Electrosurgical generator and system
AssigneeCovidien LP
InventorsARLEN K. WARD, JOE D. SARTOR, ROBERT H. WHAM
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Abstract
An electrosurgical generator includes an electrosurgical energy output configured to deliver electrosurgical energy to a bipolar end effector assembly in a conductive fluid environment for treating tissue. A controller having a processor is configured to control a waveform of the electrosurgical energy such that the waveform oscillates between a cut phase for initiating and sustaining tissue cutting, wherein the waveform includes a cut energy greater than the energy needed to create and sustain arcing, and a hemostasis phase, for desiccating/coagulating tissue, wherein the waveform includes a hemostasis energy less than the energy needed to sustain arcing.
Claims20
An electrosurgical generator, comprising:
- an electrosurgical energy output configured to deliver electrosurgical energy to a bipolar end effector assembly in a conductive fluid environment for treating tissue;
- and
- a controller having a hardware processor configured to control a waveform of the electrosurgical energy delivered from the output to the bipolar end effector assembly such that the waveform continuously oscillates between:
- a cut phase, wherein the waveform includes a cut energy EC, wherein EC>ETH1 and ETH1 is the energy needed to create arcing when electrosurgical energy flows between first and second electrodes of the bipolar end effector assembly via the conductive fluid, the cut phase configured to facilitate initiating and sustaining cutting of tissue;
- and
- a hemostasis phase, wherein the waveform includes a hemostasis energy EH, wherein EH<ETH2 and ETH2 is the energy needed to sustain arcing when electrosurgical energy flows between the first and second electrodes via the conductive fluid, the hemostasis phase configured to facilitate at least one of desiccation and coagulation of tissue.
A method of treating tissue with a bipolar end effector assembly in a conductive fluid environment, the method comprising the steps of:
- applying a cut energy EC to initiate and sustain cutting of tissue, wherein EC>ETH1 and ETH1 is the energy needed to create and sustain arcing when electrosurgical energy flows between first and second electrodes of the bipolar end effector assembly via the conductive fluid;
- and
- applying a hemostasis energy EH, to at least one of desiccate and coagulate tissue, wherein EH<ETH2 and ETH2 is the energy needed to sustain arcing when electrosurgical energy flows between the first and second electrodes via the conductive fluid;.
An electrosurgical generator, comprising:
- an electrosurgical energy output configured to deliver electrosurgical energy to a bipolar end effector assembly in a conductive fluid environment for treating tissue;
- and
- a controller having a hardware processor configured to control a waveform of the electrosurgical energy delivered from the output to the bipolar end effector assembly based upon an impedance versus power curve such that the waveform oscillates between a cutting mode and a hemostasis mode.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.