Surgical instrument with user adaptable techniques

A surgical instrument for coagulating tissue, the surgical instrument comprising:

• an end effector at a distal end of the surgical instrument, the end effector configured to interact with tissue, the end effector comprising:
• a clamp arm comprising an electrode to receive a first drive signal from a generator to cause a deliver RF energy to the electrode;
• an ultrasonic blade;
• a sensor to measure tissue parameters indicative of tissue impedance when the end effector is engaged with tissue;
• an ultrasonic transducer acoustically coupled to the ultrasonic blade and to receive a second drive signal from the generator to cause ultrasonic motion of the ultrasonic blade and deliver ultrasonic energy to the ultrasonic blade;
• a control circuit to:
• generate a plurality of pulse sequences, wherein the plurality of pulse sequences comprise the first drive signal and second drive signal, wherein the first drive signal causes the electrode to deliver RF energy to tissue at a surgical site and the second drive signal causes the ultrasonic transducer to deliver ultrasonic energy to the tissue at the surgical site;
• and
• adjust the ultrasonic energy delivered by the ultrasonic transducer to the tissue based on the tissue parameters, wherein the ultrasonic energy is adjusted after each of the plurality of pulse sequences, and wherein the ultrasonic energy does not cut the tissue.

A generator for delivering energy to a surgical instrument for coagulating tissue, the surgical instrument comprising an end effector at a distal end thereof, the end effector configured to interact with tissue, the end effector comprising a clamp arm, an electrode an ultrasonic blade, an ultrasonic transducer acoustically coupled to the ultrasonic blade and to receive a drive signal from the generator to cause ultrasonic motion of the ultrasonic blade and deliver ultrasonic energy to the ultrasonic blade, and a sensor to obtain tissue parameters indicative of tissue impedance, the generator comprising:

• a first drive circuit to deliver a first drive signal to the ultrasonic transducer;
• a second drive circuit to deliver a second drive signal to the electrode;
• and
• a control circuit communicably coupled to the first drive circuit and the second drive circuit, the control circuit to:
• generate a plurality of pulse sequences with the first drive circuit and the second drive circuit, wherein the plurality of pulse sequences control a delivery of ultrasonic energy to tissue at a surgical site with the first drive signal and RF energy to the tissue at the surgical site with the second drive signal;
• and
• adjust the ultrasonic energy delivered by the ultrasonic transducer to the tissue based on the tissue parameters, wherein the first drive signal is adjusted after each of the plurality of pulse sequences, and wherein the ultrasonic energy does not cut the tissue.

A method of coagulating tissue, the method comprising:

• generating, by a surgical instrument, a plurality of pulse sequences, wherein the plurality of pulse sequences cause an ultrasonic transducer of the surgical instrument to deliver ultrasonic energy to tissue at a surgical site and an electrode of the surgical instrument to deliver RF energy to the tissue at the surgical site;
• measuring, by a sensor of the surgical instrument, a plurality of tissue parameters during a delivery of the ultrasonic energy and the RF energy;
• calculating, by the surgical instrument, a tissue impedance based on tissue parameters after each of the plurality of pulse sequences, wherein each of the plurality of tissue parameters correspond to each of the plurality of pulse sequences;
• and
• adjusting, by the surgical instrument, the ultrasonic energy delivered by the ultrasonic transducer to the tissue based on the tissue impedance, wherein the ultrasonic energy is adjusted after each of the plurality of pulse sequences, and wherein the ultrasonic energy does not cut the tissue.