# US 12,178,529 B2 · Visual detection of electrocautery arcing

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- Number: US 12,178,529 B2
- Document ID: US12178529B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/316,855
- Filed: 2023-05-12
- Published: 2023-09-07
- Granted: 2024-12-31
- Earliest claimed: 2017-08-29
- Assignees: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.
- Applicants: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.
- Inventors: Jason Paul Watson
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12178529B2

## CPC

- A61B 34/35: for telesurgery
- A61B 1/000094: {extracting biological structures}
- A61B 18/14: Probes or electrodes therefor
- A61B 34/30: Surgical robots
- A61B 34/74: {Manipulators with manual electric input means}
- A61B 34/76: {Manipulators having means for providing feel, e.g. force or tactile feedback}
- A61B 90/361: {Image-producing devices, e.g. surgical cameras}
- A61B 90/37: {Surgical systems with images on a monitor during operation}
- A61B 1/00193: {adapted for stereoscopic vision}
- A61B 1/313: for introducing through surgical openings, e.g. laparoscopes
- A61B 10/06: Biopsy forceps {, e.g. with cup-shaped jaws}
- A61B 18/16: Indifferent or passive electrodes for grounding
- A61B 2017/00119: {alarm; indicating an abnormal situation}
- A61B 2017/00199: {with a console, e.g. a control panel with a display}
- A61B 2017/00221: {with wireless transmission of data, e.g. by infrared radiation or radiowaves}
- A61B 2018/00589: {Coagulation}
- A61B 2018/00595: {Cauterization}
- A61B 2018/00601: {Cutting}
- A61B 2018/00809: {measured thermochromatically}
- A61B 2018/00982: {combined with or comprising means for visual or photographic inspections inside the body, e.g. endoscopes}
- A61B 2018/1253: {monopolar}
- A61B 2018/126: {bipolar}
- A61B 2034/301: {for introducing or steering flexible instruments inserted into the body, e.g. catheters or endoscopes}
- A61B 2034/302: {specifically adapted for manipulations within body cavities, e.g. within abdominal or thoracic cavities}
- A61B 2034/741: {Glove like input devices, e.g. "data gloves"}
- A61B 2034/742: {Joysticks}
- A61B 2090/033: {Abutting means, stops, e.g. abutting on tissue or skin}
- A61B 2090/034: {abutting on parts of the device itself}
- A61B 2090/373: {using light, e.g. by using optical scanners}
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)

## Abstract

An arc-detection system for detecting an arc during an electrocautery surgical procedure may comprise a camera portion and an image processing controller portion. The camera portion may be sized for minimally invasive penetration into a patient's body. The camera portion may comprise a wide-angle lens having a field of view wider than 45 degrees and wider than a field of view of a conventional endoscopic camera system. The image processing controller portion may be configured to monitor images captured by the camera portion and configured to detect thermal changes to tissue at the surgical site.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An arc-detection system for detecting an arc during an electrocautery surgical procedure, the arc-detection system comprising:
a camera portion sized for minimally invasive penetration into a patient's body, the camera portion comprising a wide-angle lens having a field of view wider than 45 degrees and wider than a field of view of an endoscopic camera system; and
an image processing controller portion configured to monitor images captured by the camera portion and configured to detect thermal changes to tissue at a surgical site.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The arc-detection system of claim 1, further comprising a filter attached to the camera portion that enhances visualization of electrocautery events.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The arc-detection system of claim 2, wherein the filter is configured to filter out light having a wavelength not matching a wavelength of light from an electrocautery arcing event.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The arc-detection system of claim 2, wherein the filter is configured to block light in wavelength bands emitted by a surgical light source of the endoscopic camera system.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The arc-detection system of claim 1, wherein the image processing controller portion is configured to filter images from the camera portion to filter out light having a wavelength not matching a wavelength of light from an electrocautery arcing event.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The arc-detection system of claim 1, wherein the camera portion is configured to cooperate with the image processing controller to identify that an arcing event has occurred.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The arc-detection system of claim 1, wherein the camera portion is configured to cooperate with the image processing controller to identify that a hotspot event has occurred.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The arc-detection system of claim 1, wherein the image processing controller portion includes a processor and a memory.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The arc-detection system of claim 1, wherein the camera portion is configured to capture still images.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The arc-detection system of claim 1, wherein the camera portion is configured to capture streaming images.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The arc-detection system of claim 1, wherein the camera portion includes an infrared thermal imaging camera.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The arc-detection system of claim 1, wherein the image processing controller portion is configured to identify a location of an unintended discharge of electrical energy.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The arc-detection system of claim 1, wherein the image processing controller portion is configured to identify a magnitude of an unintended discharge of electrical energy.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The arc-detection system of claim 1, wherein the image processing controller portion is configured to identify hotspots from the monitored images based on a color change.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The arc-detection system of claim 1, wherein the image processing controller portion is configured to identify hotspots from the monitored images based on a temperature change detected by the camera portion.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The arc-detection system of claim 1, wherein the image processing controller portion is configured to generate an alert to minimize tissue damage from an arcing event.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The arc-detection system of claim 1, wherein the image processing controller portion is configured to take an action to minimize tissue damage from an arcing event.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

The arc-detection system of claim 1, wherein the image processing controller portion is configured to communicate the monitored images to an operator input system.

### Claim 19 (depends on 1)

The arc-detection system of claim 1, wherein the wide-angle lens has a field of view between 45 and 120 degrees.

### Claim 20 (depends on 1)

The arc-detection system of claim 1, wherein the camera portion comprises HgCdTe-based photo sensors and ZnSe optics for detecting thermal infrared emission.