison.