Hydraulic conductivity monitoring to initiate tissue division

A method for performing an electrosurgical procedure at a surgical site on a patient, the method comprising:

• continually sensing electrical and physical properties proximate the surgical site by:
• acquiring data readings of an electrical impedance of tissue with respect to time at the surgical site;
• identifying portions of the data readings of the electrical impedance of the tissue for minima and maxima;
• and
• determining a direction of water motility in the tissue at the surgical site;
• terminating application of electrosurgical energy to the tissue based on the portions of the data readings of the electrical impedance of the tissue and reapplying electrosurgical energy after terminating application of electrosurgical energy;
• and
• controlling application of electrosurgical energy to the tissue at the surgical site to vary one or more parameters of energy delivered based on the portions of the data readings for the minima and the maxima of the tissue electrical impedance indicative of the direction of water motility in the tissue at the surgical site.

A method for performing an electrosurgical procedure at a surgical site on a patient, the method comprising:

• continually sensing electrical and physical properties proximate the surgical site by:
• acquiring data readings of an electrical impedance of tissue with respect to time at the surgical site;
• performing either one or both of graphical analysis and numerical analysis to identify portions of the data readings of the electrical impedance of tissue for minima and maxima of the tissue electrical impedance and determining a direction of resistance to water motility in tissue at the surgical site, including either one or both of:
• identifying at least one minimum of the electrical impedance of tissue that is preceded by a change in slope representing a decrease in a rate of descent of the electrical impedance from a prior maximum of the electrical impedance of tissue to the at least one minimum forming thereby at least one generally modified V-shaped plot to determine a low motility of water in the tissue at the surgical site;
• and
• identifying at least one maximum of the electrical impedance of tissue that is formed of a low impedance peak between a first blunt minimum and a second blunt minimum, wherein the at least one maximum of the electrical impedance of tissue, the first blunt minimum, and the second blunt minimum form at least one generally W-shaped plot to determine a high motility of water in the tissue at the surgical site;
• and
• controlling application of electrosurgical energy to the tissue at the surgical site to vary one or more parameters of energy delivered based on the direction of resistance to water motility in the tissue at the surgical site including terminating application of electrosurgical energy in response to reaching a minimum of the electrical impedance of the tissue and reapplying application of electrosurgical energy in response to a maximum of the electrical impedance of the tissue.