US 8,945,113 B2 · Electrosurgical tissue ablation systems capable of detecting excessive bending of a probe and alerting a user

Abstract

An electrosurgical system includes an electrosurgical device, one or more temperature sensors associated with the electrosurgical device, a fluid-flow path leading to the electrosurgical device, and a flow-control device disposed in fluid communication with the fluid-flow path. The electrosurgical device includes a probe for directing energy to tissue. The electrosurgical system includes circuitry for detecting bending of the probe. The circuitry alerts the user of excessive bending by activating an alarm, such as an audible alarm, lighting one or more LEDs or other light sources, tactile feedback, or any other means. The electrosurgical system further includes a processor unit communicatively-coupled to the one or more temperature sensors and communicatively-coupled to the flow-control device. The processor unit is configured to control the flow-control device based on determination of a desired fluid-flow rate using one or more electrical signals outputted from the one or more temperature sensors.

Claims22

Dependent claims

An electrosurgical system, comprising:

an electrosurgical device having a probe configured to direct energy to tissue;
and
bending detection circuitry having at least one bending detection member positioned on the probe for detecting bending of the probe, wherein the probe includes a strain relief and the at least one bending detection member is positioned in the strain relief.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Electrosurgical tissue ablation systems capable of detecting excessive bending of a probe and alerting a user

Life of this patent

Electrosurgical tissue ablation systems capable of detecting excessive bending of a probe and alerting a user

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims22