# US 2021/0330375 A1 · Surgical system and methods for treating tissue > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0330375 A1 - Document ID: US20210330375A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/211,465 - Filed: 2021-03-24 - Published: 2021-10-28 - Earliest claimed: 2020-04-22 - Assignees: Covidien LP - Applicants: Covidien LP - Inventors: Amanda H. Lennartz; Daniel A. Joseph; Jennifer R. McHenry; Cornelia F. Twomey; David M. Garrison; Tyler J. Bagrosky; Robert H. Wham; Jing Zhao; Erin E. Wehrly - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210330375A1 ## CPC - A61B 18/1445: {at the distal end of a shaft, e.g. forceps or scissors at the end of a rigid rod} - A61B 90/06: {Measuring instruments not otherwise provided for} - A61B 2018/00404: {Blood vessels other than those in or around the heart} - A61B 2018/00601: {Cutting} - A61B 2018/0063: {Sealing} - A61B 2018/00642: {with feedback, i.e. closed loop control} - A61B 2018/00666: {using a threshold value} - A61B 2018/00994: {combining two or more different kinds of non-mechanical energy or combining one or more non-mechanical energies with ultrasound} - A61B 2018/1452: {including means for cutting (A61B2018/146 takes precedence)} - A61B 2090/065: {for measuring contact or contact pressure} - A61B 2090/067: {for measuring angles} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract An electrosurgical instrument includes an end effector assembly including first and second jaw members. At least one of the first or second jaw members is movable about a pivot relative to the other from a spaced-apart position to an approximated position to grasp tissue between first and second opposed surfaces of the first and second jaw members, respectively. The electrosurgical instrument further includes an interface configured to provide a feedback related to a size of tissue grasped by the first and second jaw members. At least one of the first or second jaw members includes a touch sensor configured to sense a touch span where the tissue touches the at least one of the first or second opposed surfaces. The end effector assembly further includes an angle sensor configured to sense an angle α about the pivot between the first and second opposed surfaces. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An electrosurgical instrument comprising: an end effector assembly including first and second jaw members, at least one of the first or second jaw members movable about a pivot relative to the other from a spaced-apart position to an approximated position to grasp tissue between first and second opposed surfaces of the first and second jaw members, respectively; and an interface configured to provide a feedback related to a size of the tissue grasped by the first and second jaw members, wherein at least one of the first or second jaw members includes a touch sensor configured to sense a touch span where the tissue touches the at least one of a first or second opposed surfaces, wherein the end effector assembly further includes an angle sensor configured to sense an angle α about the pivot between the first and second opposed surfaces. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The electrosurgical instrument according to claim 1, wherein the touch span is one position, and the touch sensor provides a distance D between the pivot and the one position of the at least one of the first or second opposed surfaces. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The electrosurgical instrument according to claim 2, wherein the distance D and the angle α are used to estimate a diameter of the tissue as the size, S, by the following equation: S=2*D*tan(α/2). ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The electrosurgical instrument according to claim 1, wherein the touch sensor is a pressure sensor or a contact sensor. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The electrosurgical instrument according to claim 1, wherein a cross-sectional area of the grasped tissue is calculated based on a length of the touch span and the angle α. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The electrosurgical instrument according to claim 5, wherein a mass of the grasped tissue is calculated by multiplying the cross-sectional area, a width of the first or second jaw member, and a density of the grasped tissue. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The electrosurgical instrument according to claim 1, wherein the feedback indicates that the grasped tissue is ready to be sealed when the size of the grasped tissue is less than a first threshold. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The electrosurgical instrument according to claim 7, wherein the feedback is a green light. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The electrosurgical instrument according to claim 7, wherein, when the size of the grasped tissue is greater than or equal to the first threshold and less than a second threshold, the feedback indicates that the grasped tissue is ready to be sealed with different energy-delivery parameters than when the size is less than the first threshold. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The electrosurgical instrument according to claim 9, wherein the feedback is a yellow light. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The electrosurgical instrument according to claim 9, wherein the feedback indicates that the grasped tissue cannot be sealed when the size is greater than or equal to the second threshold. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The electrosurgical instrument according to claim 11, wherein the feedback is a red light. ### Claim 13 A method for controlling an electrosurgical instrument including an end effector assembly having first and second jaw members, at least one of the first or second jaw members movable about a pivot relative to the other from a spaced-apart position to an approximated position to grasp tissue between first and second opposed surfaces of the first and second jaw members, respectively, the method comprising: moving at least one of the first or second jaw members about the pivot to grasp tissue; sensing a touch span on at least one of the first or second opposed surfaces; sensing an angle α between the first and second opposed surfaces about the pivot; estimating a size of the grasped tissue based on the touch span and the angle; and providing a feedback based on the size of the tissue. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method according to claim 13, wherein the touch span is one position, and the method further comprises calculating a distance D between the pivot and the one position of the at least one of the first or second opposed surfaces. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method according to claim 14, wherein estimating the size of the grasped tissue includes estimating a diameter of the tissue by the following equation: S=2*D*tan(α/2). ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The method according to claim 13, wherein estimating a size of the tissue includes calculating a cross-sectional area of the grasped tissue based on a length of the touch span and the angle α. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method according to claim 16, wherein estimating the size of the grasped tissue includes estimating a mass of the grasped tissue by multiplying the cross-sectional area, a width of the first or second jaw members, and a density of the grasped tissue. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The method according to claim 13, wherein the feedback indicates that the grasped tissue is ready to be sealed when the size of the grasped tissue is less than a first threshold. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method according to claim 18, wherein the feedback is a green light. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The method according to claim 18, wherein, when the size is greater than or equal to the first threshold and less than a second threshold, the feedback indicates that the grasped tissue is ready to be sealed with different energy-delivery parameters than when the size is less than the first threshold. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The method according to claim 20, wherein the feedback is a yellow light. ### Claim 22 (depends on 20) The method according to claim 20, wherein the feedback indicates that the grasped tissue cannot be sealed when the size is greater than or equal to the second threshold. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The method according to claim 22, wherein the feedback is a red light. ### Claim 24 A nontransitory storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method for controlling an electrosurgical instrument including an end effector assembly having first and second jaw members, at least one of the first or second jaw members movable about a pivot relative to the other from a spaced-apart position to an approximated position to grasp tissue between first and second opposed surfaces of the first and second jaw members, respectively, the method comprising: moving at least one of the first or second jaw members about the pivot to grasp tissue; sensing a touch span on at least one of a first or second opposed surface; sensing an angle α between the first and second opposed surfaces about the pivot; estimating a size of the tissue based on the touch span and the angle; and providing a feedback based on the size of the tissue.