Surgical Ejection Sensor Mechanism

Abstract

The surgical system may include an exhaust system for exhausting smoke, fluids, and / or particulates from the surgical site. The surgical exhaust system may be intelligent and may include, for example, one or more sensors for detecting one or more characteristics of the surgical system, the exhaust system, the surgical procedure, the surgical site, and / or patient tissue.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] (CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS) This application claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 691,219, filed June 28, 2018, entitled “SURGICAL EVACUATION SENSING AND MOTOR CONTROL,” the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] This application is the sole application of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 650,887, filed March 30, 2018, entitled "SURGICAL SYSTEMS WITH OPTIMIZED SENSING CAPABILITIES," U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 650,877, filed March 30, 2018, entitled "SURGICAL SMOKE EVACUATION SENSING AND CONTROLS," U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 650,882, filed March 30, 2018, entitled "SMOKE EVACUATION MODULE FOR INTERACTIVE SURGICAL PLATFORM," and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 650,882, filed March 30, 2018, entitled "CAPACITIVE COUPLED RETURN PATH PAD WITH SEPARABLE ARRAY," the disclosures of each of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety under 35 U.S.C. §119(e). This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 650,898, filed March 30, 2018, entitled "METHOD FOR USE IN A COMPONENT SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR USE IN A COMPONENT ELEMENTS."

[0003] This application further claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 640,417, filed March 8, 2018, entitled "TEMPERATURE CONTROL IN ULTRASONIC DEVICE AND CONTROL SYSTEM THEREFOR," and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 640,415, filed March 8, 2018, entitled "ESTIMATING STATE OF ULTRASONIC END EFFECTOR AND CONTROL SYSTEM THEREFOR," the disclosures of each of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

[0004] This application further claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 611,341, entitled "INTERACTIVE SURGICAL PLATFORM," filed December 28, 2017; U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 611,340, entitled "CLOUD-BASED MEDICAL ANALYTICS," filed December 28, 2017; and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 611,339, entitled "ROBOT ASSISTED SURGICAL PLATFORM," filed December 28, 2017, the disclosures of each of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. [Background technology]

[0005] The present invention relates to a surgical system and an evacuation device thereof. The surgical smoke evacuation device is configured to evacuate smoke, as well as fluids and / or particulates, from a surgical site. For example, smoke may be generated at a surgical site during a surgical procedure involving an energy device. Summary of the Invention [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In various embodiments, the surgical drainage system includes a pump, a motor operably coupled to the pump, a flow path fluidly coupled to the pump, and a sensor system. The sensor system includes a first pressure sensor and a second pressure sensor. The first pressure sensor is disposed along the flow path. The second pressure sensor is disposed along the flow path upstream of the first pressure sensor. The surgical drainage system further includes a control circuit configured to determine a pressure differential between the first pressure sensor and the second pressure sensor. The control circuit is further configured to adjust an operating parameter of the motor based on the pressure differential.

[0007] In various embodiments, the surgical drainage system comprises a pump including a motor, a fluid path fluidly coupled to the pump, and a sensor system. The sensor system includes a first pressure sensor and a second pressure sensor. The first pressure sensor is disposed along the fluid path to detect a first pressure. The second pressure sensor is disposed along the fluid path upstream of the first pressure sensor to detect a second pressure. The surgical drainage system further comprises a control circuit configured to determine a ratio of the second pressure to the first pressure and determine an operating state of the surgical drainage system based on the ratio.

[0008] In various embodiments, a non-transitory computer readable medium is disclosed that stores computer readable instructions that, when executed, cause a machine to receive a first signal from a first sensor disposed along a flow path through the surgical drainage system, receive a second signal from a second sensor disposed along the flow path through the surgical drainage system, determine an operating condition of the surgical drainage system based on the first signal and the second signal, and adjust an operating parameter of the surgical drainage system based on the operating condition. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] The features of the various aspects are set forth in detail in the appended claims, however the various aspects, both as to organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an ejector housing of a surgical ejection system according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a surgical evacuation electrosurgical tool according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a surgical evacuation tool releasably secured to an electrosurgical pencil, in accordance with at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating internal components within an ejector housing of a surgical ejection system, according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 5] 1 is a schematic diagram of an electrosurgical system including a smoke evacuator, according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a surgical drainage system according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a surgical system including a surgical evacuation system according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an ejector housing of the surgical ejection system of FIG. 7, according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 9] 9 is an elevational cross-sectional view of a socket in the ejector housing of FIG. 8 taken along the plane shown in FIG. 8, according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 10] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a filter of an exhaust system according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 11] 11 is a perspective cross-sectional view of the filter of FIG. 10 taken along a central longitudinal plane of the filter, according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 12] 8 is a pump of a surgical drainage system, such as the surgical drainage system of FIG. 7, according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 13] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a surgical drainage system according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a front perspective view of a fluid trap of the surgical drainage system of FIG. 13, in accordance with at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a rear perspective view of the fluid trap of FIG. 14 according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 16] 15 is an elevational cross-sectional view of the fluid trap of FIG. 14, according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 17] FIG. 15 is an elevational cross-sectional view of the fluid trap of FIG. 14 with portions removed for clarity, showing liquid trapped within the fluid trap and smoke flowing through the fluid trap, in accordance with at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 18] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an ejector housing of an ejection system according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 19] FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram of an ejector housing of another ejection system according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 20] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a photoelectric sensor of a surgical drainage system, according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 21] FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram of another photoelectric sensor of a surgical drainage system, in accordance with at least one aspect of the present disclosure. [Figure 22] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an ionization sensor of a surgical drainage system, according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 23] 1A is a graphical representation of (A) particle count over time and (B) motor speed over time of a surgical drainage system, according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 24A] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a diverter valve of a surgical drainage system showing the diverter valve in a first position, in accordance with at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 24B] FIG. 24B is a cross-sectional view of the diverter valve of FIG. 24A in a second position, according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 25]1 is a graphical representation of (A) airflow fluid content over time and (B) duty cycle over time of a surgical drainage system, in accordance with at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 26] 13 is a flow chart illustrating a calibration algorithm for a surgical evacuation system, in accordance with at least one aspect of the present disclosure. [Figure 27] 13 is a flow chart illustrating a calibration algorithm for a surgical evacuation system, in accordance with at least one aspect of the present disclosure. [Figure 28] 13 is a flow chart illustrating a calibration algorithm for a surgical evacuation system, in accordance with at least one aspect of the present disclosure. [Figure 29] 13 is a flow chart illustrating an adjustment algorithm for a surgical system, in accordance with at least one aspect of the present disclosure. [Diagram 30] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a surgical system according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 31] 1 is a flow chart illustrating an algorithm for displaying efficiency data of a surgical drainage system, according to at least one aspect of the present disclosure. [Diagram 32] 13 is a flow chart illustrating a calibration algorithm for a surgical evacuation system, in accordance with at least one aspect of the present disclosure. [Diagram 33] 1 is a graphical representation of (A) particle count over time and (B) RF current to voltage ratio over time of a surgical system, in accordance with at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 34] 13 is a flow chart illustrating an adjustment algorithm for a surgical system, in accordance with at least one aspect of the present disclosure. [Diagram 35] 1 is a flowchart for controlling a motor based on at least one of a first signal received from a first sensor of the exhaust system and a second signal received from a second sensor of the exhaust system, in accordance with at least one aspect of the present disclosure. [Diagram 36] 1 is a graphical representation of (A) particles counted over time, (B) generator power and voltage over time, and (C) exhaust system motor speed over time, according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 37] 1 is a graphical representation of a ratio of a pressure detected by a first sensor to a pressure detected by a second sensor and a pulse width modulation duty cycle of a motor of an exhaust system over time, in accordance with at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 38] 1 is a graphical representation of (A) particles counted over time and (C) air flow rate over time for an exhaust system, according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 39] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a computer-implemented interactive surgical system according to at least one aspect of the present disclosure. [Diagram 40] 1 is a surgical system used to perform a surgical procedure in an operating room, according to at least one aspect of the present disclosure. [Diagram 41] 1 is a surgical hub paired with a visualization system, a robotic system, and an intelligent instrument, in accordance with at least one aspect of the present disclosure. [Diagram 42] FIG. 13 is a partial perspective view of a surgical hub housing and a combination generator module slidably receivable within a drawer of the surgical hub housing, according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 43] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a combination generator module including bipolar, ultrasonic, and monopolar contacts and smoke evacuation components according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 44] 1 illustrates individual power bus attachments for multiple lateral docking ports of a lateral modular housing configured to receive multiple modules, according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 45] 1 illustrates a vertical modular housing configured to receive a plurality of modules, according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 46] 1 illustrates a surgical data network comprising a modular communications hub configured to connect modular devices located in one or more operating rooms of a medical facility, or any room in a medical facility equipped with specialized equipment for surgical procedures, to a cloud, in accordance with at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 47] 1 illustrates a computer-implemented interactive surgical system according to at least one aspect of the present disclosure. [Figure 48] 1 illustrates a surgical hub comprising a plurality of modules coupled to a modular control tower in accordance with at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 49] 1 illustrates one embodiment of a Universal Serial Bus (USB) network hub device in accordance with at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 50] 1 illustrates a logic diagram of a control system for a surgical instrument or tool, according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 51] 1 illustrates a control circuit configured to control an aspect of a surgical instrument or tool, according to at least one aspect of the present disclosure. [Figure 52] 1 illustrates a combinatorial logic circuit configured to control aspects of a surgical instrument or tool, according to at least one aspect of the present disclosure. [Figure 53] 1 illustrates a sequential logic circuit configured to control aspects of a surgical instrument or tool, in accordance with at least one aspect of the present disclosure. [Figure 54] 1 illustrates a surgical instrument or tool with multiple motors that can be activated to perform various functions, in accordance with at least one aspect of the present disclosure. [Figure 55] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a robotic surgical instrument configured to manipulate a surgical tool described herein, in accordance with at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 56] FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of a surgical instrument programmed to control distal translation of a displacement member, in accordance with at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 57] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a surgical instrument configured to control various functions, according to at least one aspect of the present disclosure. [Figure 58] FIG. 1 is a simplified block diagram of a generator configured to provide, among other advantages, inductorless tuning in accordance with at least one aspect of the present disclosure. [Figure 59]21 illustrates an example of a generator, one form of the generator of FIG. 20, in accordance with at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 60] 1 is a timeline illustrating situational awareness of a surgical hub according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] The applicant of this application owns the following U.S. patent applications, filed June 29, 2018, the disclosures of each of which are incorporated by reference in their entirety herein: U.S. Patent Application No. _______, Attorney Docket No. END8542USNP / 170755, entitled “CAPACITIVE COUPLED RETURN PATH PAD WITH SEPARABLE ARRAY ELEMENTS”; U.S. Patent Application Serial No. ______, Attorney Docket No. END8543USNP / 170760, entitled “CONTROLLING A SURGICAL INSTRUMENT ACCORDING TO SENSED CLOSURE PARAMETERS”; U.S. Patent Application No. ______, Attorney Docket No. END8543USNP1 / 170760-1, entitled "SYSTEMS FOR ADJUSTING END EFFECTOR PARAMETERS BASED ON PERIOPERATIVE INFORMATION"; · U.S. Patent Application No. _______, Attorney Docket No. END8543USNP2 / 170760-2, entitled “SAFETY SYSTEMS FOR SMART POWERED SURGICAL STAPLING”; · U.S. Patent Application No. _______, Attorney Docket No. END8543USNP3 / 170760-3, entitled “SAFETY SYSTEMS FOR SMART POWERED SURGICAL STAPLING”; U.S. Patent Application No. ______, Attorney Docket No. END8543USNP4 / 170760-4, entitled "SURGICAL SYSTEMS FOR DETECTING END EFFECTOR TISSUE DISTRIBUTION IRREGULARITIES"; U.S. Patent Application No. ________, Attorney Docket No. END8543USNP5 / 170760-5, entitled "SYSTEMS FOR DETECTING PROXIMITY OF SURGICAL END EFFECTOR TO CANCEROUS TISSUE"; U.S. Patent Application No. ______, Attorney Docket No. END8543USNP6 / 170760-6, entitled “SURGICAL INSTRUMENT CARTRIDGE SENSOR ASSEMBLIES”; U.S. Patent Application No. _______, Attorney Docket No. END8543USNP7 / 170760-7, entitled “VARIABLE OUTPUT CARTRIDGE SENSOR ASSEMBLY”; U.S. Patent Application No. ______, Attorney Docket No. END8544USNP / 170761, entitled “SURGICAL INSTRUMENT HAVING A FLEXIBLE ELECTRODE”; U.S. Patent Application No. _______, Attorney Docket No. END8544USNP1 / 170761-1, entitled "SURGICAL INSTRUMENT HAVING A FLEXIBLE CIRCUIT"; U.S. Patent Application No. _______, Attorney Docket No. END8544USNP2 / 170761-2, entitled “SURGICAL INSTRUMENT WITH A TISSUE MARKING ASSEMBLY”; U.S. Patent Application No. ______, Attorney Docket No. END8544USNP3 / 170761-3, entitled “SURGICAL SYSTEMS WITH PRIORITIZED DATA TRANSMISSION CAPABILITIES”; U.S. Patent Application No. ______, Attorney Docket No. END8545USNP / 170762, entitled “SURGICAL EVACUATION SENSING AND MOTOR CONTROL”; · U.S. Patent Application No. _______, Attorney Docket No. END8545USNP2 / 170762-2, entitled “SURGICAL EVACUATION FLOW PATHS”; U.S. Patent Application No. ______, Attorney Docket No. END8545USNP3 / 170762-3, entitled “SURGICAL EVACUATION SENSING AND GENERATOR CONTROL”; U.S. Patent Application No. ______, Attorney Docket No. END8545USNP4 / 170762-4, entitled “SURGICAL EVACUATION SENSING AND DISPLAY”; U.S. Patent Application No. ________, Attorney Docket No. END8546USNP / 170763, entitled "COMMUNICATION OF SMOKE EVACUATION SYSTEM PARAMETERS TO HUB OR CLOUD IN SMOKE EVACUATION MODULE FOR INTERACTIVE SURGICAL PLATFORM"; U.S. Patent Application No. ______, Attorney Docket No. END8546USNP1 / 170763-1, entitled "SMOKE EVACUATION SYSTEM INCLUDING A SEGMENTED CONTROL CIRCUIT FOR INTERACTIVE SURGICAL PLATFORM" U.S. Patent Application No. ________, Attorney Docket No. END8547USNP / 170764, entitled "SURGICAL EVACUATION SYSTEM WITH A COMMUNICATION CIRCUIT FOR COMMUNICATION BETWEEN A FILTER AND A SMOKE EVACUATION DEVICE"; · U.S. Patent Application Serial No. _______, Attorney Docket No. END8548USNP / 170765, entitled “DUAL IN-SERIES LARGE AND SMALL DROPLET FILTERS.”

[0011] The applicant of this application owns the following U.S. provisional patent applications, filed June 28, 2018, the disclosures of each of which are incorporated by reference in their entirety herein: U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 691,228, entitled "A METHOD OF USING REINFORCED FLEX CIRCUITS WITH MULTIPLE SENSORS WITH ELECTROSURGICAL DEVICES"; U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 691,227, entitled “CONTROLLING A SURGICAL INSTRUMENT ACCORDING TO SENSED CLOSURE PARAMETERS”; · U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 691,230, entitled “SURGICAL INSTRUMENT HAVING A FLEXIBLE ELECTRODE”; · U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 691,219, entitled “SURGICAL EVACUATION SENSING AND MOTOR CONTROL”; U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 691,257, entitled “COMMUNICATION OF SMOKE EVACUATION SYSTEM PARAMETERS TO HUB OR CLOUD IN SMOKE EVACUATION MODULE FOR INTERACTIVE SURGICAL PLATFORM”; U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 691,262, entitled "SURGICAL EVACUATION SYSTEM WITH A COMMUNICATION CIRCUIT FOR COMMUNICATION BETWEEN A FILTER AND A SMOKE EVACUATION DEVICE," and · U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 691,251, entitled “DUAL IN-SERIES LARGE AND SMALL DROPLET FILTERS.”

[0012] The applicant of this application owns the following U.S. patent applications, filed March 29, 2018, the disclosures of each of which are incorporated by reference in their entirety herein: · U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 15 / 940,641, entitled "INTERACTIVE SURGICAL SYSTEMS WITH ENCRYPTED COMMUNICATION CAPABILITIES"; U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 15 / 940,648, entitled "INTERACTIVE SURGICAL SYSTEMS WITH CONDITION HANDLING OF DEVICES AND DATA CAPABILITIES"; U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 940,656, entitled "SURGICAL HUB COORDINATION OF CONTROL AND COMMUNICATION OF OPERATING ROOM DEVICES"; · U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 15 / 940,666, entitled "SPATIAL AWARENESS OF SURGICAL HUBS IN OPERATING ROOMS"; U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 940,670, entitled "COOPERATIVE UTILIZATION OF DATA DERIVED FROM SECONDARY SOURCES BY INTELLIGENT SURGICAL HUBS"; · U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 15 / 940,677, entitled "SURGICAL HUB CONTROL ARRANGEMENTS"; U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 940,632, entitled "DATA STRIPPING METHOD TO INTERROGATE PATIENT RECORDS AND CREATE ANONYMIZED RECORD"; U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 15 / 940,640, entitled "COMMUNICATION HUB AND STORAGE DEVICE FOR STORING PARAMETERS AND STATUS OF A SURGICAL DEVICE TO BE SHARED WITH CLOUD BASED ANALYTICS SYSTEMS"; U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 15 / 940,645, entitled "SELF DESCRIBING DATA PACKETS GENERATED AT AN ISSUING INSTRUMENT"; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15 / 940,649, entitled “DATA PAIRING TO INTERCONNECT A DEVICE MEASURED PARAMETER WITH AN OUTCOME”; · U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 940,654, entitled "SURGICAL HUB SITUATIONAL AWARENESS"; · U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 15 / 940,663, entitled "SURGICAL SYSTEM DISTRIBUTED PROCESSING"; · U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 940,668, entitled “AGGREGATION AND REPORTING OF SURGICAL HUB DATA”; · U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 940,671, entitled "SURGICAL HUB SPATIAL AWARENESS TO DETERMINE DEVICES IN OPERATING THEATER"; U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 15 / 940,686, entitled "DISPLAY OF ALIGNMENT OF STAPLE CARTRIDGE TO PRIOR LINEAR STAPLE LINE"; · U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 940,700, entitled "STERILE FIELD INTERACTIVE CONTROL DISPLAYS"; U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 940,629, entitled "COMPUTER IMPLEMENTED INTERACTIVE SURGICAL SYSTEMS"; U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 940,704, entitled "USE OF LASER LIGHT AND RED-GREEN-BLUE COLORATION TO DETERMINE PROPERTIES OF BACK SCATTERED LIGHT"; U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 940,722, entitled "CHARACTERIZATION OF TISSUE IRREGULARITIES THROUGH THE USE OF MONO-CHROMATIC LIGHT REFRACTIVITY," and · U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 15 / 940,742, entitled “DUAL CMOS ARRAY IMAGING.”

[0013] The applicant of this application owns the following U.S. patent applications, filed March 29, 2018, the disclosures of each of which are incorporated by reference in their entirety herein: U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 940,636, entitled "ADAPTIVE CONTROL PROGRAM UPDATES FOR SURGICAL DEVICES"; · U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 940,653, entitled "ADAPTIVE CONTROL PROGRAM UPDATES FOR SURGICAL HUBS"; U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 940,660, entitled "CLOUD-BASED MEDICAL ANALYTICS FOR CUSTOMIZATION AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO A USER"; U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 940,679, entitled "CLOUD-BASED MEDICAL ANALYTICS FOR LINKING OF LOCAL USAGE TRENDS WITH THE RESOURCE ACQUISITION BEHAVIORS OF LARGER DATA SET"; U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 940,694, entitled "CLOUD-BASED MEDICAL ANALYTICS FOR MEDICAL FACILITY SEGMENTED INDIVIDUALIZATION OF INSTRUMENT FUNCTION"; U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 940,634, entitled "CLOUD-BASED MEDICAL ANALYTICS FOR SECURITY AND AUTHENTICATION TRENDS AND REACTIVE MEASURES"; U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 940,706, entitled "DATA HANDLING AND PRIORITIZATION IN A CLOUD ANALYTICS NETWORK," and · U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 940,675, entitled “CLOUD INTERFACE FOR COUPLED SURGICAL DEVICES.”

[0014] The applicant of this application owns the following U.S. patent applications, filed March 29, 2018, the disclosures of each of which are incorporated by reference in their entirety herein: U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 940,627, entitled "DRIVE ARRANGEMENTS FOR ROBOT-ASSISTED SURGICAL PLATFORMS"; · U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 940,637, entitled "COMMUNICATION ARRANGEMENTS FOR ROBOT-ASSISTED SURGICAL PLATFORMS"; U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 940,642, entitled "CONTROLS FOR ROBOT-ASSISTED SURGICAL PLATFORMS"; · U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 940,676, entitled "AUTOMATIC TOOL ADJUSTMENTS FOR ROBOT-ASSISTED SURGICAL PLATFORMS"; U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 940,680, entitled "CONTROLLERS FOR ROBOT-ASSISTED SURGICAL PLATFORMS"; · U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 15 / 940,683, entitled "COOPERATIVE SURGICAL ACTIONS FOR ROBOT-ASSISTED SURGICAL PLATFORMS"; U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 940,690, entitled "DISPLAY ARRANGEMENTS FOR ROBOT-ASSISTED SURGICAL PLATFORMS," and · U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 940,711, entitled “SENSING ARRANGEMENTS FOR ROBOT-ASSISTED SURGICAL PLATFORMS.”

[0015] The applicant of this application owns the following U.S. provisional patent applications, filed March 28, 2018, the disclosures of each of which are incorporated by reference in their entirety herein: · U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 649,302, entitled "INTERACTIVE SURGICAL SYSTEMS WITH ENCRYPTED COMMUNICATION CAPABILITIES"; · U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 649,294, entitled "DATA STRIPPING METHOD TO INTERROGATE PATIENT RECORDS AND CREATE ANONYMIZED RECORD"; · U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 649,300, entitled “SURGICAL HUB SITUATIONAL AWARENESS”; · U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 649,309, entitled “SURGICAL HUB SPATIAL AWARENESS TO DETERMINE DEVICES IN OPERATING THEATER”; · U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 649,310, entitled “COMPUTER IMPLEMENTED INTERACTIVE SURGICAL SYSTEMS”; · U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 649,291, entitled “USE OF LASER LIGHT AND RED-GREEN-BLUE COLORATION TO DETERMINE PROPERTIES OF BACK SCATTERED LIGHT”; · U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 649,296, entitled "ADAPTIVE CONTROL PROGRAM UPDATES FOR SURGICAL DEVICES"; · U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 649,333, entitled "CLOUD-BASED MEDICAL ANALYTICS FOR CUSTOMIZATION AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO A USER"; · U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 649,327, entitled "CLOUD-BASED MEDICAL ANALYTICS FOR SECURITY AND AUTHENTICATION TRENDS AND REACTIVE MEASURES"; · U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 649,315, entitled "DATA HANDLING AND PRIORITIZATION IN A CLOUD ANALYTICS NETWORK"; · U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 649,313, entitled "CLOUD INTERFACE FOR COUPLED SURGICAL DEVICES"; · U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 649,320, entitled "DRIVE ARRANGEMENTS FOR ROBOT-ASSISTED SURGICAL PLATFORMS"; U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 649,307, entitled "AUTOMATIC TOOL ADJUSTMENTS FOR ROBOT-ASSISTED SURGICAL PLATFORMS," and · U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 649,323, entitled “SENSING ARRANGEMENTS FOR ROBOT-ASSISTED SURGICAL PLATFORMS.”

[0016] The applicant of this application owns the following U.S. provisional patent applications, filed April 19, 2018, the disclosures of each of which are incorporated by reference in their entirety herein: · U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 659,900, entitled “METHOD OF HUB COMMUNICATION.”

[0017] Before describing the various aspects of the surgical device and generator in detail, it should be noted that the illustrated embodiments are not limited in application or use to the details of construction and arrangement of parts shown in the accompanying drawings and description. The illustrative embodiments may be embodied or incorporated in other aspects, variations, and modifications and may be practiced or carried out in various ways. Moreover, unless otherwise specified, the terms and phrases used herein have been selected for the purpose of describing the illustrative embodiments for the convenience of the reader and not for the purpose of limiting them. Furthermore, it should be understood that one or more of the aspects, embodiment of the aspects, and / or embodiments described below can be combined with any one or more of the other aspects, embodiment of the aspects, and / or embodiments described below.

[0018] Energy equipment and smoke exhaust The present disclosure relates to an energy device and an intelligent surgical evacuation system for evacuating smoke and / or other fluids and / or particulates from a surgical site. Smoke is often generated during surgical procedures utilizing one or more energy devices. The energy device uses energy to affect tissue. In an energy device, the energy is provided by a generator. Energy devices include devices with tissue-contacting electrodes, such as electrosurgical devices with one or more radio frequency (RF) electrodes, and devices with a vibrating surface, such as ultrasonic devices with ultrasonic blades. For electrosurgical devices, the generator is configured to generate an oscillating current to energize the electrode. For ultrasonic devices, the generator is configured to generate ultrasonic vibrations to energize the ultrasonic blade. The generator is further described herein.

[0019] Ultrasonic energy can be utilized to coagulate and cut tissue. Ultrasonic energy coagulates and cuts tissue by vibrating an energy delivery surface (e.g., an ultrasonic blade) that contacts the tissue. The ultrasonic blade can be coupled to a waveguide that transmits vibrational energy from an ultrasonic transducer, which generates mechanical vibrations and is powered by a generator. By vibrating at high frequency (e.g., 55,500 times per second), the ultrasonic blade generates friction and heat between the blade and tissue, i.e., at the blade-tissue interface, which denatures proteins in the tissue to form a sticky coagulant. The pressure exerted by the blade surface on the tissue collapses blood vessels, allowing the coagulant to form a hemostatic seal. The precision of the cutting and coagulation can be controlled, for example, by the clinician's technique and by adjusting the power level, blade edge, tissue traction, and blade pressure.

[0020] Ultrasonic surgical instruments are finding increasingly widespread use in surgical procedures due to the special performance characteristics of such instruments. Depending on the particular instrument configuration and operating parameters, ultrasonic surgical instruments can provide substantially simultaneous cutting of tissue and hemostasis by coagulation, desirably minimizing trauma to the patient. The cutting action is typically accomplished by an end effector or blade tip at the distal end of the ultrasonic instrument. The ultrasonic end effector transfers ultrasonic energy to tissue in contact with the end effector. Ultrasonic instruments of this nature can be configured for open surgical applications, including robotic-assisted surgery, laparoscopic surgery, or endoscopic surgery, for example.

[0021] Electrical energy may also be utilized for coagulation and / or cutting. Electrosurgical devices typically include a handpiece and an instrument having an end effector (e.g., one or more electrodes) attached to a distal end. The end effector may be positioned against and / or adjacent to tissue such that electrical current is introduced into the tissue. Electrosurgery is widely used and offers many advantages, including the use of a single surgical instrument for both coagulation and cutting.

[0022] The electrode or tip of the electrosurgical device is small at the point of contact with the patient to generate a radio frequency current having a high current density to produce the surgical effect of coagulating and / or cutting tissue by cauterization. The return electrode carries the same radio frequency signal back to the electrosurgical generator after passing through the patient, thus providing a return path for the RF signal.

[0023] Electrosurgical devices can be configured for bipolar or monopolar operation. During bipolar operation, current is introduced into tissue by the active electrode of the end effector and returned from the tissue by the return electrode of the end effector, respectively. During monopolar operation, current is introduced into tissue by the active electrode of the end effector and returned via a return electrode (e.g., a ground pad) located on or separately relative to the patient's body. Heat generated by the current flowing through the tissue may form a hemostatic seal within and / or between the tissue and thus may be particularly useful, for example, for sealing blood vessels. The end effector of the electrosurgical device may also include a cutting member movable relative to the tissue and the electrode for transecting the tissue.

[0024] During application, the electrosurgical device can transmit low frequency RF current through the tissue, which creates ionic agitation or friction (i.e., resistive heating), thereby increasing the temperature of the tissue. A boundary is created between the diseased tissue and the surrounding tissue, allowing the clinician to operate with a high level of precision and control without sacrificing adjacent non-target tissue. The low operating temperature of RF energy is useful for simultaneously sealing blood vessels while removing, shrinking, or shaping soft tissue. RF energy can work particularly well on connective tissue, which is primarily composed of collagen and shrinks when exposed to heat. Other electrosurgical instruments include, but are not limited to, irreversible and / or reversible electroporation and / or microwave technologies, among others. The technology disclosed herein is applicable to ultrasonic, bipolar and / or monopolar RF (electrosurgical), irreversible and / or reversible electroporation, and / or microwave based surgical instruments, among others.

[0025] Electrical energy applied by the electrosurgical device can be transferred from a generator to the instrument. The generator is configured to convert electricity into a high frequency waveform consisting of an oscillating current that is transferred to an electrode to affect tissue. The current passes through the tissue to cauterize (a form of coagulation in which current arcs to the tissue producing tissue charring), desiccate (direct energy application that expels cellular water), and / or cut (indirect energy application that vaporizes cellular fluids resulting in cellular explosion). The response of the tissue to the current is a function of the resistance of the tissue, the current density passing through the tissue, the power output, and the duration of current application. In certain instances, as described further herein, the current waveform can be tailored to affect different surgical functions and / or to accommodate tissues with different properties. For example, different types of tissues - vascular tissue, nervous tissue, muscle, skin, fat, and / or bone may respond differently to the same waveform.

[0026] The electrical energy may be in the form of RF energy, which may be within the frequency ranges set forth in EN60601-2-2:2009+A11:2011, Definition 201.3.218-HIGH FREQUENCY. For example, frequencies in monopolar RF applications are typically limited to less than 5 MHz to minimize problems associated with high frequency leakage currents. Frequencies above 200 kHz may typically be used in monopolar applications to avoid unnecessary stimulation of nerves and muscles resulting from the use of low frequency currents.

[0027] In bipolar RF applications, the frequency can be nearly any frequency. In certain instances, such as when a risk analysis indicates that the possibility of neuromuscular stimulation has been mitigated to an acceptable level, lower frequencies can be used for bipolar techniques. Generally, 10 mA is recognized as the lower threshold for thermal effects on tissue. Higher frequencies can also be used for bipolar techniques.

[0028] In certain examples, the generator can be configured to digitally generate and provide output waveforms to a surgical device, allowing the surgical device to utilize the waveforms for various tissue effects. The generator may be a monopolar generator, a bipolar generator, and / or an ultrasonic generator. For example, a single generator can provide energy to a monopolar device, a bipolar device, an ultrasonic device, or a combined electrosurgical / ultrasonic device. The generator can facilitate tissue-specific effects through waveform shaping and / or can drive RF and ultrasonic energy simultaneously and / or sequentially to a single surgical instrument or multiple surgical instruments.

[0029] In one example, the surgical system can include a generator and various surgical instruments usable therewith, including ultrasonic surgical instruments, RF electrosurgical instruments, and hybrid ultrasonic / RF electrosurgical instruments. The generator may be configurable for use with various surgical instruments, as further described in U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 15 / 265,279, entitled "TECHNIQUES FOR OPERATING GENERATOR FOR DIGITALLY GENERATING ELECTRICAL SIGNAL WAVEFORMS AND SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS," filed September 14, 2016 (now U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2017 / 0086914), which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0030] As described herein, medical procedures for cutting tissue and / or cauterizing blood vessels are often performed by utilizing RF electrical energy that is generated by a generator and transmitted to a patient's tissue via an electrode operated by a clinician. The electrode delivers an electrical discharge to the cytoplasm of the patient's body adjacent to the electrode. This electrical discharge heats the cytoplasm, cutting the tissue and / or cauterizing the blood vessel.

[0031] The high temperatures associated with electrosurgery can cause thermal necrosis of tissue adjacent to the electrodes. The longer the tissue is exposed to the high temperatures associated with electrosurgery, the greater the likelihood that the tissue will undergo thermal necrosis. In certain instances, thermal necrosis of tissue can reduce the rate at which tissue can be cut and increase the incidence of thermal damage to tissue located away from the cut site, as well as increase post-operative complications, eschar formation, and healing times.

[0032] The concentration of the RF energy discharge affects both the efficiency with which the electrode can cut tissue and the likelihood of tissue damage distant from the cut site. With standard electrode geometries, the RF energy tends to be distributed uniformly over a relatively large area adjacent to the intended incision site. A generally uniform distribution of the RF energy discharge increases the likelihood of extraneous charge loss to the surrounding tissue, which can increase the likelihood of undesired tissue damage in the surrounding tissue.

[0033] A typical electrosurgical generator produces RF electrical energy at a variety of operating frequencies and output power levels. The specific operating frequency and power output of the generator will vary based on the particular electrosurgical generator used and the needs of the physician during the electrosurgical procedure. The specific operating frequency and power output level can be manually adjusted on the generator by the clinician or other operating room personnel. Properly adjusting these various settings requires significant knowledge, skill, and attention from the clinician or other personnel. Once the clinician makes the desired adjustments to the various settings on the generator, the generator can maintain those output parameters during the electrosurgical procedure. Generally, waveform generators used in electrosurgery are adapted to produce RF waves having output powers ranging from 1-300 W in cutting mode and 1-120 W in coagulation mode, and frequencies ranging from 300-600 kHz. A typical waveform generator is adapted to maintain the selected settings during the electrosurgical procedure. For example, if a clinician sets the generator output power level to 50 W and then contacts the electrodes with a patient to perform electrosurgery, the generator power level will rapidly increase and remain at 50 W. Setting the power level to a particular setting, such as 50 W, will allow the clinician to cut the patient's tissue, but maintaining such a high power level increases the likelihood of thermal necrosis of the patient's tissue.

[0034] In some forms, the generator is configured to provide sufficient power to effectively perform electrosurgery in conjunction with electrodes that increase the concentration of RF energy discharge while limiting unwanted tissue damage, reducing post-operative complications, and promoting faster healing. For example, the waveform from the generator can be optimized by a control circuit throughout the surgical procedure. However, the subject matter claimed herein is not limited to aspects that eliminate any disadvantages or that operate only in environments such as those described above. Rather, this background is presented merely to illustrate one example technology area in which some aspects described herein may be practiced.

[0035] As provided herein, an energy device delivers mechanical and / or electrical energy to a target tissue to treat the tissue (e.g., to cut tissue, cauterize blood vessels, and / or coagulate tissue within and / or near the target tissue). Cutting, cauterizing, and / or coagulating tissue can result in fluids and / or particulates being released into the air. Such fluids and / or particulates released during a surgical procedure may constitute smoke, which may include, for example, carbon particles and / or other particles suspended in the air. In other words, the fluids may include smoke and / or other fluidic substances. Approximately 90% of endoscopic and open surgeries produce some level of smoke. Smoke can be unpleasant to the olfactory senses of the clinician(s), assistant(s), and / or patient(s), can obstruct the clinician(s)'s view of the surgical site, and in certain instances can be unhealthy if inhaled. For example, smoke generated during electrosurgical procedures may contain toxic chemicals including acrolein, acetonitrile, acrylonitrile, acetylene, alkylbenzenes, benzene, butadiene, butene, carbon monoxide, creosol, ethane, ethylene, formaldehyde, free radicals, hydrogen cyanide, isobutene, methane, phenols, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, propene, propylene, pyridene, pyrrole, styrene, toluene, and xylene, as well as dead and live cellular material (including blood fragments), and viruses. Certain substances identified in surgical smoke have been identified as known carcinogens. It is estimated that one gram of tissue cauterized during electrosurgical procedures may be equivalent to the toxic and carcinogenic substances in six unfiltered cigarettes. In addition, exposure to smoke released during electrosurgical procedures has been reported to cause eye and lung irritation in medical personnel.

[0036] In addition to the toxicity and odor associated with the substances in surgical smoke, the size of the particulate matter in surgical smoke can be harmful to the respiratory systems of the clinician(s), assistant(s), and / or patient(s). In certain instances, the particulates can be very small. In certain instances, repeated inhalation of very small particulate matter can lead to acute and chronic respiratory conditions.

[0037] Many electrosurgical systems employ a surgical evacuation system that captures smoke resulting from the surgical procedure and directs the captured smoke away from the clinician(s) and / or patient via a filter and an exhaust port. For example, the evacuation system can be configured to evacuate smoke generated during an electrosurgical procedure. Although such an evacuation system can be referred to as a "smoke evacuation system," the reader will understand that such an evacuation system can be configured to evacuate more than just smoke from the surgical site. Throughout this disclosure, the "smoke" evacuated by the evacuation system is not limited to simply smoke. Rather, the smoke evacuation systems disclosed herein can be used to evacuate a variety of fluids, including liquids, gases, vapors, smoke, water vapor, or combinations thereof. The fluids may be biological and / or may be introduced to the surgical site from an external source during the procedure. Fluids can include, for example, water, saline, lymph, blood, exudate, and / or purulent discharge. Additionally, the fluids can include particulates or other matter (e.g., cellular matter or debris) that are evacuated by the evacuation system. For example, such particles may be suspended in the fluid.

[0038] The exhaust system often includes a pump and a filter. The pump generates suction that draws the smoke into the filter. For example, the suction can be configured to draw smoke from the surgical site to the conduit opening, through the exhaust conduit, and into the exhaust housing of the exhaust system. The exhaust housing 50018 of the surgical exhaust system 50000 is shown in FIG. 1. In one aspect of the present disclosure, the pump and filter are disposed within the exhaust housing 50018. The smoke drawn into the exhaust housing 50018 travels to the filter via the suction conduit 50036, and harmful toxic substances and unpleasant odors are filtered from the smoke as it travels through the filter. The suction conduit may also be referred to as, for example, a vacuum conduit and / or an exhaust conduit and / or a vacuum tube and / or an exhaust tube. The filtered air can then exit the surgical exhaust system as exhaust air. In certain examples, the various exhaust systems disclosed herein can also be configured to deliver fluid to a desired location, such as a surgical site.

[0039] 2, the suction conduit 50036 from the ejector housing 50018 (FIG. 1) may terminate in a handpiece, such as handpiece 50032. The handpiece 50032 comprises an electrosurgical instrument including an electrode tip 50034 and an exhaust conduit opening near and / or adjacent to the electrode tip 50034. The exhaust conduit opening is configured to capture fluids and / or particulates released during a surgical procedure. In such an example, the exhaust system 50000 is integrated into the electrosurgical instrument 50032. Still referring to FIG. 2, smoke S is drawn into the suction conduit 50036.

[0040] In certain examples, the evacuation system 50000 can include a separate surgical tool including a conduit opening and configured to draw smoke into the system. In yet other examples, a tool including an evacuation conduit and opening can be snap-fit ​​onto an electrosurgical tool such as that shown in FIG. 3. For example, a portion of the suction conduit 51036 can be disposed around (or adjacent to) the electrode tip 51034. In one example, the suction conduit 51036 can be releasably secured to a handpiece 51032 of an electrosurgical tool including an electrode tip 51034 with a clip or other fastener.

[0041] Various internal components of the ejector housing 50518 are shown in FIG. 4. In various examples, the internal components of FIG. 4 can also be incorporated into the ejector housing 50018 of FIG. 1. Referring primarily to FIG. 4, the ejection system 50500 includes an ejector housing 50518, a filter 50502, an exhaust mechanism 50520, and a pump 50506. The ejection system 50500 defines a flow path 50504 through the ejector housing 50518 having an inlet port 50522 and an outlet port 50524. The filter 50502, the exhaust mechanism 50520, and the pump 50506 are disposed in series in line with the flow path 50504 through the ejector housing 50518 between the inlet port 50522 and the outlet port 50524. The inlet port 50522 can be fluidly connected to a suction conduit, such as, for example, the suction conduit 50036 of FIG. 1, which can include a distal conduit opening positionable at the surgical site.

[0042] The pump 50506 is configured to create a pressure differential in the flow path 50504 through mechanical action. The pressure differential is configured to draw smoke 50508 from the surgical site into the inlet port 50522 and along the flow path 50504. After the smoke 50508 travels through the filter 50502, the smoke 50508 can be considered filtered smoke or air 50510, which continues through the flow path 50504 and is discharged through the outlet port 50524. The flow path 50504 includes a first zone 50514 and a second zone 50516. The first zone 50514 is upstream from the pump 50506. The second zone 50516 is downstream from the pump 50506. The pump 50506 is configured to pressurize the fluid in the flow path 50504 such that the fluid in the second zone 50516 has a higher pressure than the fluid in the first zone 50514. A motor 50512 drives the pump 50506. Various suitable motors are described further herein. The exhaust mechanism 50520 is a mechanism that can control the velocity, direction, and / or other characteristics of the filtered smoke 50510 exiting the exhaust system 50500 at the exit port 50524.

[0043] The flow path 50504 through the exhaust system 50500 can be comprised of tubes or other conduits that substantially contain and / or separate the fluid moving through the flow path 50504 from the fluid outside the flow path 50504. For example, a first zone 50514 of the flow path 50504 may include a tube through which the flow path 50504 extends between the filter 50502 and the pump 50506. A second zone 50516 of the flow path 50504 may also include a tube through which the flow path 50504 extends between the pump 50506 and the exhaust mechanism 50520. The flow path 50504 also extends through the filter 50502, the pump 50506, and the exhaust mechanism 50520 such that the flow path 50504 extends continuously from the inlet port 50522 to the outlet port 50524.

[0044] In operation, smoke 50508 may enter the filter 50502 at the inlet port 50522 and may be pumped by the pump 50506 through the flow path 50504 such that the smoke 50508 is drawn into the filter 50502. The filtered smoke 50510 may then be pumped through the exhaust mechanism 50520 and out the exhaust system 50500 at the outlet port 50524. The filtered smoke 50510 that exits the exhaust system 50500 at the outlet port 50524 is exhaust and may consist of filtered gases that have passed through the exhaust system 50500.

[0045] In various examples, the evacuation systems disclosed herein (e.g., evacuation system 50000 and evacuation system 50500) can be incorporated into a computer-implemented interactive surgical system, such as, for example, system 100 (FIG. 39) or system 200 (FIG. 47). In one aspect of the present disclosure, for example, computer-implemented surgical system 100 can include at least one hub 106 and cloud 104. Referring primarily to FIG. 41, hub 106 includes a smoke evacuation module 126. Operation of smoke evacuation module 126 can be controlled by hub 106 based on its situational awareness and / or feedback from its components and / or based on information from cloud 104. Computer-implemented surgical systems 100 and 200, and situational awareness therefor, are further described herein.

[0046] Situational awareness encompasses the ability of some aspects of a surgical system to determine or infer information relevant to a surgical procedure from data received from a database and / or an instrument. The information may include the type of procedure being performed, the type of tissue being operated on, or the body cavity that is the subject of the procedure. Contextual information related to a surgical procedure may enable a surgical system to improve how it controls, for example, modular devices (e.g., smoke evacuation systems) that are connected to it and provide contextualized information or suggestions to the clinician during the course of the surgical procedure. Situational awareness is further described herein and in U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 611,341, filed December 28, 2017, entitled "INTERACTIVE SURGICAL PLATFORM," which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0047] In various examples, the surgical system and / or evacuation system disclosed herein can include a processor. The processor can be programmed to control one or more operating parameters of the surgical system and / or evacuation system, for example, based on sensed and / or aggregated data and / or one or more user inputs. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of an electrosurgical system 50300 including a processor 50308. The electrosurgical system 50300 is powered by an AC power source 50302 that provides either 120V or 240V AC. The voltage provided by the AC power source 50302 is directed to an AC / DC converter 50304 that converts the 120V or 240V AC to 360V DC. The 360V DC is then directed to a power converter 50306 (e.g., a buck converter). The power converter 50306 is a step-down DC / DC converter. The power converter 50306 is adapted to step down the input 360V to a desired level within the range of 0-150V.

[0048] The processor 50308 can be programmed to adjust various aspects, functions, and parameters of the electrosurgical system 50300. For example, the processor 50308 can determine a desired output power level at the electrode tip 50334, which may be similar in many respects to the electrode tip 50034 of Figure 2 and / or the electrode tip 51034 of Figure 3, and instruct the power converter 50306 to step down the voltage to a specified level to provide the desired output power. The processor 50308 is coupled to a memory 50310 configured to store machine-executable instructions for operating the electrosurgical system 50300 and / or its subsystems.

[0049] A digital-to-analog converter ("DAC") 50312 is connected between the processor 50308 and the power converter 50306. The DAC 50312 is adapted to convert the digital code generated by the processor 50308 to an analog signal (current, voltage, or charge) that governs the voltage step-down performed by the power converter 50306. When the power converter 50306 steps down the 360V to a level determined by the processor 50308, it will provide a desired output power level, and the stepped-down voltage is directed to the electrode tip 50334 to achieve electrosurgical treatment of the patient's tissue, and then to the return or ground electrode 50335. The voltage sensor 50314 and the current sensor 50316 are adapted to detect the voltage and current present in the electrosurgical circuit and communicate the detected parameters to the processor 50308, which can then determine whether to adjust the output power level. As noted herein, typical waveform generators are adapted to maintain selected settings throughout an electrosurgical procedure. In other examples, the operating parameters of the generator may be optimized during a surgical procedure based on one or more inputs to the processor 5308, such as, for example, inputs from a surgical hub, a cloud, and / or a situational awareness module, as described further herein.

[0050] The processor 50308 is coupled to a communication device 50318 for communicating over a network. The communication device includes a transceiver 50320 configured to communicate over a physical wire or wirelessly. The communication device 50318 may further include one or more additional transceivers. The transceivers may include, but are not limited to, a cellular modem, a wireless mesh network transceiver, a Wi-Fi® transceiver, a low power wide area (LPWA) transceiver, and / or a near field communications transceiver (NFC). The communication device 50318 may include or be configured to communicate with a mobile phone, a sensor system (e.g., environment, location, motion, etc.) and / or a sensor network (wired and / or wireless), a computing system (e.g., a server, a workstation computer, a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a tablet computer (e.g., iPad®, Galaxy Tab®, etc.), an ultra-portable computer, an ultra-mobile computer, a netbook computer, and / or a sub-notebook computer, etc.). In at least one aspect of the present disclosure, one of these devices may be a coordinator node.

[0051] The transceiver 50320 may be configured to receive serial transmit data from the processor 50308 via a corresponding UART, modulate the serial transmit data onto an RF carrier, generate a transmit RF signal, and transmit the transmit RF signal via a corresponding antenna. The transceiver(s) are further configured to receive a receive RF signal including an RF carrier modulated with the serial receive data via a corresponding antenna, demodulate the receive RF signal to extract the serial receive data, and provide the serial receive data to a corresponding UART for providing to the processor. Each RF signal has an associated carrier frequency and an associated channel bandwidth. The channel bandwidth is associated with the carrier frequency, the transmit data, and / or the receive data. Each RF carrier frequency and channel bandwidth is associated with an operating frequency range(s) of the transceiver(s) 50320. Each channel bandwidth is further associated with a wireless communication standard and / or protocol to which the transceiver(s) 50320 may comply. In other words, each transceiver 50320 may support a selected wireless communication standard and / or protocol, for example, an implementation of IEEE 802.11a / b / g / n for Wi-Fi (registered trademark) and / or IEEE 802.15.4 for wireless mesh networking using Zigbee routing.

[0052] The processor 50308 is coupled to a sensing and intelligent controller 50324 that is coupled to the smoke evacuator 50326. The smoke evacuator 50326 can include one or more sensors 50327 and can also include a pump and a pump motor controlled by a motor driver 50328. The motor driver 50328 is communicatively coupled to the processor 50308 and to the pump motor in the smoke evacuator 50326. The sensing and intelligent controller 50324 includes sensor algorithms 50321 and communication algorithms 50322 that facilitate communication between the smoke evacuator 50326 and other devices to adapt their control programs. The sensing and intelligent controller 50324 is configured to evaluate, for example, fluids, particles, and gases extracted via the exhaust conduit 50336 to improve smoke extraction efficiency and / or reduce smoke output of the device, as further described herein. In certain examples, the sensing and intelligent control device 50324 is communicatively coupled to one or more sensors 50327 within the smoke evacuator 50326, one or more internal sensors 50330, and / or one or more external sensors 50332 of the electrosurgical system 50300.

[0053] In certain examples, the processor may be located within the ejector housing of the surgical evacuation system. For example, with reference to FIGURE 6, the processor 50408 and memory 50410 therefor are located within the ejector housing 50440 of the surgical evacuation system 50400. The processor 50408 is in signal communication with the motor driver 50428, various internal sensors 50430, the display 50442, the memory 50410, and the communication device 50418. The communication device 50418 is similar in many respects to the communication device 50318 described above with respect to FIGURE 5. The communication device 50418 may enable the processor 50408 in the surgical evacuation system 50400 to communicate with other devices in the surgical system. For example, the communication device 50418 can enable wired and / or wireless communication to one or more external sensors 50432, one or more surgical devices 50444, one or more hubs 50448, one or more clouds 50446, and / or one or more additional surgical systems and / or tools. The reader will readily appreciate that in certain examples, the surgical evacuation system 50400 of FIG. 6 can be incorporated into the electrosurgical system 50300 of FIG. 5. The surgical evacuation system 50400 also includes a pump 50450 including its pump motor 50451, an evacuation conduit 50436, and an exhaust 50452. The various pumps, evacuation conduits, and exhausts are further described herein. The surgical evacuation system 50400 can also include a sensing and intelligent controller, which can be similar in many respects to the sensing and intelligent controller 50324, for example. For example, such sensing and intelligent control devices can be in signal communication with the processor 50408 and / or one or more of the sensors 50430 and / or external sensors 50432.

[0054] The electrosurgical system 50300 (FIG. 5) and / or the surgical evacuation system 50400 (FIG. 6) can be programmed to monitor one or more parameters of the surgical system and affect surgical functions based on one or more algorithms stored in memory in signal communication with the processor 50308 and / or 50408. Various exemplary aspects disclosed herein can be implemented, for example, by such algorithms.

[0055] In one aspect of the disclosure, a processor and sensor system, such as processors 50308 and 50408 and corresponding sensor systems in communication therewith (FIGS. 5 and 6), are configured to sense airflow through a vacuum source to adjust parameters of the smoke evacuation system and / or external devices and / or systems used in conjunction with the smoke evacuation system, such as electrosurgical systems, energy devices, and / or generators. In one aspect of the disclosure, the sensor system can include multiple sensors positioned along an airflow path of the surgical evacuation system. The sensors can measure a pressure difference in the evacuation system to detect a state or condition of the system between the sensors. For example, the system between two sensors can be a filter and the pressure difference can be used to increase the speed of a pump motor when flow through the filter is reduced to maintain flow rate through the system. As another example, the system can be a fluid trap of the evacuation system and the pressure difference can be used to determine the airflow path through the evacuation system. In yet another example, the system can be an inlet and an outlet (or exhaust) of the evacuation system and the pressure difference can be used to determine a maximum suction load in the evacuation system to maintain the maximum suction load below a threshold.

[0056] In one aspect of the disclosure, the processors and sensor systems, such as processors 50308 and 50408 and corresponding sensor systems in communication therewith (FIGS. 5 and 6), are configured to detect the proportion of aerosols or carbonized particulates, i.e., smoke, in the fluid extracted from the surgical site. For example, the sensing system may include sensors that detect the size and / or composition of particles, which are used to select an airflow path through the exhaust system. In such an example, the exhaust system may include a first filtration path or first filtration state, and a second filtration path or second filtration state, which may have different characteristics. In one example, the first path includes only a particulate filter, and the second path includes both a fluid filter and a particulate filter. In a particular example, the first path includes a particulate filter, and the second path includes a particulate filter and a finer particulate filter arranged in series. Additional and / or alternative filtration paths are also envisioned.

[0057] In one aspect of the disclosure, the processors and sensor systems, such as the processors 50308 and 50408 and corresponding sensor systems in communication therewith (FIGS. 5 and 6), are configured to perform chemical analysis on particles expelled from within the patient's abdominal cavity. For example, the sensing and intelligent controller 50324 may sense particle count and type to adjust the power level of the ultrasonic generator to guide the ultrasonic blade to generate less smoke. In another example, the sensor system may include sensors to detect particle count, temperature, fluid content, and / or percentage of contamination of the expelled fluid and communicate the detected characteristic(s) to the generator to adjust the generator output. For example, the smoke evacuation device 50326 and / or the sensing and intelligent controller 50324 therefor may be configured to adjust the exhaust flow rate and / or pump motor speed to a predetermined particulate level and may operatively affect the generator output power or waveform to reduce smoke generated by the end effector.

[0058] In one aspect of the disclosure, processors and sensor systems, such as processors 50308 and 50408 and their corresponding sensor systems (FIGS. 5 and 6), are configured to assess particle counts and contamination in an operating room by evaluating one or more characteristics in the ambient air and / or exhaust air from the eductor housing. The particle counts and / or air quality may be displayed on the smoke evacuation system, such as on the eductor housing, for example, to communicate the information to a clinician and / or to establish the effectiveness of the smoke evacuation system and its filter(s).

[0059] In one aspect of the disclosure, a processor, such as, for example, processor 50308 or processor 50408 (FIGS. 5 and 6), is configured to compare sample velocity images obtained from the endoscope with the evacuation particle count from the sensing system (e.g., sensing and intelligent control device 50324) to determine correlation and / or adjust the pump revolutions-per-minute (RPM) speed. In one example, activation of the generator may be communicated to the smoke evacuation system, thereby implementing the anticipated required smoke evacuation rate. Activation of the generator may be communicated to the surgical evacuation system, for example, via a surgical hub, a cloud communication system, and / or a direct connection.

[0060] In one aspect of the present disclosure, the sensor system and algorithm of the smoke evacuation system (see, e.g., FIG. 5 and FIG. 6) can be configured to control the smoke evacuation device and adapt its motor parameters to adjust the filtration efficiency of the smoke evacuation device based on the needs of the surgical field at a given time. In one example, an adaptive airflow pump speed algorithm is provided to automatically change the motor pump speed based on sensed particulates entering the smoke evacuation device inlet and / or exiting the smoke evacuation device outlet or exhaust port. For example, the sensing and intelligent control device 50324 (FIG. 5) can include, for example, a user selectable speed and an automatic mode speed. In the automatic mode speed, the airflow through the evacuation system may be scalable based on the lack of smoke entering the evacuation system and / or filtered particles exiting the smoke evacuation system. In a particular example, the automatic mode speed can provide automatic sensing and compensation for laparoscopic mode.

[0061] In one aspect of the disclosure, the evacuation system can include an electrical and communication architecture (see, e.g., FIG. 5 and FIG. 6) that provides data collection and communication capabilities to improve interactivity with the surgical hub and cloud. In one example, the surgical evacuation system and / or its processors, such as, for example, processor 50308 (FIG. 5) and processor 50408 (FIG. 6), can include a segmented control circuit that is energized in a stepped manner to check for system errors, shorts, and / or safety checks. The segmented control circuit can also be configured to have energized portions and portions that are not energized until the energized portions perform a first function. The segmented control circuit can include circuit elements for identifying and displaying status updates to a user of the attached component. The segmented control circuit also includes circuit elements for operating the motor in a first state in which the motor is activated by the user, and a second state in which the motor is not activated by the user but causes the pump to operate quieter and at a slower speed. The segmented control circuit can, for example, allow for the smoke evacuator to be energized in a stepped manner.

[0062] The electrical and communication architecture of the evacuation system (see, e.g., Figures 5 and 6) can also provide interconnectivity of the smoke evacuation system with other components in the surgical hub for interaction and communication of data with the cloud. Communication of surgical evacuation system parameters to the surgical hub and / or cloud can be provided to affect the output or operation of other attached devices. The parameters may be operational or may be sensed. Operational parameters include airflow, pressure differential, and air quality. Sensed parameters include particulate concentration, aerosol fraction, and chemical analysis.

[0063] In one aspect of the disclosure, an evacuation system, such as the surgical evacuation system 50400, can also include a housing, replaceable components, a control, and a display. Circuit elements are provided for communicating security identification (ID) between such replaceable components. For example, communication between the filter and the smoke evacuation electronics can be provided to verify component authenticity, remaining life, update parameters within the components, record errors, and / or limit the number and / or type of components that can be identified by the system. In various examples, the communication circuitry can authenticate features for enabling and / or disabling configuration parameters. The communication circuitry can employ encryption and / or error handling schemes to manage security and unique relationships between components and the smoke evacuation electronics. Disposable / reusable components are included in specific examples.

[0064] In one aspect of the disclosure, an evacuation system can provide fluid management as well as extraction filters and airflow configurations. For example, a surgical evacuation system is provided that includes a fluid capture mechanism having first and second sets of extraction or airflow control mechanisms in series with each other to extract large and small fluid droplets, respectively. In a particular example, the airflow path can include a recirculation or secondary fluid channel that runs from downstream of the exhaust port of the primary fluid management chamber back to the primary reservoir.

[0065] In one aspect of the present disclosure, a smart pad can be coupled to the electrosurgical system. For example, the ground electrode 50335 of the electrosurgical system 50300 (FIG. 5) can include a smart pad with localized sensing integrated into the pad while maintaining capacitive coupling. For example, the capacitively coupled return path pad can have small separable array elements that can be used to sense neural control signals and / or movements of selected anatomical locations to detect the proximity of the monopolar tip to a nerve bundle.

[0066] The electrosurgical system may include a signal generator, an electrosurgical instrument, a return electrode, and a surgical evacuation system. The generator may be an RF wave generator that generates RF electrical energy. Connected to the electrosurgical instrument is a utility conduit. The utility conduit includes a cable that transmits electrical energy from the signal generator to the electrosurgical instrument. The utility conduit also includes a vacuum hose that transports captured / collected smoke and / or fluid away from the surgical site. Such an exemplary electrosurgical system 50601 is shown in FIG. 7. More specifically, the electrosurgical system 50601 includes a generator 50640, an electrosurgical instrument 50630, a return electrode 50646, and an evacuation system 50600. The electrosurgical instrument 50630 includes a handle 50632 and a distal conduit opening 50634 that is fluidly connected to a suction hose 50636 of the evacuation system 50600. The electrosurgical instrument 50630 also includes an electrode powered by a generator 50640. A first electrical connection 50642, e.g., a wire, extends from the electrosurgical instrument 50630 to the generator 50640. A second electrical connection 50644, e.g., a wire, extends from the electrosurgical instrument 50630 to an electrode, i.e., a return electrode 50646. In other examples, the electrosurgical instrument 50630 may be a bipolar electrosurgical instrument. A distal conduit opening 50634 on the electrosurgical instrument 50630 is fluidly connected to a suction hose 50636 that extends to a filter end cap 50603 of a filter installed in the ejector housing 50618 of the evacuation system 50600.

[0067] In other examples, the distal conduit opening 50634 of the evacuation system 50600 may be on a handpiece or tool separate from the electrosurgical instrument 50630. For example, the evacuation system 50600 may include a surgical tool that is not coupled to the generator 50640 and / or does not include a tissue-energized surface. In certain examples, the distal conduit opening 50634 of the evacuation system 50600 may be releasably attached to the electrosurgical tool. For example, the evacuation system 50600 may include a clip-on or snap-on conduit that terminates in a distal conduit opening, which may be releasably attached to the surgical tool (see, e.g., FIG. 3).

[0068] The electrosurgical instrument 50630 is configured to deliver electrical energy to a target tissue of a patient to cut tissue and / or cauterize blood vessels in and / or near the target tissue, as described herein. Specifically, an electrical discharge is provided to the patient by the electrode tip to cause heating of the patient's tissue in close contact with or adjacent to the electrode tip. Heating of the tissue occurs to a suitably high temperature to enable electrosurgery to be performed using the electrosurgical instrument 50630. A return electrode 50646 is either applied to the patient (depending on the type of return electrode) or placed in close proximity to the patient to complete the circuit and provide a return electrical path to the generator 50640 for the energy entering the patient's body.

[0069] Heating of a patient's endoplasmic reticulum with the electrode tip, or cauterization of a blood vessel to prevent bleeding, often results in the emission of smoke where the cauterization is occurring, as described further herein. In such instances, the exhaust system 50600 is configured to capture smoke emitted during a surgical procedure, as the exhaust conduit opening 50634 is near the electrode tip. Vacuum suction can draw the smoke through the electrosurgical instrument 50630, into the conduit opening 50634, and into the suction hose 50636 toward the ejector housing 50618 of the exhaust system 50600.

[0070] 8, there is shown the ejector housing 50618 of the ejection system 50600 (FIG. 7). The ejector housing 50618 includes a socket 50620 that is sized and structured to receive a filter. The ejector housing 50618 can completely or partially enclose the internal components of the ejector housing 50618. The socket 50620 includes a first receptacle 50622 and a second receptacle 50624. A transition surface 50626 extends between the first receptacle 50622 and the second receptacle 50624.

[0071] 9, the socket 50620 is depicted along the cross-sectional plane shown in FIG. 8. The socket 50620 includes a first end 50621 open to receive a filter and a second end 50623 in communication with the flow path 50699 through the ejector housing 50618. A filter 50670 (FIGS. 10 and 11) may be removably disposed with the socket 50620. For example, the filter 50670 may be inserted into and removed from the first end 50621 of the socket 50620. The second receptacle 50624 is configured to receive a connecting nipple of the filter 50670.

[0072] Surgical exhaust systems often use filters to remove unwanted contaminants from the smoke before it is released as exhaust. In certain instances, the filters may be replaceable. The reader will understand that the filter 50670 shown in Figures 10 and 11 may be used in the various exhaust systems disclosed herein. The filter 50670 may be a replaceable and / or disposable filter.

[0073] The filter 50670 includes a front cap 50672, a rear cap 50674, and a filter body 50676 disposed therebetween. The front cap 50672 includes a filter inlet 50678, which in certain instances is configured to receive smoke directly from a suction hose 50636 (FIG. 7) or other smoke source. In some aspects of the disclosure, the front cap 50672 can be replaced by a fluid trap (e.g., fluid trap 50760 shown in FIGS. 14-17) that directs smoke directly from the smoke source and removes at least a portion of the fluid therefrom before passing the partially treated smoke into the filter body 50676 for further processing. For example, the filter inlet 50678 can be configured to receive smoke via an exhaust port of the fluid trap, such as port 50766 of the fluid trap 50760 (FIGS. 14-17), and transmit the partially treated smoke to the filter 50670.

[0074] As smoke enters the filter 50670, it can be filtered by components housed within the filter body 50676. The filtered smoke can then exit the filter 50670 through a filter outlet 50680 defined within a rear cap 50674 of the filter 50670. When the filter 50670 is associated with an evacuation system, suction created within the eductor housing 50618 of the evacuation system 50600 can be communicated to the filter 50670 via the filter outlet 50680 to draw smoke through the internal filtering components of the filter 50670. Filters often include particulate filters and charcoal filters. The particulate filter can be, for example, a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter or an ultra-low penetration air (ULPA) filter. ULPA filtration utilizes a depth filter similar to a labyrinth. Particulates can be filtered using at least one of the following methods: direct interception (particles over 1.0 microns are trapped because they are too large to pass through the fibers of the media filter), inertial impaction (particles between 0.5 and 1.0 microns collide with the fibers and are retained there), and diffusion interception (particles smaller than 0.5 microns are trapped by the effects of Brownian random thermal motion as the particles "search" for the fibers and attach to them).

[0075] The charcoal filter is configured to remove toxic gases and / or odors generated by surgical smoke. In various examples, the charcoal may be "activated," meaning that it has been treated with a heating process to expose active absorption sites. The charcoal may be from, for example, virgin coconut shells that have been activated.

[0076] 11, the filter 50670 includes a coarse media filter layer 50684 followed by a fine particulate filter layer 50686. In other examples, the filter 50670 may consist of a single type of filter. In still other examples, the filter 50670 may include three or more filter layers and / or three or more different types of filter layers. After the particulate matter is removed by the filter layers 50684 and 50686, the smoke is drawn through a carbon reservoir 50688 in the filter 50670 to remove gaseous contaminants in the smoke, such as, for example, volatile organic compounds. In various examples, the carbon reservoir 50688 may include a charcoal filter. The filtered smoke, now substantially free of particulate matter and gaseous contaminants, is drawn through the filter outlet 50680 into the exhaust system 50600 for further processing and / or removal.

[0077] The filter 50670 includes multiple dams between components of the filter body 50676. For example, a first dam 50690 is disposed intermediate the filter inlet 50678 (FIG. 10) and a first particulate filter, such as, for example, the coarse media filter 50684. A second dam 50692 is disposed intermediate the second particulate filter, such as, for example, the fine particulate filter 50686, and the carbon reservoir 50688. Additionally, a third dam 50694 is disposed intermediate the carbon reservoir 50688 and the filter exhaust 50680. The dams 50690, 50692, and 50694 can include gaskets or O-rings that are configured to prevent movement of components within the filter body 50676. In various examples, the size and shape of the dams 50690, 50692, and 50694 can be selected to prevent expansion of the filter components in the direction of the applied suction.

[0078] The coarse media filter 50684 can include, for example, a low air resistance filter material such as fiberglass, polyester, and / or a pleated filter configured to remove a majority of particulate matter larger than 10 μm. In some aspects of the disclosure, this includes filters that remove at least 85% of particulate matter larger than 10 μm, greater than 90% of particulate matter larger than 10 μm, greater than 95% of particulate matter larger than 10 μm, greater than 99% of particulate matter larger than 10 μm, greater than 99.9% of particulate matter larger than 10 μm, or greater than 99.99% of particulate matter larger than 10 μm.

[0079] Additionally or alternatively, the coarse media filter 50684 can include a low air resistance filter that removes a majority of particulate matter larger than 1 μm. In some aspects of the present disclosure, this includes a filter that removes at least 85% of particulate matter larger than 1 μm, greater than 90% of particulate matter larger than 1 μm, greater than 95% of particulate matter larger than 1 μm, greater than 99% of particulate matter larger than 1 μm, greater than 99.9% of particulate matter larger than 1 μm, or greater than 99.99% of particulate matter larger than 1 μm.

[0080] The fine particulate filter 50686 can include any filter with a higher efficiency than the coarse media filter 50684. This includes, for example, a filter that can filter a higher percentage of particles of the same size as the coarse media filter 50684 and / or that can filter particles of a smaller size than the coarse media filter 50684. In some aspects of the disclosure, the fine particulate filter 50686 can include a HEPA filter or a ULPA filter. Additionally or alternatively, the fine particulate filter 50686 can be pleated to increase its surface area. In some aspects of the disclosure, the coarse media filter 50684 includes a pleated HEPA filter and the fine particulate filter 50686 includes a pleated ULPA filter.

[0081] After particulate filtration, the smoke enters a downstream portion of the filter 50670 which includes a carbon reservoir 50688. The carbon reservoir 50688 is defined by porous partitions 50696 and 50698 disposed between an intermediate dam 50692 and an end dam 50694, respectively. In some aspects of the disclosure, the porous partitions 50696 and 50698 are rigid and / or inflexible and define a fixed spatial volume for the carbon reservoir 50688.

[0082] The carbon reservoir 50688 can include additional sorbents that act cumulatively with or independently of the carbon particles to remove gaseous contaminants. Additional sorbents can include sorbents such as, for example, magnesium oxide and / or copper oxide, which can act to adsorb gaseous contaminants such as, for example, carbon monoxide, ethylene oxide, and / or ozone. In some aspects of the disclosure, the additional sorbents are dispersed throughout the reservoir 50688 and / or disposed in separate layers above, below, or within the reservoir 50688.

[0083] Referring again to FIG. 4, the evacuation system 50500 includes a pump 50506 within the evacuation housing 50518. Similarly, the evacuation system 50600 shown in FIG. 7 can include a pump disposed within the evacuation housing 50618 that can generate suction to draw smoke from the surgical site through the suction hose 50636 and through a filter 50670 (FIGS. 10 and 11). During operation, the pump can create a pressure differential within the evacuation housing 50618 that causes the smoke to move into the filter 50670 and out of the exhaust mechanism (e.g., exhaust mechanism 50520 of FIG. 4) at the outlet of the flow path. The filter 50670 is configured to extract harmful, contaminating, or otherwise unwanted particulates from the smoke.

[0084] The pump may be disposed in line with the flow path through the ejector housing 50618, such that gas flowing through the ejector housing 50618 enters the pump at one end and exits the pump at the other end. The pump may provide a sealed positive displacement flow path. In various examples, the pump may create a sealed positive displacement flow path by trapping (sealing) a first volume of gas and reducing the volume to a second, smaller volume as the gas moves through the pump. Reducing the volume of the trapped gas increases the pressure of the gas. The second, pressurized volume of gas may be released from the pump at the pump outlet. For example, the pump may be a compressor. More specifically, the pump may include a hybrid regenerative blower, a claw pump, a lobe compressor, and / or a scroll compressor. A positive displacement compressor may provide improved compression ratios and operating pressures while limiting vibration and noise generated by the ejector system 50600. Additionally or alternatively, the ejector system 50600 may include a fan for moving the fluid.

[0085] An example of a positive displacement compressor, e.g., a scroll compressor pump 50650, is shown in FIG. 12. The scroll compressor pump 50650 includes a stator scroll 50652 and a moving scroll 50654. The stator scroll 50652 can be fixed in position while the moving scroll 50654 orbits eccentrically. For example, the moving scroll 50654 can orbit eccentrically such that it rotates about a central longitudinal axis of the stator scroll 50652. As shown in FIG. 12, the central longitudinal axes of the stator scroll 50652 and the moving scroll 50654 extend perpendicular to the plane of view of the scrolls 50652, 50654. The stator scroll 50652 and the moving scroll 50654 are interleaved with each other to form separate sealed compression chambers 50656.

[0086] During use, gas can enter the scroll compressor pump 50650 at the inlet 50658. As the moving scroll 50654 orbits relative to the stator scroll 50652, the inlet gas is first trapped within the compression chamber 50656. The compression chamber 50656 is configured to move a separate volume of gas along the helical shape of the scrolls 50652 and 50654 toward the center of the scroll compressor pump 50650. The compression chamber 50656 defines an enclosed space in which gas resides. Furthermore, as the moving scroll 50654 moves the trapped gas toward the center of the stator scroll 50652, the compression chamber 50656 decreases in volume. This decrease in volume increases the pressure of the gas within the compression chamber 50656. The gas within the sealed compression chamber 50656 is trapped while the volume is decreasing, thus pressurizing the gas. When the pressurized gas reaches the center of the scroll compressor pump 50650 , the pressurized gas is released through an outlet 50659 .

[0087] 13, a portion of the evacuation system 50700 is shown. The evacuation system 50700 may be similar in many respects to the evacuation system 50600 (FIG. 7). For example, the evacuation system 50700 includes an eductor housing 50618 and a suction hose 50636. Referring again to FIG. 7, the evacuation system 50600 is configured to generate suction, thereby drawing smoke from a distal end of the suction hose 50636 into the eductor housing 50618 for processing. Notably, the suction hose 50636 is not connected to the eductor housing 50618 via the filter end cap 50603 of FIG. 13. Rather, the suction hose 50636 is connected to the eductor housing 50618 via a fluid trap 50760. A filter similar to the filter 50670 may be disposed in a socket in the eductor housing 50618 behind the fluid trap 50760.

[0088] The fluid trap 50760 is a first processing point that extracts and holds at least a portion of the fluid (e.g., liquid) from the smoke before relaying the partially treated smoke to the exhaust system 50700 for further processing and filtering. The exhaust system 50700 is configured to process, filter, and otherwise clean the smoke to reduce or eliminate unpleasant odors or other problems associated with smoke generation in an operating room (or other operating environment), as described herein. In certain examples, by extracting liquid droplets and / or aerosols from the smoke before it is further processed by the exhaust system 50700, the fluid trap 50760 can, among other things, increase the efficiency of the exhaust system 50700 and / or increase the life of a filter associated therewith.

[0089] 14-17, the fluid trap 50760 is shown removed from the ejector housing 50618 (FIG. 13). The fluid trap 50760 includes an inlet port 50762 defined in a front cover or surface 50764 of the fluid trap 50760. The inlet port 50762 can be configured to releasably receive a suction hose 50636 (FIG. 13). For example, an end of the suction hose 50636 can be at least partially inserted into the inlet port 50762 and secured therebetween with an interference fit. In various examples, the interference fit can be a fluid-tight and / or air-tight fit such that substantially all of the smoke passing through the suction hose 50636 is transferred into the fluid trap 50760. In some cases, other mechanisms for connecting or joining the suction hose 50636 to the inlet port 50762 can be used, such as, for example, a latch-based compression fit, an O-ring, threadedly connecting the suction hose 50636 to the inlet port 50762, and / or other connecting mechanisms.

[0090] In various examples, the fluid-tight and / or air-tight fit between the suction hose 50636 and the fluid trap 50760 is configured to prevent leakage of fluids and / or other substances in the exhausted smoke at or near the junction of these components. In some cases, the suction hose 50636 can be associated with the inlet port 50762 via an intermediate coupling device, such as, for example, an O-ring and / or an adapter, to further ensure an air-tight and / or fluid-tight connection between the suction hose 50636 and the fluid trap 50760.

[0091] As mentioned above, the fluid trap 50760 includes an exhaust port 50766. The exhaust port extends away from the back cover or surface 50768 of the fluid trap 50760. The exhaust port 50766 defines an open channel between the interior chamber 50770 of the fluid trap 50760 and the external environment. In some cases, the exhaust port 50766 is sized and shaped to be in close association with a surgical evacuation system or component thereof. For example, the exhaust port 50766 may be sized and shaped to be in association with and to convey at least partially treated smoke from the fluid trap 50760 to a filter housed within the evacuation housing 50618 (FIG. 13). In certain examples, the exhaust port 50766 can extend away from a front plate, top surface, or side surface of the fluid trap 50760.

[0092] In certain examples, the exhaust port 50766 includes a membrane that spaces the exhaust port 50766 from the ejector housing 50618. Such a membrane can act to prevent water or other liquids collected in the fluid trap 50760 from passing through the exhaust port 50766 and into the ejector housing 50618, while allowing air, water, and / or steam to freely enter the ejector housing 50618. For example, a high flow microporous polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) can be positioned downstream of the exhaust port 50766 and upstream of the pump to protect the pump or other components of the evacuation system 50700 from damage and / or contamination.

[0093] The fluid trap 50760 also includes a gripping area 50772 that is positioned and dimensioned to assist a user in handling the fluid trap 50760 and / or connecting the fluid trap 50760 with the suction hose 50636 and / or the ejector housing 50618. The gripping area 50772 is depicted as being an elongated recess. However, the reader will readily understand that the gripping area 50772 may include, for example, at least one recess, groove, protrusion, tassel, and / or ring, which may be sized and shaped to accommodate a user's finger or otherwise provide a gripping surface.

[0094] 16 and 17, the interior chamber 50770 of the fluid trap 50760 is shown. The relative arrangement of the inlet port 50762 and the exhaust port 50766 is configured to facilitate the extraction and retention of fluids from the smoke as it enters the fluid trap 50760. In certain examples, the inlet port 50762 can have a notched cylindrical shape, which can direct the smoke and associated fluids towards the fluid reservoir 50774 of the fluid trap 50760, or otherwise directionally away from the exhaust port 50766. Examples of such fluid flows are shown by arrows A, B, C, D, and E in FIG.

[0095] As shown, smoke enters the fluid trap 50760 through the inlet port 50762 (indicated by arrow A) and exits the fluid trap 50760 through the exhaust port 50766 (indicated by arrow E). Due at least in part to the geometry of the inlet port (e.g., the longer upper sidewall 50761 and the shorter lower sidewall 50763), smoke entering the inlet port 50762 is initially directed primarily downwardly into the fluid reservoir 50774 of the fluid trap 50760 (indicated by arrow B). As the smoke continues to be drawn downwardly into the fluid trap 50760 along arrows A and B, the initially downwardly directed smoke rotates downward and is directed laterally away from its source, traveling toward the top of the fluid trap 50760 and out of the exhaust port 50766 in a substantially opposite but parallel path (indicated by arrows D and E).

[0096] The directional flow of smoke through the fluid trap 50760 can ensure that liquid in the smoke is extracted and retained within a lower portion of the fluid trap 50760 (e.g., the fluid reservoir 50774). Furthermore, the relative location of the exhaust port 50766 vertically above the inlet port 50762 when the fluid trap 50760 is in an upright position is configured to substantially unimpede the flow of fluid into and out of the fluid trap 50760 while simultaneously inhibiting the inadvertent transport of liquid through the exhaust port 50766 by the flow of smoke. Additionally, in certain examples, the configuration of the inlet port 50762 and the outlet port 50766, and / or the size and shape of the fluid trap 50760 itself can enable the fluid trap 50760 to be hermetic.

[0097] In various examples, the exhaust system can include a number of sensors and an intelligent control, for example, as further described herein with respect to FIGs. 5 and 6. In one aspect of the present disclosure, the exhaust system can include one or more temperature sensors, one or more fluid detection sensors, one or more pressure sensors, one or more particle sensors, and / or one or more chemical sensors. The temperature sensor can be positioned to detect the temperature of a fluid at the surgical site traveling through the surgical exhaust system and / or being exhausted from the surgical exhaust system into the operating room. The pressure sensor can be positioned to detect a pressure within the exhaust system, such as in an ejector housing. For example, the pressure sensor can be positioned upstream of the filter, between the filter and the pump, and / or downstream of the pump. In certain examples, the pressure sensor can be positioned to detect a pressure in the ambient environment outside the exhaust system. Similarly, the particle sensor can be positioned to detect particles within the exhaust system, such as in an ejector housing. The particle sensor can be, for example, upstream of the filter, between the filter and the pump, and / or downstream of the pump. In various examples, the particle sensor can be positioned to detect particles in the ambient environment, for example, to determine the air quality within the operating room.

[0098] The ejector housing 50818 of the ejection system 50800 is shown diagrammatically in FIG. 18. The ejector housing 50818 may be similar in many respects to the ejector housings 50018 and / or 50618, for example, and / or may be incorporated into various ejection systems disclosed herein. The ejector housing 50818 includes a number of sensors, which are described further herein. The reader will understand that a particular ejector housing may not include each sensor shown in FIG. 18 and / or may include additional sensor(s). Similar to the ejector housings 50018 and 50618 disclosed herein, the ejector housing 50818 of FIG. 18 includes an inlet 50822 and an outlet 50824. The fluid trap 50860, the filter 50870, and the pump 50806 are aligned in series along a flow path 50804 through the ejector housing 50818 between the inlet 50822 and the outlet 50824.

[0099] The ejector housing can include modular and / or replaceable components, as described further herein. For example, the ejector housing can include a socket or receptacle 50871 dimensioned to receive a modular fluid trap and / or a replaceable filter. In certain examples, as shown in FIG. 18, the fluid trap and filter can be incorporated into a single replaceable module 50859. More specifically, the fluid trap 50860 and the filter 50870 form a replaceable module 50859, which can be modular and / or replaceable, and can be removably installed in the receptacle 50871 in the ejector housing 50818. In other examples, the fluid trap 50860 and the filter 50870 can be separate and distinct modular components that can be assembled together and / or installed separately in the ejector housing 50818.

[0100] With further reference to the ejector housing 50818, the ejector housing 50818 includes a number of sensors for detecting various parameters therein and / or parameters of the surrounding environment. Additionally or alternatively, one or more modular components installed within the ejector housing 50818 may include one or more sensors. For example, with further reference to FIG. 18, the replaceable module 50859 includes a number of sensors for detecting various parameters therein.

[0101] In various examples, the ejector housing 50818 and / or a modular component(s) compatible with the ejector housing 50818 can include a processor, such as processors 50308 and 50408 (FIGS. 5 and 6, respectively), configured to receive inputs from one or more sensors and / or communicate outputs to one or more systems and / or drivers. Various processors for use with the ejector housing 50818 are further described herein.

[0102] During operation, smoke from the surgical site can be drawn from the inlet 50822 through the fluid trap 50860 into the ejector housing 50818. The flow path 50804 through the ejector housing 50818 of FIG. 18 can include sealed conduits or tubes 50805 extending between various in-line components. In various examples, the smoke can flow through a fluid detection sensor 50830 and a chemical sensor 50832 to a diverter valve 50834, further described herein. A fluid detection sensor, such as the sensor 50830, can detect fluid particles in the smoke. In one example, the fluid detection sensor 50830 can be a continuity sensor. For example, the fluid detection sensor 50830 can include two spaced apart electrodes and a sensor for detecting the degree of continuity between them. For example, when no fluid is present, the continuity can be zero or substantially zero. The chemical sensor 50832 can detect a chemical characteristic of the smoke.

[0103] At the diverter valve 50834, the fluid can be directed into a condenser 50835 of the fluid trap 50860, and the smoke can continue towards the filter 50870. A baffle 50864 is positioned within the condenser 50835 to promote condensation of fluid droplets from the smoke into a reservoir within the fluid trap 50860. The fluid detection sensor 50836 can ensure that any fluid within the ejector housing is completely, or at least substantially, captured within the fluid trap 50860.

[0104] 18, the smoke may then be directed to flow into a filter 50870 of the replaceable module 50859. At the inlet to the filter 50870, the smoke may flow past a particle sensor 50838 and a pressure sensor 50840. In one form, the particle sensor 50838 may include a laser particle counter, as further described herein. The smoke may be filtered through a pleated ultra-low penetration air (ULPA) filter 50842 and a charcoal filter 50844, as shown in FIG.

[0105] Upon exiting the filter, the filtered smoke can flow past a pressure sensor 50846 and then continue along a flow path 50804 in the ejector housing 50818 toward the pump 50806. Moving through the pump 50806, the filtered smoke can flow past an outlet particle sensor 50848 and a pressure sensor 50850 to the ejector housing 50818. In one form, the particle sensor 50848 can include a laser particle counter, as described further herein. The ejector housing 50818 of FIG. 18 also includes an air quality particle sensor 50852 and an ambient pressure sensor 50854 to detect various characteristics of the surrounding environment, such as the environment in the operating room. In at least one form, the air quality particle sensor or the external / ambient air particle sensor 50852 can include a laser particle counter. The various sensors shown in FIG. 18 are described further herein. Additionally, in various examples, alternative sensing means can be utilized in the smoke evacuation systems disclosed herein. For example, alternative sensors for counting particles and / or determining particulate concentration in a fluid are further disclosed herein.

[0106] In various examples, the fluid trap 50860 shown in FIG. 18 can be configured to prevent trapped fluid from spilling and / or leaking. For example, the geometry of the fluid trap 50860 may be selected to prevent trapped fluid from spilling and / or leaking. In certain examples, the fluid trap 50860 can include a splatter screen, such as a baffle and / or screen 50862, to prevent trapped fluid from splashing out of the fluid trap 50860. In one or more examples, the fluid trap 50860 can include a sensor to detect the volume of fluid in the fluid trap and / or determine if the fluid trap 50860 is filled to capacity. The fluid trap 50860 can include a valve to empty the fluid therefrom. The reader will readily appreciate that a variety of alternative fluid trap configurations and geometries can be used to capture fluid drawn into the ejector housing 50818.

[0107] In certain examples, the filter 50870 can include additional and / or lesser levels of filtration. For example, the filter 50870 can include one or more filtration layers selected from the group of a coarse media filter, a fine media filter, and a sorbent-based filter. The coarse media filter can be a low air resistance filter that can be constructed of, for example, fiberglass, polyester, and / or pleated filters. The fine media filter can be a high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter and / or a ULPA filter. The sorbent-based filter can be, for example, an activated carbon filter. The reader will readily appreciate that a variety of alternative filter configurations and geometries can be used to filter smoke drawn along the flow path through the ejector housing 50818.

[0108] 18 may be replaced and / or used in combination with another compressor and / or pump, such as, for example, a hybrid regenerative blower, a claw pump, and / or a lobe compressor. The reader will readily appreciate that a variety of alternative pump configurations and geometries may be used to create suction in the flow passage 50804 to draw smoke into the eductor housing 50818.

[0109] Various sensors in the evacuation system, such as the sensors shown in FIG. 18, can be in communication with a processor. The processor can be incorporated into the evacuation system and / or can be a component of another surgical instrument and / or surgical hub. Various processors are further described herein. The on-board processor can be configured to adjust one or more operating parameters of the ejector system (e.g., a motor for the pump 50806) based on input from the sensor(s). Additionally or alternatively, the on-board processor can be configured to adjust one or more operating parameters of another device, such as an electrosurgical tool and / or an imaging device, based on input from the sensor(s).

[0110] 19, an alternative ejector housing 50918 of the ejection system 50900 is shown. The ejector housing 50918 of FIG. 19 may be similar in many respects to the ejector housing 50818 of FIG. 18. For example, the ejector housing 50918 defines a flow path 50904 between an inlet 50922 to the ejector housing 50918 and an outlet 50924 of the ejector housing 50918. Intermediate the inlet 50922 and the outlet 50924 are disposed in series a fluid trap 50960, a filter 50970, and a pump 50906. The ejector housing 50918 may include a socket or receptacle 50971 sized to receive a modular fluid trap and / or a replaceable filter, similar to the receptacle 50871, for example. At the diverter valve 50934, the fluid can be directed into a condenser 50935 of the fluid trap 50960 and the smoke can continue towards the filter 50970. In certain examples, the fluid trap 50960 can include a baffle, such as baffle 50964, and / or a splatter screen, such as screen 50962, to prevent trapped fluid from splashing out of the fluid trap 50960. The filter 50970 includes a pleated ultra-low permeability air (ULPA) filter 50942 and a charcoal filter 50944. Sealed conduits or tubes 50905 extend between the various in-line components. The ejector housing 50918 also includes sensors 50830, 50832, 50836, 50838, 50840, 50846, 50848, 50850, 50852, and 50854, as further described herein and shown in Figures 18 and 19.

[0111] 19, the ejector housing 50918 also includes a centrifugal blower arrangement 50980 and a recirculation valve 50990. The recirculation valve 50990 can be selectively opened and closed to recirculate fluid through the fluid trap 50960. For example, if the fluid detection sensor 50836 detects fluid, the recirculation valve 50990 can be opened such that the fluid is directed away from the filter 50970 and back into the fluid trap 50960. If the fluid detection sensor 50836 does not detect fluid, the valve 50990 can be closed such that the smoke is directed into the filter 50970. As the fluid is recirculated through the recirculation valve 50990, the fluid may be drawn through a recirculation conduit 50982. The centrifugal blower arrangement 50980 engages the recirculation conduit 50982 to generate a recirculation suction force within the recirculation conduit 50982. More specifically, when the recirculation valve 50990 is opened and the pump 50906 is activated, the suction force generated by the pump 50906 downstream of the filter 50970 can cause rotation of a first centrifugal blower or cage 50984, which can be transmitted to a second centrifugal blower or cage 50986, which draws fluid that is recirculated through the recirculation valve 50990 and into the fluid trap 50960.

[0112] In various aspects of the disclosure, the control schematics of FIGS. 5 and 6 can be utilized with the various sensor systems and ejector housings of FIGS.

[0113] Smoke exhausted from a surgical site may include liquids, aerosols, and / or gases, and / or may include substances of different chemical and / or physical properties, such as, for example, particulate matter and particles of different sizes and / or densities. Different types of substances exhausted from a surgical site may affect the efficiency of a surgical evacuation system and its pump. Additionally, certain types of substances may require the pump to draw excessive power and / or may threaten to damage the motor for the pump.

[0114] The power supplied to the pump can be modulated to control the smoke flow rate through the evacuation system based on input from one or more sensors along the flow path. The output from the sensors can indicate, for example, the condition or quality of the smoke evacuation system and / or one or more characteristics of the evacuated smoke, such as the type(s) and ratio of material, chemical properties, density, and / or size of particulates. In one aspect of the disclosure, a pressure difference between two pressure sensors in the evacuation system can indicate the condition of the area between them, such as, for example, the condition of a filter, a fluid trap, and / or the overall system. Based on the sensor input, the operating parameters of the pump's motor can be adjusted by changing the current and / or duty cycle supplied to the motor, which is configured to change the motor speed.

[0115] In one aspect of the present disclosure, by adjusting the flow rate of smoke through the exhaust system, the efficiency of the filters can be improved and / or the motor can be protected from burning out.

[0116] The surgical exhaust system may include one or more particle counters or sensors for detecting the size and / or concentration of particulates in the smoke. Referring again to Figures 18 and 19, particle sensors 50838 and 50848 are shown. The reader will readily appreciate that a variety of particle measurement means are possible. For example, the particle sensor may be an optical sensor, a laser sensor, a photoelectric sensor, an ionization sensor, an electrostatic sensor, and / or combinations thereof. Various particle sensors are further described herein.

[0117] In various examples, the speed of the motor, and therefore the speed of the pump, may be adjusted based on particulate concentration detected by one or more particle sensors in the surgical evacuation system. For example, when the particle sensor(s) detect an increase in particle concentration in the flow path, which may correspond to an increase in the amount of smoke in the flow path, the speed of the motor may be increased to increase the speed of the pump to draw more fluid from the surgical site into the smoke evacuation system. Similarly, when the particle sensor(s) detect a decrease in particle concentration in the flow path, which may correspond to a decrease in the amount of smoke in the flow path, the speed of the motor may be decreased to decrease the speed of the pump to reduce suction from the surgical site. Additional and alternative adjustment algorithms for the surgical evacuation system are further described herein. Furthermore, in certain examples, based on sensor data from the smoke evacuation system, a generator in the surgical system may be controlled to adjust the amount of smoke generated at the surgical site, as further described herein.

[0118] In addition to the particle sensor located along the flow path of the surgical exhaust system, the system can include one or more sensors for detecting particulate concentrations in the surrounding room, for example, an operating room or procedure room. Referring again to Figures 18 and 19, the air quality particle sensor 50852 is located on an exterior surface of the exhaust housing 50818. Alternative locations for the air quality particle sensor 50852 are also envisioned.

[0119] In at least one example, the particle sensor can be located downstream of the filter, and in certain examples, can be located at or near the outlet of the filter. For example, the particle sensor 50848 is located downstream of the filter 50870 and the pump 50806 in the smoke evacuation system 50800, and downstream of the filter 50970 and the pump 50906 in the smoke evacuation system 50900. Because the particle sensor 50848 is located downstream of the filter(s) 50870, 50970, the particle sensor is configured to verify that the filter(s) 50870, 50970 have removed sufficient particulates from the smoke. In various examples, such a sensor may be adjacent to the exhaust outlets 50824, 50924 of the ejector housings 50818, 50918, respectively. In one aspect of the disclosure, an electrostatic particle sensor can be utilized. For example, the exhaust outlets 50824, 50924 can include an electrostatic particulate sensor through which the exhaust passes downstream of a filtration system before being exhausted into the operating room.

[0120] The particulate concentration detected by one or more sensors of the surgical evacuation system may be communicated to the clinician in many different ways. For example, the ejector housing 50818, 50918 and / or the evacuation device (e.g., the electrosurgical instrument 50032 of FIG. 2) may include an indicator, such as one or more lights and / or a display screen. For example, an LED on the ejector housing 50818, 50819 may change color (e.g., from blue to red) depending on the volume of particles detected by the sensor(s). In other examples, the indicator may include an alarm or warning, which may be, for example, tactile, audible, and / or visual. In such examples, a clinician(s) in the operating room may be notified by the indicator(s) when the particulate concentration in the ambient air detected by the air quality sensor (e.g., the particle sensor 50852) exceeds a threshold amount.

[0121] In certain examples, the surgical evacuation system may include an optical sensor. The optical sensor may include an electronic sensor that coversts light or changes in light into an electronic signal. The optical sensor may utilize light scattering to detect and count particles in the smoke to determine the concentration of particles in the smoke. In various examples, the light is laser-based. For example, in one example, a laser light source is configured to illuminate particles as they move through a detection chamber. When particles pass through the beam of the laser, the light source is obscured, redirected, and / or absorbed. The scattered light is recorded by a photodetector, and the recorded light is analyzed. For example, the recorded light can be converted into an electrical signal indicative of the size and amount of particles, which corresponds to the particulate concentration in the smoke. The particulate concentration in the smoke can be calculated in real time, for example, by a laser optical sensor. In one aspect of the present disclosure, at least one of the particle sensors 50838, 50848, 50852 is a laser optical sensor.

[0122] Photoelectric sensors for detecting particles in smoke may be through-beam sensors, reflective sensors, or diffuse sensors. A reflective photoelectric sensor 51000 is shown in FIG. 20. Referring to FIG. 20, the reflective photoelectric sensor 51000 is a light scattering sensor in which a light beam 51002 emitted from a light source 51006 through a lens 51012 is offset from a light detector or photocell 51004. For example, the light detector 51004 in FIG. 20 is offset 90 degrees from the light source 51006. When smoke S obscures the light beam 51002 between the light source 51006 and the light catcher 51008, the light is reflected and the reflected light 51010 is scattered towards the lens 51014 and onto the light detector 51004. The light detector 51004 converts the light into an electrical signal (current) corresponding to the concentration of particulates in the smoke S. The output signal can be provided to a processor 51016, which may be similar in many respects to the processors 50308 and / or 50408 shown in Figures 5 and 6, respectively, which can affect operating parameters of a motor based on the electrical signal and the corresponding particulate concentration. For example, the output signal from the reflective photoelectric sensor 51000 can be an input to a control algorithm for the motor and / or to a surgical hub.

[0123] A pass-through photoelectric sensor 51100 is shown in FIG. 21. As shown in FIG. 21, a line of sight extends between the light source 51102 and the photodetector 51104. In such an example, the intensity of light reaching the photodetector 51104 can be converted into an electrical signal (current) corresponding to the particulate concentration in the smoke S. The output signal can be provided to a processor 51106 coupled to a 24V DC power supply, which may be similar in many respects to the processors 50308 and / or 50408 shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. The processor 51106 can affect the operating parameters of the motor based on the electrical signal and the corresponding particulate concentration. For example, the output signal from the photoelectric sensor 51100 can be an input to a control algorithm for the motor and / or an input to a surgical hub.

[0124] In a photoelectric sensor of a surgical drainage system, such as the sensor 51000 of FIG. 20 and / or the sensor 51100 of FIG. 21, wavelengths of light can be selected to tune the sensor 51000 for a particular type of smoke while ignoring other types of smoke. In certain instances, multiple sensors and / or multiple wavelengths can be used to tune the sensor 51000 to the correct combination or combinations. Water vapor, even dense water vapor, absorbs certain wavelengths of light. For example, water vapor absorbs infrared light instead of reflecting it. Due to these absorption properties of water vapor, infrared light can be useful in the presence of water vapor to accurately count particles in the fluid in the surgical drainage system.

[0125] In a particular example, an ionization sensor can be used to detect particles in smoke. An ionization sensor includes two electrodes and a radioactive material that converts air molecules into positive and negative ions. The positive ions migrate toward the negative electrode and the negative ions migrate toward the positive electrode. As smoke passes between the electrodes, it binds with the ions, thereby interrupting the circuit. The drop in current through the circuit can be converted into an electrical signal (current) that corresponds to the volume of smoke passing between the electrodes.

[0126] An ionization sensor 51200 is shown in FIG. 22. The ionization sensor 51200 utilizes americium-241 to ionize air in an enclosed area. The sensor 51200 includes a small ionization chamber 51202 having two spaced apart electrodes 51204. The ionization chamber 51202 can be made of, for example, polyvinyl chloride or polystyrene, and the electrodes 51204 can be, for example, spaced apart about 1 cm in the ionization chamber 51202. An americium-241 source 51208 can provide americium-241 to the ionization chamber 51202. About 0.3 μg of americium-241 can be embedded, for example, in a gold foil matrix sandwiched between a silver backing and a 2 micron thick layer of palladium laminate. Americium-241 has a half-life of 432 years and can decay by emitting alpha radiation 51206. The gold foil matrix is ​​configured to retain the radioactive material while still allowing alpha radiation 51206 to pass through. In various examples, alpha radiation is preferred over beta and gamma radiation because it easily ionizes air particles, has low penetrating power, and can be easily contained.

[0127] During ionization, electrons are knocked off of oxygen and nitrogen molecules, thus creating charged ions. The charged ions are attracted to the oppositely charged electrode, thus forming a current in the chamber. Because the smoke particulates 51210 are larger than air molecules, the ionized particles collide with and combine with the smoke particulates. The combined particles act as recombination centers and neutralize the ions, thereby reducing the amount of ionized particles in the ionization chamber 51202 and reducing the overall current. The reduction in current can be converted into an electrical signal corresponding to the volume of smoke passing between the electrodes 51204. The output signal can be provided to a processor, such as the processor 50308 and / or the processor 50408 shown in Figures 5 and 6, respectively, which can affect, for example, the operating parameters of the motor. For example, the output signal from the ionization sensor 51200 can be an input to a control algorithm for the motor and / or an input to the surgical hub, as further described herein.

[0128] In various examples, dual ionization chambers can be used. The first chamber, acting as a sensing chamber, can be open to the atmosphere and affected by particulate matter, humidity, and atmospheric pressure. The second chamber can be isolated from smoke and particulate matter. The second chamber is located outside the smoke flow path but is still affected by humidity and atmospheric pressure. By using two chambers, changes in humidity and atmospheric pressure can be minimized because the output from both chambers are equally affected and cancel each other out. For example, dual ionization chambers can be useful in smoke evacuation systems to compensate for pressure and humidity fluctuations, since humidity and pressure can change significantly during a surgical procedure depending on the type of surgical procedure, the surgical device(s) used, and the type of tissue encountered.

[0129] In certain examples, a combinatorial approach can be utilized to determine particulate concentration in the smoke. For example, multiple different types of smoke detectors or sensors can be utilized. Such sensors can be arranged in series with the flow path. For example, multiple particle sensors can be arranged along the flow path 50804 of FIG. 18 and / or the flow path 50904 of FIG. 19. The various sensors can provide inputs to pump motor control algorithms, such as the various regulation algorithms described herein.

[0130] In certain examples, the surgical exhaust system can be configured to adjust the sensor parameters to more accurately detect particulates in the smoke. The adjustment of the sensor parameters can depend on the type of surgical device, the type of surgical procedure, and / or the type of tissue. Surgical devices often generate a predictable type of smoke. For example, in certain procedures, the predictable type of smoke can be smoke with a high water vapor content. In such examples, an infrared photoelectric sensor can be used because infrared light is substantially absorbed and not reflected by water vapor. Additionally or alternatively, the predictable type of smoke can be smoke with particles of a particular size or concentration. Based on the expected size of the particles, the sensor can be adjusted to more accurately determine the particulate concentration in the smoke.

[0131] In certain examples, situational awareness can facilitate adjustment of sensor parameters. Information related to situational awareness can be provided to the surgical evacuation system by a clinician, an intelligent electrosurgical instrument in signal communication with the surgical evacuation system, a robotic system, a hub, and / or a cloud. For example, the hub can include a situational awareness module that can aggregate data from various sensor and / or input systems, including, for example, a smoke evacuation system. Sensors and / or inputs throughout the computer-implemented interactive surgical system can be used to determine and / or confirm, for example, the surgical device utilized in the surgical procedure, the type and / or step of the surgical procedure, and / or the type of tissue. In certain examples, situational awareness can predict the type of smoke that will be generated at a particular time. For example, the situational awareness module can determine the type of surgical procedure and steps therein to determine what type of smoke is likely to be generated. Sensors can be adjusted based on the type of smoke expected.

[0132] In certain examples, one or more of the particle sensors disclosed herein may be a fluid detection sensor. For example, the particle sensor may be arranged and configured to determine whether aerosols and / or liquid droplets are present in the emitted smoke. In one aspect of the present disclosure, the size and / or concentration of the detected particles may correspond to aerosols, liquid droplets, solid matter, and / or combinations thereof. In certain examples, the situational awareness may determine and / or confirm whether the detected particles are aerosols or solid matter. For example, a situational awareness module in signal communication with a processor (e.g., processor 50308 of FIG. 5 and / or processor 50408 of FIG. 6) may signal the identification of particles in the fluid.

[0133] 23, a graphical representation of particle count 51300 and motor speed 51302 over time for a surgical drainage system, such as, for example, the surgical drainage system 50400 (FIG. 6) is shown. The target motor speed 51304 may be predefined and stored in a memory of a processor (see, for example, FIGS. 5 and 6) in signal communication with the motor. In various examples, the processor may be configured to maintain the target motor speed 51304 under normal operating conditions. For example, the target motor speed 51304 may be stored in memory 50410 (FIG. 6) and the processor 50408 (FIG. 6) may be configured to maintain the target motor speed 51304 under normal operating conditions. In such examples, when the surgical drainage system 50400 (FIG. 6) is activated, the motor 50451 may operate at the target motor speed 51304 and may continue to operate at the target motor speed 51304 unless one or more conditions are detected and / or communicated to the processor 50408.

[0134] In a particular example, the processor 50408 can be in signal communication with a particle sensor configured to detect particulate concentration in the inhaled smoke in real time. Various examples of particulate concentration sensors, such as laser particle counter sensors, are described herein. In one aspect of the disclosure, a particle sensor 50838 (FIGS. 18 and 19) located at the inlet to the filter 50870 in FIG. 18 and the inlet to the filter 50970 in FIG. 19 can be in signal communication with the processor 50408 (FIG. 6). For example, the laser particle sensor 50838 can correspond to one of the sensors 50430 in FIG. 6.

[0135] In various examples, when the particle sensor 50838 (FIGS. 18 and 19) detects that the particulate concentration (e.g., parts per million of particulate matter in the fluid) falls below a threshold amount 51306, the processor 50408 can instruct the motor driver 50428 to reduce the speed of the motor 50451. For example, at time t 1 , the particle count or particulate concentration 51300 has fallen below a threshold amount 51306. Because the particle count 51300 has fallen below the threshold amount 51306, the motor speed 51302 may be reduced until it falls below the target motor speed 51304. Then, when the particle count 51300 falls below a time t 2 If the particle sensor 50838 (FIGS. 18 and 19) detects that the threshold amount 51306 is again exceeded, such as at time t, the processor 50408 can instruct the motor driver 50428 to increase the speed of the motor 50451 to resume the target motor speed 51304. The particulate concentration can correspond to the size of the particles in the smoke. For example, the smoke may 1 and time t 2The fine media filter may contain smaller particles between the motor 50451 and the filter 50450. By reducing the speed of the motor 50451, the suction created by the pump 50450 may be reduced, which may ensure that smaller particles are not drawn through the filters of the surgical drainage system 50400. For example, reducing the motor speed or reducing the pump pressure may ensure that the filtration system has adequate time and ability to capture particulates and ensure that the fine media filter is able to capture the smaller particles. In other words, a slower speed may improve the filtration efficiency of the surgical drainage system 50400.

[0136] In certain examples, the speed of the motor 50451 driving the pump 50450 can be adjusted based on a particle sensor located downstream of the filter. For example, referring back to Figures 18 and 19, the particle sensor 50848 is located downstream of the filter 50870 in Figure 18 and downstream of the filter 50970 in Figure 19. Because the particle sensor 50848 is located downstream of the filter assembly, the particle sensor 50848 is configured to detect particulates in the exhaust air from, for example, the surgical exhaust system 50800 or the exhaust system 50900. In other words, such a particle sensor 50848 is configured to detect particulates passing through the ejector housing 50818, 50918 and being exhausted into the ambient air. The particle sensor 50848 is located adjacent to the outlets 50824, 50924 of the ejector housings 50818, 50918, respectively. In one example, when the particulate concentration in the exhaust air (e.g., the particulate concentration detected by the particle sensor 50848) exceeds a predefined threshold amount, the processor 50308 (FIG. 5) and / or the processor 50408 (FIG. 6) can implement adjustments to the pump. For example, referring again to FIG. 6, the speed of the motor 50451 can be adjusted to improve the filtration efficiency of the surgical drainage system 50400.

[0137] The motor speed can be adjusted by limiting the current supplied to the motor and / or by varying the duty cycle of the motor. For example, a pulse modulation circuit can adjust the pulse length and / or frequency using pulse width modulation and / or pulse frequency modulation.

[0138] Additionally or alternatively, if the number of particles in the exhaust air exceeds a predefined threshold amount that may be dangerous or harmful to the operator(s) and clinician(s) in the operating room, the exhausted fluid may be diverted through one or more filters in the surgical exhaust system. For example, if the particle sensor 50838 detects a number of particles in the exhaust air that exceeds a threshold amount, the processor 50308 (FIG. 5) and / or the processor 50408 (FIG. 6) may open a valve downstream of the filter, thereby recirculating the exhaust air and injecting the recirculated exhaust air into the flow path upstream of the filter. In certain examples, the valve may, for example, inject the recirculated exhaust air into an alternative flow path that includes one or more additional and / or different filters.

[0139] In certain examples, the surgical evacuation system may include an override option whereby the evacuation system continues to operate and / or continues to operate at a default power level despite exceeding a set threshold. For example, in override mode, the surgical evacuation system may continue to operate and evacuate particles even if a particle sensor downstream of the filter detects a particulate concentration above a threshold amount. An operator in the operating room may activate the override function or mode, for example, by activating a switch, toggle, button, or other actuator on the evacuation housing and / or by an input to the surgical hub.

[0140] 27, a flow chart illustrating an adjustment algorithm 52300 for a surgical evacuation system is shown. Various surgical evacuation systems disclosed herein may utilize the adjustment algorithm 52300 of FIG. 27. Additionally, the reader will readily appreciate that in certain instances, the adjustment algorithm 52300 may be combined with one or more additional adjustment algorithms described herein. Adjustments to the surgical evacuation system may be implemented by a processor in signal communication with a motor of an evacuation pump (see, e.g., the processor and pump of FIGS. 5 and 6). For example, a processor 50408 may implement the adjustment algorithm 52300. Such a processor may also be in signal communication with one or more sensors within the surgical evacuation system.

[0141] In various examples, the surgical drainage system may initially operate in a standby mode 52302 as shown in FIGURE 27, in which the motor operates at low power as shown in block 52310 to sample fluid from the surgical site. For example, in the standby mode 52302, a small sample of fluid may be drained from the surgical site by the surgical drainage system. The standby mode 52302 may be a default mode for the drainage system.

[0142] If a particle sensor (e.g., particle sensor 50838) upstream of the filter detects a particle count or particulate concentration greater than a threshold X as shown in block 52312, the surgical evacuation system can enter an auto-evac mode 52304. In the auto-evac mode 52304, the motor speed can be increased in block 52314 to draw additional smoke from the surgical site. For example, the particle count or particulate concentration can increase above a threshold amount X when an electrosurgical procedure is initiated or when a particular electrosurgical power level is activated. In certain examples, the speed of the motor can be adjusted during the auto-evac mode 52304 based on the detected particulate concentration. For example, as the particulate concentration detected by the particle sensor 50838 increases, the motor speed can be increased accordingly. In certain examples, the predefined motor speed can correspond to a predefined range of particulate concentration detected by the particle sensor 50838.

[0143] 27, if a particle sensor downstream of the filter (e.g., particle sensor 50848) detects a particle count or particulate concentration below a threshold amount Y at block 52316, the motor may resume a low power mode at block 52310 and / or may be further adjusted as provided herein at block 52314. Additionally, if the downstream particle sensor 50848 detects a particle count or particulate concentration greater than threshold amount Y and less than threshold amount Z at block 52318, the motor speed may be reduced at block 52320 to improve the efficiency of the filter. For example, a particulate concentration detected by the particle sensor 50848 between thresholds Y and Z may correspond to small particles passing through a filter in a smoke exhaust system.

[0144] 27, if the particle sensor 50848 downstream of the filter detects a particle count greater than a threshold amount Z at block 52318, the motor can be turned off at block 52322, terminating the drainage procedure, and the surgical drainage system can enter an override mode 52306. For example, the threshold Z can correspond to an air quality risk to clinicians and / or other personnel in the operating room. In certain examples, the operator can selectively override the shutdown function, as provided further herein, such that the motor continues to operate at block 52310. For example, the surgical drainage system can return to a standby mode 52302, where a sample of fluid is drained from the surgical site and monitored by the surgical drainage system.

[0145] In certain examples, the power level of the pump may be a function of a pressure differential across at least a portion of the surgical evacuation system. For example, the surgical evacuation system may include at least two pressure sensors. Referring again to FIGS. 18 and 19, the ambient pressure sensor 50854 is configured to detect pressure within the ambient chamber. The pressure sensor 50840 is configured to detect pressure in a flow path 50804 intermediate the fluid trap 50860 and the filter or filtration system 50870 of FIG. 18, and to detect pressure in a flow path 50904 intermediate the fluid trap 50960 and the filter system 50970 of FIG. 19. Additionally, the pressure sensor 50846 is configured to detect pressure in a flow path 50804 intermediate the filtration system 50870 and the pump 50806 of FIG. 18, and intermediate the filtration system 50970 and the pump 50906 of FIG. Finally, pressure sensor 50850 is configured to detect pressure within flow paths 50804 and 50904 at exhaust ports or outlets 50824 and 50924, respectively. The reader will readily appreciate that a particular smoke evacuator system may include fewer or more pressure sensors than the four pressure sensors 50840, 50846, 50850, and 50854 shown in FIGS. 18 and 19. Additionally, pressure sensors may be located in alternative locations throughout the surgical evacuation system. For example, one or more pressure sensors may be located within the smoke evacuator apparatus, for example, along an exhaust conduit extending between the evacuation device and the housing, and within the housing, such as upstream of a fluid trap and / or in a different layer in the middle of a filtration system.

[0146] 28, a flow chart illustrating an adjustment algorithm 52400 for a surgical evacuation system is shown. In various examples, the surgical evacuation systems disclosed herein may utilize the adjustment algorithm of FIG. 28. Furthermore, the reader will readily appreciate that in certain examples, the adjustment algorithm 52400 of FIG. 28 may be combined with one or more additional adjustment algorithms described herein. Adjustments to the surgical evacuation system may be implemented by a processor in signal communication with a motor of an evacuation pump (see, e.g., the processor and pump of FIGS. 5 and 6). For example, the processor 50408 may implement the adjustment algorithm 52400. The processor may also be in signal communication with one or more pressure sensors within the surgical evacuation system.

[0147] In various examples, the processor 50408 is configured to obtain a pressure measurement P1 from a first pressure sensor at block 52402 and a second pressure measurement P2 from a second pressure sensor at block 52404. The first and second pressure sensors may be provided by, for example, the sensor 50430 of FIG. 6. The processor 50408 is configured to compare the measurements P1 and P2 at block 52406 to determine a pressure difference between the first and second pressure sensors. In one example, if the pressure difference is less than or equal to a threshold amount X, such as at block 52408, the speed of the pump can be maintained. Conversely, if the pressure difference is greater than the threshold amount X, such as at block 52410, the speed of the pump can be adjusted. The adjustments to the operating parameters of the motor are configured to adjust the speed of the pump. The adjustment algorithm 52400 can be repeated continuously and / or at regular intervals. In certain examples, a clinician can trigger the implementation of the adjustment algorithm 52400.

[0148] The flow rate of smoke through an exhaust system may be a function of the pressure differential. In one example, if the pressure differential across the exhaust system increases significantly, the flow rate through the system may also increase. The actual flow rate may be predicted based on the pressure differential and the motor speed. Thus, by monitoring the pressure differential, the flow rate may be more accurately determined.

[0149] Additionally, a blockage in the flow path can correspond to an increase in the pressure difference. For example, as the filter traps particles from the smoke, the pressure difference across the filter can increase for a given pump speed. In response to a predefined pressure drop across the filter, the speed of the motor and the corresponding pump can be increased to maintain the flow rate of the smoke through the system despite the blockage in the filter. For example, referring again to FIG. 18 and FIG. 19, a first pressure sensor (e.g., pressure sensor 50840) can be located upstream of the filter, and a second pressure sensor (e.g., pressure sensor 50846) can be located downstream of the filter. The pressure difference between pressure sensor 50840 and pressure sensor 50846 can correspond to the pressure drop across the filter. As the filter traps particles in the smoke, the trapped particles can block the flow path, thereby increasing the pressure difference across the filter. In response to the increase in pressure difference, the processor can adjust the operating parameters of the motor to maintain the flow rate across the system. For example, the speed of the motor and the corresponding pump can be increased to compensate for a partially blocked filter in the flow path.

[0150] In another example, the predetermined pressure drop can correspond to an occlusion in the exhaust conduit. In one embodiment, the motor speed and corresponding pump speed can be reduced to avoid tissue damage, for example, when the exhaust conduit becomes occluded with tissue. Reducing the pump speed in such an example can be configured to avoid potential tissue trauma.

[0151] In another example, a first pressure sensor can be located upstream of the fluid trap and a second pressure sensor can be located downstream of the fluid trap (e.g., pressure sensor 50840). The pressure difference between the sensors can correspond to the pressure drop across the fluid trap, which can correspond to the flow rate and / or flow path through the fluid trap. The pressure difference across the fluid trap can also be estimated by other sensors in the fluid ejection system. In certain examples, it is desirable to reduce the flow rate through the fluid trap to ensure sufficient removal of liquid from the smoke before it enters the downstream filter(s) and pump. In such examples, the pressure difference may be reduced by reducing the speed of the motor and the corresponding pump.

[0152] In yet another example, the first pressure sensor can be located at an inlet to the surgical drainage system or its drain housing. , pressure Force Sensors (e.g. pressure sensor 50850) Can be placed at the outlet of a surgical drainage system do. The pressure difference between the sensors can correspond to a pressure drop across the surgical drainage system. In certain examples, by monitoring the pressure drop across the system, the maximum suction load of the system can be maintained below a threshold. When the pressure drop exceeds a threshold amount, the processor can adjust the operating parameters of the motor (e.g., slow down the motor) to reduce the pressure difference.

[0153] In one example, the chemical sensor 50832 can detect the pH of a substance in physical contact with the sensor, such as, for example, a fluid splashed onto the sensor 50832. In one aspect of the present disclosure, the chemical sensor 50832 can detect the glucose content and / or oxygen content in the fluid. In a particular example, the chemical sensor 50382 can be configured to detect cancerous by-products. If cancerous by-products are detected, parameters of the exhaust system can be adjusted to reduce the likelihood of such by-products entering the operating room. In one example, the pump speed can be reduced, for example, to improve the efficiency of the filters in the exhaust system. In another example, the exhaust system can be turned off to ensure that cancerous by-products are not exhausted into the operating room.

[0154] Fluids extracted from a surgical site by a surgical drainage system may include liquids and various particulates. The combination of different types and / or states of matter in the evacuated fluid may make the evacuated fluid difficult to filter. Additionally or alternatively, certain types and / or states of matter may be harmful to certain filters. For example, the presence of liquid droplets in the smoke may damage certain filters, and the presence of larger particulates in the smoke may block certain fine particulate filters.

[0155] The sensors can be configured to detect parameters of the fluid traveling through the drainage system. Based on the parameters detected by the sensor(s), the surgical drainage system can direct the drained fluid along an appropriate flow path. For example, fluids containing a percentage of droplets above a certain threshold parameter can be directed through a fluid trap. As another example, fluids containing particulates above a threshold size can be directed through a coarse media filter, while fluids containing particulates below the threshold size can bypass the coarse media filter and be directed to a fine media filter.

[0156] By providing an alternative flow path through the surgical drainage system, the surgical drainage system and its filter(s) can operate more efficiently and be less susceptible to damage and / or blockage. The usable life of the filter can also be extended. As provided herein, a filter can include one or more filtration layers, and in certain examples, a filtration system can include one or more filters.

[0157] The diverter valve 52934 of the surgical drainage system is shown in detail in Figures 24A and 24B. In one aspect of the disclosure, the diverter valves 50834 and 50934 shown in the surgical drainage systems 50800 and 50900 of Figures 18 and 19, respectively, can include a diverter valve 52934. The diverter valve 52934 includes a ball valve 52396 operatively configured to direct fluid from the inlet pathway 52942 along either the first pathway 52940 or the second pathway 52938. In various examples, the ball valve 52396 can be an electrically actuated ball valve with a controller. For example, a processor of the surgical drainage system, such as the processor 50408 (Figure 6), can send a signal to the ball valve controller to initiate rotation of the ball valve 52396 to alter the flow path of the smoke. When the diverter valve 52934 is in a first position (FIG. 24A), the intake of smoke through the diverter valve 52934 is directed along a first path 52940. When the diverter valve 52934 is in a second position (FIG. 24B), the intake of smoke through the diverter valve 52934 is directed along a second path 52938.

[0158] The first pathway 52940 can correspond to a flow path when no liquid is detected in the smoke or when the detected liquid-to-gas ratio or aerosol percentage is below a threshold. The second pathway 52938 can correspond to a flow path when liquid, e.g., aerosol, is detected in the smoke or when the detected liquid-to-gas ratio or aerosol percentage is equal to or greater than a threshold. In certain aspects of the disclosure, the first pathway 52940 can bypass the fluid trap and the second pathway 52938 can direct the smoke through the fluid trap to capture fluid from the smoke before it is directed into a filter. Selecting a flow path based on the percentage of aerosol can improve the efficiency of the surgical evacuation system.

[0159] In other examples, the diverter valve 52934 can include more than two fluid path outlets. Further, the fluid paths can bypass / recirculate the fluid relative to the fluid trap and / or direct the smoke along different filtration paths including different configurations of fluid traps, condensers, and / or particulate filters depending on the detected parameters of the fluid.

[0160] 18 and 19, the fluid detection sensor 50830 is configured to detect the presence of aerosols or liquid-to-gas ratio in smoke. For example, the fluid detection sensor 50830 of FIG. 18 is disposed at the inlet 50822 of the ejector housing 50818. In other examples, the fluid detection sensor 50830 can be disposed near the inlet 50822 and / or at a location upstream of the filter 50870 and / or a socket for receiving the filter 50870. Examples of fluid detection sensors are further described herein. For example, the fluid detection sensor 50830 can include one or more of the particle sensors further disclosed herein. Additionally or alternatively, in one aspect of the present disclosure, the fluid detection sensor 50830 includes a continuity sensor.

[0161] In one example, if the fluid detection sensor 50830 detects a liquid-to-gas ratio above a threshold, the intake air can be diverted to a condenser before entering the particulate filter. The condenser can be configured to condense small droplets in the flow path. In various examples, the condenser can include a honeycomb structure. The condenser can include a number of baffles or other structures on which liquid is configured to condense. As the smoke flows through the condenser, liquid can condense on the internal baffles and can be directed to drip downward into the fluid reservoir.

[0162] Referring primarily to FIG. 18, the internal diverter valve 50834 is positioned to direct the smoke intake to bypass the condenser 50835 so that the smoke flows directly to the filter 50870. In bypassing the condenser 50835, the surgical exhaust system 50800 can require less power from the motor driving the pump (see, for example, motor 50451 and pump 50450 in FIG. 6). Referring now to FIG. 19, the diverter valve 50934 is positioned to direct the smoke into the condenser 50935 in the fluid trap 50960 before the smoke flows into the filter 50970. Conversely, if the fluid detection sensor 50830 detects a liquid to gas ratio below the threshold, the intake air can bypass the condenser 50935 and be directed directly to the filter 50970.

[0163] In various examples, the fluid detection sensor 50830 can detect the presence of smoke in the flow path. For example, the fluid detection sensor 50830 can include a particle sensor. Detection of particles, or detection of a particulate concentration above a threshold, can indicate that smoke is present in the flow path. In certain examples, the fluid detection sensor may not distinguish between solid particles (e.g., carbon) and aerosol particles. In other examples, the fluid detection sensor 50830 can also detect the presence of aerosols. For example, the fluid detection sensor can include a continuity sensor, such as described herein, that can determine, for example, whether a detected particle is an aerosol.

[0164] In various examples, the surgical exhaust system can include additional or alternative flow paths. For example, the surgical exhaust system can include a high particulate flow path and a low particulate flow path. For example, if a particle sensor, such as particle sensor 50838 (FIGS. 18 and 19), detects a particulate concentration at or above a threshold valve, the inhaled smoke can be diverted to a particulate filter. Conversely, if a laser particle sensor detects a particulate concentration below a threshold, the inhaled smoke can bypass the particulate filter. Similarly, the different flow paths can accommodate different sizes and / or types of particles. For example, if larger particles are detected by particle sensor 50838, the smoke can be directed along a different path than if smaller particles are detected. For example, the surgical exhaust system can include different types of particulate filters (e.g., large media filters and fine media filters) and can utilize different filtration methods, such as direct blocking, inertial impaction, and diffusion blocking, based on the detected size (or size range) of the particles. The different flow paths can be selected to optimize fluid extraction and / or particulate filtration of the smoke while minimizing power draw and / or stress on the motor. In certain examples, the default flow path may be a more direct flow path, and upon detection of a fluid parameter above a threshold limit, the fluid may be diverted to a less direct flow path, which may require more power.

[0165] In various examples, the motor of the surgical evacuation system may be adjusted based on the characteristics of the inhaled smoke and / or the filters installed in the surgical evacuation system. Referring again to the schematic diagram shown in FIG. 6, the processor 50408 is in signal communication with a motor driver 50428 coupled to a motor 50451 for the pump 50450. The processor 50408 can be configured to adjust the motor 50451 based on the characteristics of the smoke and / or the filters installed. In one example, the processor 50408 can receive inputs corresponding to the volume of aerosol suspended in the smoke and / or the volume of liquid in the flow path, including the volume of droplets in contact with or resting on the tubing of the surgical evacuation system. Various sensors for detecting the fluid density of the inhaled smoke, such as, for example, continuity sensors, are further described herein.

[0166] The liquid-to-gas ratio of the smoke can affect the efficiency of the smoke pump. For example, the liquid(s) in the smoke can be less compressible than the gas in the smoke, which can affect the efficiency of the pump. In addition, different types of pumps can operate differently in the presence of aerosols. In certain instances, the pump speed can be accelerated, and in other instances, the pump speed can be slowed down. To optimize the efficiency of the pump for each liquid-to-gas ratio, the processor can be configured to adjust the motor driving the pump. In other words, the control program of the motor can operatively adjust the pump speed based on the detected liquid-to-gas ratio in the flow path.

[0167] Certain pumps can efficiently handle fluids with high liquid-gas ratios such that the efficiency of the pump either remains the same or increases. For example, certain scroll pumps can handle aerosols in the smoke path. In such instances, with incompressible (or less compressible) fluids, the rotational speed of the pump may be reduced to increase the vacuum air handling. Other pumps may be more sensitive to fluids with high liquid-gas ratios and therefore can be slowed down to limit the pressure differential through the fluid trap.

[0168] In various examples, the sensor can be configured to detect the flow rate through the surgical drainage system. For example, an optical sensor can be configured to measure the flow rate of particles in the surgical drainage system. In certain examples, the detected flow rate through the surgical drainage system can be utilized to manage the suction speed of the compressor. An algorithm can determine an appropriate suction speed based on the flow rate and / or one or more detected parameters of the smoke (e.g., particulate concentration, liquid-to-gas ratio, etc.). For example, when smoke having a high liquid-to-gas ratio enters the surgical drainage system, the motor speed can be reduced to reduce the flow rate through the surgical drainage system including its fluid traps so that more liquid can be extracted from the smoke before it enters the pump. Liquid can damage certain pumps. For example, lobe pumps and regenerative blowers can be damaged if liquid in the smoke is allowed to enter.

[0169] FIG. 25 shows a graphical representation of the airflow fluid content and duty cycle over time for a surgical evacuation system, such as surgical evacuation system 50800 (FIG. 18) and / or 50900 (FIG. 19). The fluid content can include aerosols and droplets within the evacuation system and can be detected, for example, by fluid detection sensors 50830 and 50836 (FIGS. 18 and 19). Referring again to FIG. 25, at the beginning of the procedure, the fluid detection sensors 50830 and 50836 detect the same or substantially the same content in the smoke. In other words, the fluid content upstream of the respective fluid traps 50860, 50960 is the same or substantially the same as the fluid content downstream of the respective fluid traps 50860, 50960. The fluid content detected by both sensors 50830 and 50836 continues to rise as the procedure continues.

[0170] Time t 1 In the example, the fluid content detected by both sensors 50830 and 50836 is greater than or equal to a fluid content threshold (C T) 52102, the smoke is redirected through a fluid trap, such as fluid trap 50860 and / or 50960, to prevent damage to the filtration system. T 52102 can correspond to a volume or percentage of fluid and / or aerosols that would be detrimental to the filtration system. Referring primarily to the exhaust system 50900 of FIG. 19, the recirculation valve 50990 can be opened (as shown in FIG. 19) to allow the fluid to be redirected back into the condenser 50935 of the fluid trap 50960 before entering the filter 50970. By recirculating the fluid, additional droplets can be removed from the fluid. As a result, referring again to FIG. 25, the fluid content detected by the fluid detection sensor 50836 located upstream of the filter 50970 can be adjusted to a value greater than or equal to the fluid content threshold C. T 52102. In various examples, the airflow path through the ejector housing can be reduced by a time t 1 By adjusting the motor speed, the motor duty cycle can be maintained as shown in FIG.

[0171] 25, as the smoke is recirculated through the fluid trap which captures a portion of the aerosol and / or droplets, the downstream fluid detection sensor 50836 begins to detect less liquid content in the smoke. However, the upstream fluid detection sensor 50830 continues to detect an increasing amount of liquid in the smoke. Further, at time t 2 In the downstream fluid detection sensor 50836, the fluid content threshold C T 52102 is again detected. To accommodate the increasing fluid content despite the recirculation of the smoke through the fluid trap, the duty cycle of the pump motor is increased over a time t 2 As the pump is adjusted to a reduced duty cycle, the fluid trap can more effectively capture the aerosols and / or droplets in the smoke, and the fluid content detected by the fluid detection sensor 50836 eventually drops below the fluid content threshold CT It starts to decrease until it falls below 52102.

[0172] In certain examples, the volume of fluid in the fluid trap and / or the levelness of the housing can be used to determine whether the fluid level therein is approaching a threshold limit that may correspond to reaching the anti-spill baffle and / or the outlet port of the fluid trap to the particulate filter. Liquid can damage and / or reduce the efficiency of the particulate filter, as described further herein. To prevent liquid from entering the particulate filter, the processor can adjust the motor to minimize the likelihood of drawing liquid into the particulate filter. For example, the processor can instruct the motor to slow down when a predetermined volume of liquid has entered the fluid trap and / or when liquid in the trap reaches a set marker or level in the housing above a predetermined safety level.

[0173] In various examples, the motor control program may be further influenced by using the pressure differential between pressure sensors in the evacuation system, such as pressure sensors 50840 and 50846 (FIG. 19) in the surgical evacuation system 50900. For example, based on the pressure differential across the filter 50970 and the speed of the motor of the pump 50906, the processor of the surgical evacuation system 50900 may be configured to predict the actual flow rate through the filter 50970. Additionally, the flow rate may be adjusted (e.g., by adjusting the motor speed) to limit the flow rate and reduce the likelihood that fluid will be drawn from a reservoir in the fluid trap 50960 into the filter 50970.

[0174] As described herein, the surgical evacuation system can include one or more sensors configured to detect the presence of aerosols in the smoke (e.g., liquid to gas ratio) and one or more sensors configured to detect the presence of carbonized particulates in the smoke (e.g., parts per million measurements). By determining whether the extracted fluid is primarily steam, primarily smoke, and / or corresponding ratios of each, the surgical evacuation system can provide useful information to the clinician, the intelligent electrosurgical instrument, the robotic system, the hub, and / or the cloud. For example, the ratio of steam to smoke can indicate the extent of tissue welding and / or collagen cauterization. In various examples, the energy algorithms of the electrosurgical instrument and its generator can be adjusted based on the ratio of steam to smoke.

[0175] In one aspect of the disclosure, if the extracted fluid is primarily vapor or has a high aerosol percentage, the processor can adjust the amplitude and / or power of an ultrasonic generator, such as generator 800 (FIG. 58). For example, the processor of the smoke evacuation system can be communicatively coupled to the generator 800. In one example, if the power is too high for a particular surgical scenario, excessive vapor or aerosol may be generated. In such an example, the power level of the generator can be decreased to reduce the generation of vapor / aerosol by the energy tool. In another example, for a higher particle ratio, the processor can adjust the power level of the generator. For example, the power level can be decreased for a particle ratio above a threshold. In a particular example, the voltage can be adjusted to reduce particulates generated by the energy tool.

[0176] 26, an adjustment algorithm 52200 for a surgical evacuation system is shown. Various surgical evacuation systems disclosed herein may utilize the adjustment algorithm 52200. Additionally, the reader will readily appreciate that in certain instances, the adjustment algorithm 52200 may be combined with one or more additional adjustment algorithms described herein. The adjustments to the surgical evacuation system may be implemented by a processor in signal communication with a motor of an evacuation pump (see, for example, the processor and pump in FIGS. 5 and 6). For example, the adjustment algorithm 52200 may be implemented by a processor 50408 in signal communication with a motor driver 50428 and / or a controller for a diverter valve, as further described herein. The processor is configured to monitor characteristics of the evacuated smoke utilizing various sensors. In one aspect of the present disclosure, with reference to FIG. 26, the processor is configured to determine whether the inhaled smoke includes particles and aerosols above a threshold.

[0177] At the beginning of the adjustment algorithm 52200, a standard flow rate can be initiated at block 52202 and one or more characteristics of the inhaled smoke can be monitored at block 52204. At block 52206, a sensor can be configured to check for particles in the fluid. If no particles are detected by the sensor, at block 52202, the standard flow rate and / or power level can be maintained. In one example, the standard flow rate can be a minimum flow rate or an idle flow rate, as described further herein. If particles are detected at block 52206 and it is determined that the particles are not aerosol particles at block 52208, a first adjustment to the flow rate and / or power level can be implemented at block 52210. For example, the flow rate and power level can be increased to increase the evacuation of particles, i.e., smoke, from the surgical site. In a particular example, if the particles are determined to be aerosol particles at block 52208, or if a portion of the particles are aerosol particles, a second adjustment can be implemented.

[0178] In one aspect of the disclosure, the second adjustment may depend on the percentage of aerosols in the smoke. For example, if the percentage of aerosols is determined to be greater than a first threshold amount, such as X% in block 52212 of FIG. 26, the smoke may be directed to the fluid trap in block 52214. Conversely, if the aerosol concentration in the smoke is equal to or less than the threshold amount X%, the smoke may be directed to bypass the fluid trap in block 52216. Conduits and valves for directing fluid flow in a smoke evacuation system are further described herein. In certain examples, flow rate and / or power levels may be adjusted to sufficiently draw fluid along a selected flow path, such as toward and / or around the fluid trap. In one aspect of the disclosure, additional power and / or suction may be required to draw fluid into the fluid trap.

[0179] 26, upon exiting the fluid trap, if aerosol particles are further detected in the smoke at block 52218, and if the aerosol concentration is greater than a second threshold amount, such as Y% in FIG. 26, at block 52220, the flow rate can be decreased at block 52224 to ensure proper extraction of the aerosol from the smoke. Conversely, if the aerosol concentration downstream of the fluid trap is equal to or less than the second threshold amount, Y%, at block 52222, the flow rate can be maintained. As shown in FIG. 26, once the adjustment algorithm 52200 has redirected the flow path and / or adjusted and / or maintained the flow rate, the adjustment algorithm can return to block 52204 to continue monitoring one or more parameters of the smoke evacuation system. In certain examples, the adjustment algorithm 52200 can be cycled continuously such that smoke characteristics are continuously monitored and / or transmitted to the processor in real time or near real time. In other examples, the adjustment algorithm 52200 can be repeated at predetermined times and / or intervals.

[0180] In certain examples, the surgical drainage system can further include a chemical sensor, such as chemical sensor 50832 (FIGS. 18 and 19). The chemical sensor 50832 is located near the inlet 50822 of the surgical drainage system 50800 and near the inlet 50922 of the surgical drainage system 50900. The chemical sensor 50832 is configured to detect a chemical characteristic of particles evacuated by the surgical drainage system. For example, the chemical sensor 50832 can identify the chemical composition of particles in smoke evacuated from the abdominal cavity of a patient during an electrosurgical procedure. Different types of chemical sensors can be utilized to determine the type of material extracted by the surgical drainage system. In certain examples, the smoke evacuation system can be controlled based on what is being extracted from the surgical site, such as by what is being detected by the chemical sensor 50832.

[0181] Chemical analysis of the extracted fluid and / or particles can be used to adjust generator functions, such as the functions of the generator 800 (FIG. 58). For example, the generator functions can be adjusted based on the detection of cancerous material by the chemical sensor 50832. In certain examples, if cancerous material is no longer detected by the chemical sensor 50832, the clinician can be alerted that all cancerous material has been removed and / or the generator can cease operation of the energy device. Alternatively, if cancerous material is detected by the chemical sensor 50832, the clinician can be alerted and the generator can optimize operation of the energy device to remove the cancerous material.

[0182] In certain examples, the generator function may be adjusted based on tissue characteristics detected by the surgical system. Referring primarily to FIG. 29, a flow chart illustrating an adjustment algorithm 52500 of a surgical system is shown. Various surgical systems disclosed herein may utilize the adjustment algorithm 52500. Additionally, the reader will readily appreciate that in certain examples, the adjustment algorithm 52500 may be combined with one or more additional adjustment algorithms described herein. The adjustments to the surgical system may be implemented by a processor (see, e.g., processor 50308 of FIG. 5). In various aspects of the present disclosure, to determine the type of tissue, the processor 50308 (FIG. 5) may be configured to receive information from multiple sources.

[0183] 29, one or more sensors 52502 in the surgical evacuation system can provide information to the processor 50308 (FIG. 5). Still referring primarily to FIG. 28, the particle sensor(s) 52502a, chemical sensor(s) 52502b, and / or fluid detection sensor(s) 52502c of the surgical evacuation system, which may be similar to the sensors shown in FIGS. 18 and 19, for example, can provide data indicative of tissue type to the processor 50308. In addition, external sensor(s) 52504 can provide information to the processor 50308. The external sensor 52504 may be remote to the surgical evacuation system, but may be located on other surgical devices involved in the surgical procedure. For example, the one or more external sensor(s) 52504 can be located on a surgical instrument, a robotic tool, and / or an endoscope. In certain examples, the internal sensors 52502 and the external sensors 52504 can provide information to a situational awareness module or surgical hub, which can provide situational awareness 52506 to the various sensors 52502, 52504. Further, the situational awareness 52506 can inform the processor 50308 regarding the various sensor data. Based on the situational awareness 52506 and the data from the sensors 52502, 52504, the type of tissue can be determined by the processor 50308 (FIG. 5) at block 52510.

[0184] In certain examples, the ratio of elastin to collagen of the extracted material can be determined from the tissue type. For example, elastin can correspond to a first melting temperature and collagen can correspond to a second melting temperature higher than the first melting temperature. If the external sensor 52504 is configured to detect a parameter of the electric motor corresponding to the clamp arm speed and / or clamp speed, the external sensor 52504 can indicate the melting temperature of the tissue and therefore the ratio of elastin to collagen. Elastin and collagen also define different refractive indices and absorptivities. In certain examples, an infrared spectrometer and / or a refracting camera sensor can be utilized to determine and / or confirm the tissue type.

[0185] In certain examples, the energy modality can be adjusted based on the type of tissue detected (elastin, collagen, and / or the ratio of elastin to collagen). For example, a particular energy device may be more efficient at dissolving collagen than elastin, but the energy modality can be adjusted to better dissolve elastin. In other examples, it may be desirable to dissolve collagen and preserve elastin. Additionally or alternatively, the ratio of elastin to collagen can indicate the type of physical structure, such as a vein or artery, which can be communicated to the system's situational awareness 52506. For example, if collagen is detected at block 52510, energy modality A can be performed at block 52512. In other examples, if elastin is detected at block 52510, energy modality C can be performed at block 52516. In yet other examples, if a combination of collagen and elastic is detected at block 52510, energy modality B can be performed at block 52514. The reader will readily appreciate that additional and / or alternative energy modalities are envisioned. For example, different modalities may be utilized depending on the particular ratio of elastin to collagen and / or based on the surgical procedure and / or steps thereof being performed.

[0186] In various surgical procedures using energy devices to treat tissue, fluids and / or particles may be released, thereby contaminating the atmosphere within and / or surrounding the surgical site, as further described herein. To improve visibility of the atmosphere at the surgical site, for example, contaminants may be drawn into a smoke evacuation system. Furthermore, when contaminants are directed along an airflow path in the smoke evacuation system, airborne fluids and / or particles may be filtered to improve air quality. Depending on the efficiency of the smoke evacuation system and / or the amount of smoke and / or contaminants generated after activation of the electrosurgical instrument, smoke may accumulate in the atmosphere within and / or surrounding the surgical site. Such accumulation of contaminants may, for example, impede a clinician's ability to view the surgical site.

[0187] In one aspect of the present disclosure, a surgical system can include a smoke evacuation system including a particle sensor, an electrosurgical instrument, and a generator. Such a smoke evacuation system can monitor particulate concentrations as the electrosurgical instrument applies energy to tissue during a surgical procedure. For example, when a clinician requests that the electrosurgical instrument be powered, the generator is configured to provide the requested power. A processor within the surgical system is configured to analyze the monitored particulate concentration and the power requested by the clinician from the generator. If the power requested by the clinician creates contaminants that would result in a particulate concentration above a predetermined threshold, the processor can prevent the generator from providing the requested power. Instead, in such an example, the generator can provide power at a level that would return the particulate concentration below the predetermined threshold.

[0188] In such instances, the clinician(s) and / or assistant(s) do not need to individually monitor particulate concentrations and adjust energy modalities accordingly. Instead, the instruments and devices of the surgical system can communicate among themselves to instruct the generator to deliver a particular power level in a particular situation based on input from sensors in the smoke evacuation system. The reader will readily appreciate that situational awareness can further inform the generator's decision-making process. Various algorithms for implementing the aforementioned monitoring processes and / or adjustments are further disclosed herein.

[0189] The surgical system may include an electrosurgical device, a generator configured to power the electrosurgical device, and a smoke evacuation system. The smoke evacuation system may include a sensor system configured to monitor the size and / or concentration of particulates in the smoke and / or intake air exhaust conduit. Referring again to Figures 18 and 19, a particle sensor 50838 is shown. The particle sensor 50838 is an internal sensor located at a location along the flow path 50804 (Figure 18) and the flow path 50904 (Figure 19). In various examples, the particle sensor 50838 is located at a point on the flow path 50804, 50904 prior to filtration by the filter system 50870, 50970, respectively. However, the internal particle sensor 50838 may be located at any suitable location along the flow path 50804, 50904 to monitor contaminated air entering from the surgical site. In various examples, the smoke evacuation system 50800 and / or 50900 can include two or more internal particle sensors 50838 located at various locations along the flow path 50804 and / or 50904, respectively. The reader will readily appreciate that a variety of particle measurement means are possible. For example, the particulate concentration sensor may be an optical sensor, a laser sensor, a photoelectric sensor, an ionization sensor, an electrostatic sensor, and / or any suitable combination thereof. Various sensors are further described herein.

[0190] The electrosurgical generator is a major component in the electrosurgical circuit to generate the electrosurgical waveforms. The generator is configured to convert electricity into a high frequency waveform and generate a voltage for the flow of electrosurgical current. In various examples, the generator is configured to generate various waveforms, each of which produces a different effect on tissue. A "cutting current" cuts tissue but provides little hemostasis. A "coagulation current" provides coagulation with limited tissue incision and increases the depth of heating. A "blended current" is an intermediate current between the cutting current and the coagulation current, but the blended current is generally not a combination of the cutting current and the coagulation current. Rather, the blended current may be a cutting current where the time that the current actually flows is reduced from 100 percent to about 50 percent of the time. In various examples, the generator can automatically monitor tissue impedance and adjust the power output to the energy device to provide an efficient and precise cutting effect at the lowest possible setting in order to reduce tissue damage.

[0191] An additional mode of electrosurgical cutting, known as Advanced Cutting Effect (ACE), provides the clinician with a scalpel-like cutting effect that produces little to no thermal necrosis and no hemostasis. When the generator is placed in ACE mode, a constant voltage is maintained at the tip of the electrode on the end effector. An active electrode on the end of the end effector delivers RF current from the generator to the surgical site. By utilizing ACE mode, the clinician has the ability to use the electrosurgical device on the skin to achieve comparable wound healing results without the use of specific surgical instruments, such as scalpels, needles, and / or any surgical instruments that may cause wounds and / or punctures to the patient, and / or any personnel handling them.

[0192] In various aspects of the present disclosure, an electrosurgical device includes an ACE cutting system.

[0193] Throughout the duration of a surgical procedure, contaminants and / or smoke may be generated. If the air in and / or around the surgical site is not efficiently filtered by a smoke evacuation system, contaminants may condense in the air, making it difficult for clinicians and / or assistants to view the surgical site. Additional concerns regarding smoke in the operating room are further disclosed herein. In various examples, a processor in the surgical system may store information in memory specific to the amount of smoke and / or contaminants generated when a clinician uses a particular surgical instrument for a particular duration. Such information may be stored directly in the memory of the processor in the centralized hub and / or in the cloud. In various examples, the processor and memory shown in Figures 5 and 6 may be used to store such information.

[0194] In various examples, a communication path is established between the smoke evacuation system and the generator to control the power provided to the electrosurgical instrument. Such power is controlled to effectively direct the electrosurgical instrument to produce less smoke and / or emit less contaminants, as well as to allow efficient filtering of the surgical site. In various examples, the components of the surgical system may communicate with each other directly. In various examples, the components of the surgical system communicate with each other via a centralized hub, for example, as further described herein with respect to FIGS. 39-60. The reader will readily appreciate that any suitable communication path may be used.

[0195] Once the surgical procedure begins and the electrosurgical instrument is activated, a sensor in the smoke evacuation system is configured to monitor a parameter related to air quality. Such parameters may include, for example, particle count and / or concentration, temperature, fluid content, and / or percent contamination. The sensor is configured to communicate the monitored parameter to the processor. In various examples, the sensor automatically communicates the monitored parameter upon detection. In various examples, the sensor communicates the monitored parameter to the processor after the sensor is interrogated. However, the reader will understand that any suitable method of communicating the monitored information may be used. In various examples, the sensor continuously communicates the monitored information to the processor. However, the reader will understand that any suitable sample rate may be used. The monitored information may be communicated in real time or near real time, for example.

[0196] In various examples, the processor stores information regarding the predetermined threshold. The predetermined threshold varies based on the parameters monitored by the sensors of the smoke evacuation system. For example, when the sensors are monitoring particle count and / or concentration, such threshold may indicate a level of particles in the atmosphere of the surgical site that effectively and / or unsafely obstructs the clinician's view of the surgical site. In other examples, the threshold may correspond to a filtration system in the evacuation housing and the ability of the filtration system to adequately filter particles. For example, if the particulate concentration is above a certain threshold, the filtration may not be able to adequately filter particulates from the smoke, and toxic materials may pass through the evacuation system and / or block and / or clog its filters. When the processor receives information regarding the monitored parameters from the sensors of the smoke evacuation system, the processor is configured to compare the monitored parameter(s) with the predetermined threshold(s) to ensure that the threshold(s) were not exceeded.

[0197] In various examples, if the processor recognizes that a predetermined threshold has been exceeded and / or is close to being exceeded, the processor may control various motor functions of the smoke evacuation system. The processor may adjust the flow rate of the smoke evacuation system by increasing or decreasing the speed of the motor to more efficiently filter contaminants from the surgical site. For example, if a sensor communicates information to the processor indicating that a particulate threshold has been reached, the processor may increase the speed of the motor to draw more fluid, and possibly more contaminants, from the surgical site into the smoke evacuation system for filtration.

[0198] In various examples, if the processor recognizes that a predetermined threshold has been exceeded and / or is close to being exceeded, the processor may vary the power supplied by the generator to the electrosurgical instrument. For example, if a sensor communicates information to the processor indicating that the particle threshold has been reached, the processor will prevent the generator from supplying any additional requested power to the handheld electrosurgical instrument. Once the smoke evacuation system filters contaminants from the atmosphere to a level that falls below the particle threshold, the processor may then allow the generator to supply the requested power to the handheld electrosurgical instrument.

[0199] 33 is a graphical representation of the correlation between detected particle count and power level over a period of time during a surgical procedure. The top graph 53300 represents the particle count and / or particulate concentration detected by the internal particle sensor 50838 (FIGS. 18 and 19) as particles and contaminants are filtered from the surgical site into the smoke evacuation system 50800 and / or 50900. Particulate concentration C T represents a predetermined particle number and / or concentration threshold in the volume of ejected fluid. The bottom graph 53302 represents the power level(s) reached during the surgical procedure, including the power requested by the clinician via the handheld electrosurgical instrument (dashed line) and the power actually delivered by the generator of the surgical system (solid line). The power level(s) is defined as the ratio of the RF current to the voltage of the electrosurgical system.

[0200] Time t <t 1 A baseline particulate concentration 53304 is detected prior to the start of a surgical procedure at time t 1 When the clinician and / or assistant activates the electrosurgical instrument at time t, the clinician and / or assistant requests that a particular power level be provided to perform a particular function, such as incising and / or cutting tissue within the surgical site. The application of power to the tissue generates smoke and / or contaminants that can be directed into a smoke evacuation system, for example, to improve visibility within the surgical site. At time t 1 The generator then supplies the required power. The detected particulate concentration is below the threshold C T However, the internal particle sensor 50838 detects the particle concentration at time t 1 Time t after activation of the electrosurgical instrument at 2 The researchers begin to detect increased particulate concentrations.

[0201] In the graphical representation of FIG. 33, the clinician 3 No additional power is required until 1 and 3 An "off" time 53306 between time t may allow, for example, tissue to cool and cause some degree of hemostasis. As can be seen in FIG. 33, the detected particulate concentration and power level may vary from time t 2 and time t 3 It decreases between time t 3 The clinician receives the pulse from the generator and at time t 4 Finally, the clinician may require a higher power level to induce an increase in the particulate concentration at time t 5 At a given threshold C T Requires a power level that causes a rise in particulate concentration in the vicinity. In some cases, threshold C T may indicate poor visibility within the surgical site due to buildup of contaminants and / or particles, an inefficient smoke evacuation system, and / or an inoperable smoke evacuation system.

[0202] Time t5 At the particle concentration threshold C T In response to exceeding the particle threshold C, the surgical system processor may T The device is configured to adjust the generator power supply to bring the power supply back below the particle threshold C due to the high power demanded by the handpiece, as shown in FIG. T is different from the power requested by the handpiece when time t 6 For example, the particle concentration is at threshold C T and / or threshold C T When the power level falls below t, the generator again provides the power level as required by the handheld electrosurgical instrument. 6 As the power demanded by the handpiece subsequently decreases, the particulate concentration detected by the particle sensor 50838 also decreases.

[0203] 34 illustrates a representation of instructions 53400 stored by a memory of a surgical system, such as the memory of FIGS. 5 and 6. In various examples, a surgical system disclosed herein can utilize the instructions 53400. For example, the instructions 53400 can include an adjustment algorithm for the surgical system. Furthermore, the reader will readily appreciate that in certain examples, the instructions 53400 can be combined with one or more additional algorithms and / or instructions described herein. The instructions 53400 can be implemented by a processor, such as the processor 50308 of FIG. 5.

[0204] At block 53402 of the instructions 53400, the processor may receive a request for power from the electrosurgical instrument. For example, the electrosurgical instrument may include a handheld device and / or a robotic tool. The requested power may be provided by a user via, for example, a controller and / or a control console. As described above, the sensor is configured to monitor a parameter associated with the fluid passing through the evacuation system. Such parameters may include, for example, particle size, temperature, fluid content, and / or contamination rate. The processor is configured to receive the monitored parameter from the sensor. In various examples, the processor receives such information in response to interrogating the sensor, as shown at block 53404. In various examples, the sensor automatically communicates the information upon detection. The processor then determines whether the received information exceeds a predetermined threshold at block 53406. If the threshold is exceeded and / or approaching being exceeded, the processor is configured to prevent the generator from providing any or all of the requested power to the electrosurgical instrument at block 53408. In other examples, the surgical waveform can be adjusted to reduce smoke generated by the surgical device at block 53410, as further described herein.

[0205] In various examples, the generator may provide power at a level that does not cause the threshold to be exceeded. If the threshold is not exceeded, the processor is configured to allow the generator to provide the requested power to the electrosurgical instrument at block 53410. In various examples, the processor is configured to receive information from the smoke evacuation system sensor for the entire duration of the surgical procedure or at least for as long as the processor receives a request from the electrosurgical instrument for the delivery of power.

[0206] In various surgical procedures, radio frequency (RF) power can be used to cut tissue and coagulate bleeding. When RF power is used to treat tissue, fluids and / or particulates can be released, thereby contaminating the air in and / or around the surgical site. To improve visibility of the surgical site for the clinician, for example, contaminated air inside the surgical site can be drawn into a smoke evacuation system. As the contaminated air is directed along an airflow path, suspended fluids and / or particulates can be filtered from the contaminated air. The filtered air eventually exits the evacuation system via an exit port and is released into the atmosphere of the operating room. Depending on the efficiency and / or effectiveness of the smoke evacuation system, the filtered air may still contain fluids and / or particulates when released into the atmosphere of the operating room. The remaining contaminants can be unpleasant, for example, to the olfactory senses of the clinician(s), assistant(s), and / or patient(s), and the contaminants can be unhealthy if inhaled in certain instances.

[0207] The smoke evacuation system may include a sensor system configured to monitor the detected size and / or concentration of particulates in the air at various points along the airflow path, including locations external to the evacuation system and internal to the evacuation system. In one aspect of the present disclosure, the smoke evacuation system may determine the efficiency of the evacuation system based on comparing the particulate concentration external to the evacuation system and internal to the evacuation system and / or by monitoring the particulate concentration over time. Additionally, the smoke evacuation system may alert clinician(s) via a display to contaminated air in the operating room.

[0208] The clinician(s) may be aware of the levels of contaminants, such as fluids and / or particulates, suspended in the air of the operating room. An indication of airborne contaminants may indicate the air quality in the operating room and may alert the clinician(s) and / or assistant(s) that the smoke extraction system requires adjustment and / or maintenance.

[0209] The smoke evacuation system can include a sensor system configured to monitor the size and / or concentration of particles in the air. Referring again to FIGS. 18 and 19, particle sensors 50838 and 50852 are shown. The particle sensor 50838 is an internal sensor located at a position along the flow path. In various examples, the particle sensor 50838 is located at a point on the pre-filtered flow path 50804 (FIG. 18), 50904 (FIG. 19). However, the internal particle sensor 50838 can be located at any suitable position along the respective flow path 50804, 50904 to monitor contaminated air entering from the surgical site. In various examples, the smoke evacuation system 50800, 50900 can include two or more internal particle sensors 50838 located at various positions along the respective flow paths 50804, 50904.

[0210] The particle sensor 50852 is an external sensor located on an exterior surface of the smoke evacuation system 50800 (FIG. 18), 50900 (FIG. 19). In various examples, the smoke evacuation system 50800, 50900 can include more than one external particle sensor 50852. In various examples, the external particle sensor 50852 is located within a recess in the housing of the smoke evacuation system 50800, 50900. However, the external particle sensor 50852 can be located on any suitable surface to detect air quality within the operating room. In various examples, the external particle sensor 50852 is located near the inlet 50822 (FIG. 18), 50922 (FIG. 19) of the smoke evacuation system 50800, 50900, respectively, to ensure that unfiltered air does not leak from the operating site into the atmosphere of the operating room. In various examples, the external particle sensor 50852 is positioned near the exit ports 50824 (FIG. 18), 50924 (FIG. 19) of the smoke evacuation systems 50800, 50900, respectively, to analyze air exiting the smoke evacuation systems 50800, 50900.

[0211] The reader will readily appreciate that the external particle sensor(s) 50852 can be located in any suitable location to adequately monitor the operating room atmosphere. In addition, the reader will readily appreciate that a variety of particle measurement means are possible. For example, the particle sensor 50852 can be any suitable particulate concentration sensor, such as an optical sensor, a laser sensor, a photoelectric sensor, an ionization sensor, an electrostatic sensor, and / or any suitable combination thereof. Various sensors are further described herein.

[0212] In various examples, the sensor system of the smoke evacuation system is configured to assess particle size and / or concentration of contamination in the operating room and display the detected air quality. Display of such information may, for example, communicate the effectiveness of the smoke evacuation system. In various examples, the communicated information may include detailed information regarding the filter(s) in the smoke evacuation system to prevent contaminated air and / or smoke from accumulating in the atmosphere of the operating room. The smoke evacuation system may be configured to sense, for example, particulate concentration, temperature, fluid content, and / or percentage of contamination and communicate the same to the generator to adjust its output, as further described herein. In one aspect of the present disclosure, the smoke evacuation system may be configured to adjust its flow rate and / or motor speed to operatively affect the output power or waveform of the generator to reduce the amount of smoke generated by the end effector at a given particle level.

[0213] In various examples, the sensor system described herein can be used to detect whether airborne contaminants and / or smoke are being properly and efficiently removed by the filter(s) in the smoke evacuation system. By detecting the air quality level(s) in the operating room, the smoke evacuation system is configured to prevent high levels of pollution from accumulating in the atmosphere of the operating room. The parameters monitored by the sensor system can be used to inform the clinician whether the smoke evacuation system is functioning and / or performing its intended purpose. In various examples, the monitored parameters can be used by the clinician and / or assistant to determine that the filters in the smoke evacuation system need to be repaired and / or replaced. For example, if the external sensor 50852 (FIGS. 18 and 19) detects a particle size and / or concentration of contaminants above a predetermined and / or acceptable threshold, the clinician is instructed to check whether the filters in the smoke evacuation system need to be repaired and / or replaced.

[0214] In various examples, as described above, a processor in the smoke evacuation system compares the detected parameters of the external sensor with the parameters detected by the internal sensor. In various examples, the smoke evacuation system includes multiple internal sensors located at various points along the flow path, such as after each individual filter. The reader will understand that the internal sensors can be located at any point throughout the flow path to provide a meaningful comparison of filter efficiency. Using this detected information, the clinician can determine that a filter at a particular location is not effectively removing contaminants and / or smoke from the air. In such examples, the clinician is indicated the exact location of the filter (or filtration layer) that requires attention for repair and / or replacement.

[0215] In various examples, the sensor system is configured to assess the dilution of contaminants and / or particles in the operating room air. As described herein, the internal sensor(s) can be located at any suitable location along the flow path. If the internal sensor is located near the exit port of the smoke evacuation system and downstream of the filter(s), the internal sensor is effectively measuring the size and / or concentration of particles released into the operating room air. In other words, the internal sensor is configured to detect particles and / or contaminants that were not captured during the filtration process. The external sensor is configured to monitor the concentration and / or size of the diluted particles throughout the operating room air. The difference between the readings of the internal sensor and the external sensor can be significant to determine the air quality of a particular operating room.

[0216] The size and / or concentration of particles released into the atmosphere may have different effects on the air quality in the operating room based on parameters such as, for example, the size of the operating room and / or the ventilation in the operating room. In one example, the size and / or concentration of particles released may have a more detrimental effect on air quality when released in a smaller operating room than the same size and / or concentration of particles released in a larger operating room. In various examples, the presence and / or efficiency of a ventilation system in the operating room may affect how air quality fluctuates in response to the release of particles from the smoke exhaust system. For example, in operating rooms without a ventilation system or with an inefficient ventilation system, particles released from the smoke exhaust system may accumulate to potentially harmful levels more quickly, causing unsatisfactory air quality in the operating room.

[0217] In various examples, the information detected by the sensor system can be used to control one or more motor functions of the smoke evacuation system. Before the start of the surgical procedure, the external sensor can detect an initial air quality level. The air quality can be continuously monitored throughout the surgical procedure. However, the reader will understand that the air quality can be monitored at any suitable speed. The external sensor communicates the detected information to a processor of the smoke evacuation system (e.g., processors 50308 and 50408 of Figures 5 and 6, respectively). The processor uses the initial air quality level as a baseline to compare with the continuously detected air quality level. If the processor determines that the air quality level(s) detected by the external sensor 50852 are indicative of higher contaminant particle size and / or concentration in the air of the operating room, the processor instructs the motor to operate at a higher level. By the motor operating at an increased speed, more polluted air and / or smoke is drawn from the surgical site into the smoke evacuation system 50800, 50900 for filtration. In various examples, the processor stores instructions to increase the flow rate of contaminated air and / or smoke directed into the smoke evacuation system 50800, 50900 during a procedure when the internal sensor 50838 determines that a smoke-generating cautery device and / or other electrosurgical device is active. By detecting activation of a smoke-generating surgical device, the smoke evacuation system 50800, 50900 prevents high levels of contamination from building up in the operating room atmosphere via the motor control unit.

[0218] In various examples, the motor speed level is automatically controlled when the processor determines that the atmosphere in the operating room has an unacceptable air quality level. In various examples, the motor speed level is automatically controlled when the processor determines that a smoke-generating surgical device has been activated. For example, when the external sensor 50852 detects a pollution level in the atmosphere in the operating room above a predetermined threshold, the processor can automatically command the motor to operate at a faster speed. Then, when the external sensor 50852 detects a pollution level falling below the predetermined threshold, the processor automatically reduces the speed of the motor. In various examples, the motor speed level is manually controlled after the clinician is notified of the unacceptable air quality level. In various examples, the motor speed level is manually controlled after the clinician activates a smoke-generating surgical device. The reader will understand that any suitable combination of automatic and / or manual control can be implemented and / or incorporated into the control algorithm of the smoke evacuation system 50800, 50900.

[0219] In various examples, the processor of the smoke evacuation system can recognize when the external sensor 50852 detects unacceptable and / or increased contamination levels in the operating room atmosphere. Such detection indicates that the smoke evacuation system 50800, 50900 is inefficient. The detected inefficiency can indicate that one or more filters are not functioning and / or need to be replaced. When a clinician is notified of a non-functioning filter, the clinician can ensure that replacement filters are in inventory for future maintenance to prevent delay(s).

[0220] In various examples, the smoke evacuation system can be used in combination with a camera scope during a surgical procedure to efficiently manage the evacuation of contaminants and / or smoke from a surgical site. For example, the smoke evacuation system 50800, 50900 can be used in combination with an imaging module 238 and an endoscope 239 (FIG. 47). In one aspect of the present disclosure, a surgical hub, such as the hub 206 (FIG. 48), can coordinate communication between the imaging module 238 and a surgical evacuation system, such as the smoke evacuation device 226 (FIG. 48). The camera scope is configured to monitor for visual obstructions in the air by capturing a series of images at a particular sample rate. The collected images are transmitted to a processor (e.g., processors 50308, 50408, respectively, of FIGS. 5 and 6) for evaluation. In various examples, the processor is also configured to receive monitored data from a sensor system, which can include an internal sensor 50838 and / or an external sensor 50852, as described herein. The processor is configured to compare the images received from the camera scope with the particle count and / or concentration received from the sensor system to determine correlation(s) and improve the efficiency of smoke and / or contamination removal from the surgical site and / or operating room atmosphere.

[0221] In such examples, the visual obstruction determined by the camera scope and the particle number and / or concentration determined by the sensor system are compared to reconcile the particle number measurements with the speed of the smoke evacuation system motor. Upon comparing the data collected from the sensor system and the camera scope, the processor may take any of a number of steps. For example, based on the comparison, the processor may decide to turn on the smoke evacuation system, increase the smoke evacuation system motor speed, decrease the smoke evacuation system motor speed, and / or turn off the smoke evacuation system. In various examples, the comparison is performed automatically. However, the reader will understand that such a comparison may be performed after manual activation.

[0222] In various examples, the images captured by the camera scope and the particle count and / or concentration detected by the sensor system can be stored in memory as a baseline comparison. In future surgical procedures, the clinician and / or assistant can use the images collected by the camera scope alone to confirm the density of smoke and / or contaminants. In such examples, visual obstructions detected by the camera scope are associated with a particular particle count and / or concentration. After the processor analyzes the air, the processor can take any of a number of steps. For example, based on the analyzed images captured by the camera scope in view of the stored baseline comparison, the processor can decide to turn on the smoke evacuation system, increase the motor speed of the smoke evacuation system, decrease the motor speed of the smoke evacuation system, and / or turn off the smoke evacuation system.

[0223] In various examples, situational awareness can further inform the decision-making processes described herein. For example, images from a scope may be meaningful in the context of a particular surgical procedure and / or steps thereof, which may be configured and / or determined based on the situational awareness of the smoke evacuation system and / or hub in communication therewith. For example, more smoke may be expected during a particular surgical procedure and / or particular steps thereof and / or when treating a particular type of tissue.

[0224] In various examples, the smoke evacuation system wirelessly communicates with other surgical devices and / or hubs located in the operating room to improve the efficiency of smoke evacuation during a surgical procedure. For example, activation of a generator of a surgical device may be communicated to a centralized hub that forwards the information to the smoke evacuation system. The centralized hub may detect current through the surgical energy device and / or sense changes in the generator's power draw for communication to the smoke evacuation system. In various examples, the centralized hub may store information related to the surgical procedure and / or the activated surgical device. Such information may include, for example, an expected amount of smoke generated during a particular surgical procedure, and information related to a particular surgical device and / or tissue composition of a particular patient may be used to determine the expected amount. Receiving such information may enable the smoke evacuation system to predict a particular smoke evacuation rate to more efficiently move smoke and / or contaminants away from the surgical site. The reader will understand that various surgical devices may communicate information directly to the smoke evacuation system and / or indirectly through a centralized hub. The centralized hub may be, for example, a surgical hub, such as surgical hub 206 (FIG. 48).

[0225] In various examples, the smoke evacuation system is in wired communication with other surgical devices and / or hubs located in the operating room to improve the efficiency of smoke evacuation during a surgical procedure. Such wired communication can be established via a cable interconnection between the generator and the smoke evacuation system for communication of generator activation. For example, an activation indication signal cable may be connected between the generator of the surgical device and the smoke evacuation system. When the generator is activated and a signal is received via the wired connection, the smoke evacuation system is automatically activated.

[0226] The wireless and / or wired communication between the generators of the surgical devices and / or the centralized hub and / or the smoke evacuation system can include information regarding the activated surgical device. Such information can include, for example, information regarding the current operating mode of the surgical device and / or a particular energy setting and / or intensity of delivery. In various examples, once such information is communicated from the surgical device, the memory of the centralized hub and / or the smoke evacuation system is configured to store such information for future use. For example, the centralized hub can store information regarding the surgical device used during a particular procedure, as well as the average smoke and / or contaminant count and / or concentration. In future surgical procedures, when the same (or similar) surgical device is activated in the same (or similar) surgical procedure treating the same (or similar) type of tissue, the centralized hub can communicate such information to the smoke evacuation system prior to the accumulation of smoke and / or contaminants.

[0227] In various examples, the smoke evacuation system is configured to notify a clinician of a detected level of contamination in the operating room atmosphere. The smoke evacuation system can utilize a sensor system to monitor the difference between particle size and / or concentration detected by a first internal sensor and a second external sensor. In various examples, the monitored parameters of the sensor system can be used to alert a clinician and / or assistant if the detected level of contamination exceeds a predetermined threshold.

[0228] In various examples, the processor directs the display to show the parameters monitored by the sensor system. In various examples, the display is located outside the housing of the smoke evacuation system. The processor can also communicate the monitored parameters to other surgical instruments and / or hubs located in the operating room to aid in situational awareness of the interactive surgical system. In this manner, other surgical instruments and / or hubs can be used together more efficiently. In situations where the monitored parameters are communicated throughout the operating room, the clinician and / or assistants can view contamination warnings from various displays around the operating room. The monitored parameters can be displayed on multiple monitors in the operating room in addition to the display on the smoke evacuation system. The reader will understand that any suitable combination of displays can be used to communicate the detected air quality in the operating room.

[0229] 30 illustrates a smoke evacuation system 53000 configured to monitor the air quality of the ambient air in a surgical suite and alert a clinician when the detected air quality exceeds a predetermined threshold and / or becomes potentially harmful. The smoke evacuation system 53000 is similar in many respects to the smoke evacuation system 50600 (FIG. 7). For example, the smoke evacuation system 53000 includes a generator 50640, a first electrical connection 50642, a surgical instrument 50630, and a suction hose 50636. As shown in FIG. 30, in various examples, the smoke evacuation system 53000 includes a display or air quality indicator screen 53002. The air quality indicator screen 53002 is configured to display information detected by a sensor system, such as a sensor system including one or more of sensors 50830, 50832, 50836, 50838, 50840, 50846, 50848, 50850, 50852 described further herein and shown in Figures 18 and 19. A processor, such as processor 50308 and / or 50408 (Figures 5 and 6), can be in signal communication with the sensor system and the air quality indicator screen 53002. In various examples, the air quality indicator screen 53002 is configured to display a contaminant particle count monitored by an external sensor 50852 to verify that contaminants are not circulating in the operating room atmosphere at harmful levels.

[0230] In various examples, the smoke evacuation system 53000 includes a latch door 53004 accessible to a clinician to replace and / or replace filters contained within the evacuation housing of the smoke evacuation system 53000. For example, by monitoring particulate concentrations passing through the smoke evacuation system 53000, the processor may determine that one or more filters are substantially clogged and approaching the end of their useful life and therefore in need of replacement. In such an example, the clinician may open the latch door 53004 and replace the one or more filters. As described further herein, the particular filter and / or filter(s) in need of replacement may be identified based on the relative placement of internal sensors within the smoke evacuation system 53000.

[0231] In various examples, a processor such as processor 50308 and / or 50408 (FIGS. 5 and 6) is configured to communicate detected smoke parameters, such as particle size and / or concentration, to the display 53002. The display 53002 is configured to display such detected information in any suitable manner. For example, the display 53002 may show the pollution levels detected by each of the internal and external sensors across the sensor system. In various examples, the display 53002 is configured to display information only if the air quality does not meet a predetermined threshold. In various examples, the display 53002 includes a touch screen that allows the clinician to determine which information to display and / or where the information is displayed.

[0232] In various examples, the display 53002 includes a graphical interface, an LCD screen, and / or a touch screen. The reader will appreciate that any suitable means of displaying detected information and / or combinations thereof may be used in the smoke evacuation system 53000. For example, an LED light may be used as the display 53002. When the processor 50308 and / or 50408 (FIGS. 5 and 6) determines that unacceptable air quality exists in the operating room, the processor 50308 and / or 50408 is configured to activate the LED light.

[0233] FIGURE 31 illustrates a representation of instructions 53100 stored by a memory of a surgical evacuation system, such as, for example, memories 50310 and 50410 of FIGURES 5 and 6. In various examples, the surgical evacuation systems disclosed herein may utilize the instructions 53100 of FIGURE 31. Additionally, the reader will readily appreciate that, in certain examples, the instructions 53100 of FIGURE 31 may be combined with one or more additional algorithms and / or instructions described herein. The instructions 53100 stored in a memory may be executed by a processor, such as, for example, processors 50308 and / or 50408 of FIGURES 5 and 6.

[0234] 31, as discussed above, an internal sensor, such as sensor 50838 (FIGS. 18 and 19), is configured to monitor an internal parameter, such as particle size and / or concentration of the fluid. As the fluid flows through the flow path, particles and / or contaminants are filtered before the fluid exits the surgical drainage system. An external sensor, such as sensor 50852 (FIGS. 18 and 19), located on the external housing of the surgical drainage system, is configured to monitor an external parameter as the filtered fluid exits the surgical drainage system. Such external parameters may include, for example, particle size and / or concentration in the air within the operating room.

[0235] At block 53102 of instructions 53100, the processor is configured to query the internal and external sensors for the detected internal and external parameters, respectively. In various examples, the processor continuously queries the internal and external sensors for this information. However, any suitable sample rate may be used. The processor is then configured to analyze the information received from the internal and external sensors to determine an efficiency level of the surgical evacuation system at block 53104. After determining the efficiency level of the surgical evacuation system, the processor is configured to display the determined efficiency level on a display at block 53106. Such display may include the raw information received from the internal and external sensors, the efficiency level determined by the processor, and / or an alert to the clinician if the efficiency level is below a predetermined threshold. A level below a predetermined threshold may indicate, for example, that a filter needs to be changed and / or that particles are not being efficiently filtered and are accumulating in the air of the operating room.

[0236] FIG 32 illustrates a representation of instructions 53200 stored by a memory of a surgical evacuation system similar to that depicted in FIG 31. In various examples, the surgical evacuation systems disclosed herein may utilize the instructions of FIG 32. Additionally, the reader will readily appreciate that in certain examples, the instructions of FIG 32 may be combined with one or more additional algorithms and / or instructions described herein. The instructions may be stored in a memory and executed by a processor, such as, for example, memory 50310 and / or 50410 and / or processor 50308 and / or 50408 of FIGS. 5 and 6.

[0237] 32, prior to the start of the surgical procedure at block 53202, the processor is configured to interrogate an external sensor, such as sensor 50852 (FIGS. 18 and 19), for a baseline air quality parameter. The baseline air quality parameter is indicative of the air quality in the operating room prior to the surgical procedure. At block 53204, the processor is configured to continuously interrogate the internal sensor to recognize that the surgical procedure is in progress. After the processor determines that the surgical procedure is occurring, the processor continuously interrogates the external sensor at block 53206. If the processor determines that the air quality detected by the external sensor is deteriorating, such as at block 53208, the processor is configured to increase the speed of the motor at block 53210 to direct more fluid into the surgical drainage system. If the detected air quality is the same as the baseline air quality, such as at block 53212, the processor is configured to maintain the speed of the motor at block 53214. If the detected air quality has improved from the baseline air quality, such as at block 53216, the processor is configured to maintain or decrease the speed of the motor at block 53218. In various examples, the processor continuously queries the internal and external sensors for information. However, any suitable sample rate may be used.

[0238] Smoke evacuation systems play an important role in electrosurgical systems by removing harmful toxic materials and / or unpleasant odors from the operating room. However, the control and regulation of certain smoke evacuation systems can be lacking, which can result in, for example, reduced motor life and / or poor filter life.

[0239] In one aspect of the disclosure, a sensor can be arranged and configured to detect the presence of particles in a fluid moving through various points in a flow path of the evacuation system. In some aspects of the disclosure, a control circuit can be utilized to vary the speed of a motor driving a pump of the evacuation system based on the detected particulate concentration at various points along the flow path. Additionally or alternatively, a control circuit can be utilized to vary the speed of the motor based on the detected pressure at various points in the flow path.

[0240] Efficient regulation of the motor speed of the exhaust system can increase motor life and / or increase filter life. Further benefits include, for example, potential energy savings and reduced noise in the operating room.

[0241] As described herein, electrosurgical instruments deliver energy to a patient's target tissue to cut the tissue and / or cauterize blood vessels in and / or near the target tissue. Cutting and cauterization can result in smoke being released into the air. In various examples, the smoke can be unpleasant, obstructive to the practitioner's vision, and unhealthy if inhaled, as described further herein. The electrosurgical system can employ an exhaust system that captures the resulting smoke, directs the captured smoke through one or more filters, and exhausts the filtered smoke. More specifically, the smoke can travel through the exhaust system via a vacuum tube. Harmful toxic substances and unpleasant odors can be filtered from the smoke as it travels through one or more of the filters in the exhaust system. The filtered air can then exit the exhaust system as exhaust via an exhaust port.

[0242] In various aspects of the disclosure, the evacuation system includes a filter receptacle or socket. The filter receptacle is configured to receive the filter. The evacuation system also includes a pump having a sealed positive displacement flow path and a motor driving the pump. The sealed positive displacement flow path of the pump can include one or more circulation paths for the fluid within the pump. In one aspect of the disclosure, the pump has a first operating pressure and a second operating pressure. In certain examples, the pump can compress the inlet fluid to create a pressure differential along the flow path, as further described herein.

[0243] 4, the exhaust system 50500 includes a pump 50506 coupled to and driven by a motor 50512. As described herein, the pump 50506 may be a positive displacement pump, such as, for example, a positive displacement reciprocating pump, a positive displacement rotary pump, or a positive displacement linear pump. In various examples, the pump 50506 may be, for example, a hybrid regenerative blower, a claw pump, a lobe compressor, or a scroll compressor. In one embodiment of the disclosure, the motor 50512 may be a permanent magnet synchronous direct current (DC) motor. Some embodiments may include a brushless DC motor.

[0244] According to aspects of the present disclosure, the motor 50512 can be adjusted and / or controlled for a variety of reasons including, for example, to maintain flow rate, increase motor efficiency, increase motor life, increase pump life, increase filter life, and / or conserve energy. When the exhaust system's control circuitry (see, for example, the control schematics of FIGS. 5 and 6 ) recognizes a particular condition, such as, for example, a blockage in the flow path, an undesirable pressure, and / or an undesirable particle count, the control circuitry can adjust the motor 50512 to adjust or maintain the flow rate, which can, for example, increase motor efficiency, increase motor life, increase pump life, increase filter life, and / or conserve energy.

[0245] In one aspect of the disclosure, with reference to FIG. 6, the processor may be internal to the ejection system. For example, the processor 50408 may be internal to the ejector housing 50618 of FIG. 7. In other aspects of the disclosure, the processor may be near the exterior of the ejection system 50600. For example, an external processor 50308 is shown in FIG. The external processor may be a processor in the surgical hub. In yet another aspect, the internal processor and the external processor may communicate to cooperatively control the motor 50512.

[0246] According to one aspect of the disclosure, the motor 50512 may be adjusted by the control circuit to increase motor efficiency. For example, referring to the evacuation system of FIG. 18 and FIG. 19, the fluid detection sensor 50830 is disposed upstream of the filter(s) and the filter receptacle. In various examples, the fluid detection sensor 50830 is configured to detect fluid upstream of the filter(s). For example, the fluid detection sensor 50830 is configured to detect whether aerosols or liquid droplets are present in the evacuation smoke. Based on the output from the fluid detection sensor 50830, the control circuit can adjust a control parameter of the smoke evacuation system, such as, for example, adjusting power to a valve and / or a motor.

[0247] In certain examples, the evacuation system can detect whether a fluid (e.g., smoke) is present in the flow path. In certain examples, the fluid detection sensor 50830 can automatically scan for fluid or a particular type of fluid when a clinician begins treatment of patient tissue using the electrosurgical instrument, such as when the electrosurgical instrument 50630 (FIG. 7) is activated by the generator 50640 (FIG. 7). Alternatively, or in combination with the fluid detection sensor 50830, a separate sensor, such as, for example, an end effector or an imaging device of the surgical instrument, can be configured to detect the fluid(s) at the surgical site. In one example, the separate sensor may be located near the tip of the electrosurgical instrument 50630. When the fluid detected by one or more of the fluid detection sensor(s) is below a threshold value, the control circuit can adjust the motor speed of the pump to a level sufficient to monitor the presence of the fluid or a particular type of fluid. The motor speed in such examples may be a minimum motor speed or an idle motor speed that allows for an accurate reading at the fluid detection sensor(s). Alternatively, the motor speed can be reduced to zero and periodically increased to a minimum or idle motor speed to monitor for the presence of a fluid or a particular type of fluid.

[0248] Upon detection of fluid by the fluid detection sensor, or a fluid level above a threshold, the control circuitry can adjust the speed of the motor 50512 to a level sufficient to completely drain the fluid from the surgical site. In one embodiment, a cloud such as cloud 104 (FIG. 39) and / or cloud 204 (FIG. 46) can track and / or store motor speed levels established as sufficient to efficiently drain fluid for the same or similar surgical procedures. In such an embodiment, the control circuitry can access and / or reference the historical motor speed levels stored in the cloud when setting the appropriate motor speed level for that surgical procedure.

[0249] Additionally or alternatively, the speed of the motor can be adjusted based on the particulate concentration detected along the flow path. For example, referring back to Figures 18 and 19, the evacuation systems 50800 and 50900 include laser particle sensors 50838 and 50848 along the respective flow paths 50804 and 50904. The particle sensor 50838 is positioned upstream of the filters 50842, 50844, and receptacle 50871 in the surgical evacuation system 50800, and upstream of the filters 50942, 50944, and receptacle 50971 in the surgical evacuation system 50900. The particle sensor 50838 is configured to detect and / or count particles upstream of the filter(s). The particle sensor 50848 is positioned downstream of the filter(s) 50842, 50844, and receptacle 50871 in the surgical drainage system 50800, and downstream of the filter(s) 50942, 50944, and receptacle 50971 in the surgical drainage system 50900. The particle sensor 50848 is configured to detect and / or count particles downstream of the filter(s).

[0250] In such examples, the exhaust system 50800, 50900 can detect (e.g., via a laser particle counter sensor) whether a fluid (e.g., smoke containing particulate matter) is present. For example, the sensor(s) can detect the concentration of particulate matter in the smoke. In certain examples, the laser particle counter sensor(s) can automatically scan and count particles when a practitioner begins to treat patient tissue using the electrosurgical instrument, such as, for example, when the electrosurgical instrument 50630 is activated by the generator 50640.

[0251] When the particulate concentration detected by the particle sensor 50838 is below a threshold, the control circuitry can adjust the motor speed to a level sufficient to sample the particulate concentration in the flow path. For example, the motor speed can be set to a minimum or idle motor speed that allows for an accurate reading at the sensor. In an alternative embodiment, the motor speed can be reduced to zero and periodically increased to a minimum or idle motor speed level sufficient to monitor for the presence of fluid (e.g., particulate concentration in the smoke above a threshold). In such an embodiment, upon detecting a particulate concentration above a threshold, the control circuitry can adjust the speed of the motor 50512 (FIG. 4) to a level sufficient to fully evacuate the smoke and filter particulates from the surgical site. Again, the cloud can track and / or store motor speed levels established to be sufficient to efficiently evacuate fluid for the same or similar surgical procedures based on particulate concentrations detected by the sensor. In such an embodiment, the control circuitry can access and / or reference such historical motor speed levels when setting the appropriate motor speed level for that surgical procedure.

[0252] In one aspect of the present disclosure, the motor 50512 is more efficient because it will either be off (i.e., zero motor speed) or operating at a predetermined minimum or idle speed unless a fluid and / or threshold particulate concentration is detected. In such an example, energy can be conserved and noise in the operating room can be minimized. Furthermore, if a fluid and / or threshold particulate concentration is detected, the motor 50512 can be operated at an efficient motor speed, i.e., a motor speed established as sufficient to efficiently evacuate fluid and / or particles based on historical data. This is an improvement over other manual methods that set motor speed levels based on subjective assessment (e.g., a particular clinician's experience) and / or simply adjust the evacuation system and / or increase motor speed levels based on visual and / or olfactory cues (e.g., seeing smoke and / or smelling smoke).

[0253] According to various aspects of the present disclosure, motor parameters, such as, for example, the speed of the motor, can be adapted to adjust (e.g., increase) the efficiency of the exhaust system and its filters based on the needs at the surgical site. As described herein, if smoke detected at the surgical site is below a threshold, it may be inefficient for the exhaust system to unnecessarily filter a volume of air. In such an example, the motor speed can be decreased, reduced to zero, or maintained at zero, thereby decreasing, reducing to zero, or maintaining at zero the volume of air filtered by the exhaust box, respectively. Efficient use of the exhaust system ultimately extends the useful life of the exhaust system and / or its components (e.g., fluid traps, filters, motors, pumps, etc.) and reduces the associated repair and / or replacement costs of the exhaust system and / or its components. Stress and wear caused by constantly running the motor at full speed or above full speed is avoided. Additionally, the motor driving the pump in the exhaust system may generate various levels of operating noise and / or vibration noise. Such operating noises and / or vibration noises may be undesirable in an operating room and / or environment, for example, because they may impede communication between surgical staff and / or be irritating and / or distracting to surgical staff.

[0254] In certain instances, it may not be desirable to reduce the motor speed to zero. For example, an electric motor, such as a permanent magnet synchronous DC motor, may require a large starting torque from a dead stop for use with the various pumps described herein. Referring again now to FIG. 4, the pump 50506 creates a pressure differential between the fluid entering the pump 50506 and the fluid exiting the pump 50506. This pressure differential or compression ratio of the pump 50506 may result in a high starting torque of the motor 50512 to start the motor 50512 and rotate the pump 50506. In one embodiment, the pump 50506 may comprise a blower (e.g., a hybrid regenerative blower). In such an embodiment, the blower may operate at a compression ratio of, for example, about 1.1 to 1.2 to deliver a larger volume of fluid (e.g., relative to a fan or compressor) at an operating pressure of about 1.5 psig to 1.72 psig. In another embodiment, the pump 50506 may comprise a compressor (e.g., scroll compressor pump 50650 of FIG. 12). In such an embodiment, the compressor may, for example, operate at a compression ratio of greater than about 2 to deliver a smaller volume of fluid (eg, for a fan or blower) at an operating pressure greater than about 2.72 psig.

[0255] Aspects of the present disclosure are directed to systems and methods for improving filter assembly life. The filter assembly can include multiple filtration layers. For example, referring again to FIG. 11, the filter assembly can include a coarse media filter 50684, a fine particulate filter 50686, and a carbon reservoir 50688.

[0256] According to various aspects of the disclosure, a first pressure sensor (e.g., pressure sensor 50840 of FIGS. 18 and 19) can be disposed upstream of the filter receptacle in the flow path, and a second pressure sensor (e.g., pressure sensor 50846 of FIGS. 18 and 19) can be disposed downstream of the filter receptacle in the flow path. In such an example, the first pressure sensor is configured to detect a first pressure and transmit a signal indicative of the first pressure to the control circuit. Similarly, the second pressure sensor is configured to detect a second pressure and transmit a signal indicative of the second pressure to the control circuit. Further, the control circuit receiving the signal indicative of the first pressure and the signal indicative of the second pressure is configured to calculate a pressure difference between the first pressure sensor and the second pressure sensor. The control circuit can utilize the calculated pressure difference in various ways. In a first example, the control circuit can adjust the motor speed based on the pressure difference. In a second example, the control circuit can indicate that maintenance is needed based on the pressure difference. For example, an indicator may be displayed on the evacuation system interface and / or the surgical hub interface. The control circuitry can calculate the pressure differential continuously, in real-time, periodically, or when system computational resources are available.

[0257] Referring again to FIG. 4, in certain examples, particles entering the flow path 50504 of the exhaust system 50500 may cause an internal blockage. For example, the particles may at least partially clog and / or block a portion of the flow path 50504. In one example, the filter 50502 may become clogged with particles. The blockage may occur suddenly or over time as the exhaust system operates. A blockage in the exhaust system 50500 may cause a pressure difference in the flow path 50504 to rise as the flow is impeded. To maintain the desired flow rate and compensate for the blockage, the pump 50506 and / or the motor 50512 may require more power and / or an increase in speed. However, the increase in speed and / or power may reduce the efficiency of the motor 50512 and / or the pump 50506. Furthermore, operating the motor 50512 and / or the pump 50506 at an increased speed to compensate for the blockage may reduce their lifespan. In other examples, to compensate for the occlusion, the control circuit can adjust the motor 50512 as described further herein.

[0258] In one aspect of the disclosure, the control circuitry can send a drive signal to provide a regulated current to the motor 50512. The delivery of a desired current can be achieved by varying the duty cycle of the pulse width modulation of the electrical input to the motor 50512. In such an aspect, by increasing the duty cycle of the current input to the motor, the motor speed can be increased and by decreasing the duty cycle of the current input to the motor, the motor speed can be decreased.

[0259] In one aspect of the disclosure, the exhaust system can include a relief valve in the flow path to relieve excess resistance pressure in the exhaust system. The relief valve can be in fluid communication with the ambient environment, for example. Relief of excess resistance pressure by such a relief valve can prevent the motor 50512 from having to compensate or attempting to compensate for the excess resistance pressure. In various aspects of the disclosure, such a relief valve is configured to operate (e.g., open and / or close) upon receiving a signal from the control circuit.

[0260] In various aspects of the disclosure, the control circuitry can recognize a blockage based on sensors disposed within the evacuation system. For example, referring back to FIG. 18 and FIG. 19, the pressure sensor 50840 is positioned and configured to detect pressure upstream of one or more filter(s), and the pressure sensor 50846 is positioned and configured to detect pressure downstream of one or more filter(s). The pressure sensor 50840 is further configured to transmit a signal indicative of the detected pressure to the control circuitry. Similarly, the pressure sensor 50846 is configured to transmit a signal indicative of the detected pressure to the control circuitry. In such an example, the control circuitry can determine that a portion of the filter assembly is at least partially blocked based on the pressure detected at 50846 and / or the calculated pressure difference between 50840 and 50846. In various aspects of the disclosure, the control circuitry may determine that the filter assembly is blocked, for example, if (A) the pressure detected at pressure sensor 50846 exceeds a particular threshold, (B) the calculated pressure difference between pressure sensor 50840 and pressure sensor 50846 exceeds a particular threshold, (C) the pressure detected at pressure sensor 50846 exceeds a particular threshold established for the filter(s), and / or (D) the calculated pressure difference between pressure sensor 50840 and pressure sensor 50846 exceeds a particular threshold established for the filter(s). In one example, the control circuitry is configured to access and / or reference a predicted pressure for the filter(s) based on historical data stored in a cloud, such as cloud 104 (FIG. 39) and / or cloud 204 (FIG. 46).

[0261] 18 and 19, the pressure sensor 50850 is positioned and configured to detect pressure at or near the outlet of the exhaust system. Additionally, the pressure sensor 50850 is configured to transmit a signal to the control circuit indicative of the pressure detected at or near the outlet. In such an example, the control circuit can determine that the flow path through the exhaust system downstream of the filter(s) is at least partially blocked based on the pressure detected at the pressure sensor 50846 and / or the calculated pressure difference between the pressure sensor 50846 and the pressure sensor 50850. In various aspects of the present disclosure, the control circuit can determine that the flow path is blocked, for example, if the pressure detected at the pressure sensor 50846 exceeds a certain threshold and / or if the pressure difference between the pressure sensor 50846 and the pressure sensor 50850 exceeds a certain threshold. When comparing the pressure difference between the pressure sensor 50846 and the pressure sensor 50850, the pressure difference generated by the pump can be taken into account. In one example, the control circuit can access and / or reference a predicted pressure for the flow path based on historical data stored in a cloud, such as cloud 104 (FIG. 39) and / or cloud 204 (FIG. 46).

[0262] The speed of the motor 50512 can correspond to the current being supplied to the motor 50512. In one aspect of the disclosure, the control circuit can decrease the duty cycle of a pulse width modulation (PWM) of the current input to the motor 50512 to decrease the rotational speed of the pump 50506 and / or increase the PWM duty cycle of the current input to the motor 50512 to increase the rotational speed of the pump 50506. As described herein, adjustments to the PWM duty cycle can be configured to maintain the flow rate substantially constant over a range of inlet pressures (e.g., as measured by pressure sensor 50840) and / or a range of outlet pressures (e.g., as measured by pressure sensor 50850).

[0263] 37, the control circuitry can track and / or plot over time the ratio of the pressure detected by the upstream pressure sensor 50840 to the pressure detected by the downstream pressure sensor 50846 (the upstream to downstream pressure ratio). For example, the control circuitry including the processors 50308 and / or 50408 (FIGS. 5 and 6) can determine the pressure ratio and make various adjustments to the surgical drainage system based on the pressure ratio.

[0264] In one example, referring to the graphical representation 54200 of FIG. 37, the pressure difference between the upstream pressure sensor 50840 and the downstream pressure sensor 50846 may increase as the filter becomes occluded. In one aspect of the disclosure, the pressure ratio may increase as the downstream pressure measured by the pressure sensor 50846 decreases and / or the upstream pressure measured by the pressure sensor 50840 increases. The pressure at the pressure sensor 50840 may be equal or substantially equal to the pressure at the surgical site (e.g., within the patient's body). The pressure at the pressure sensor 50846 may be the pressure drawn by the pump. The increase in the pressure ratio may correspond to an occlusion between the downstream pressure sensor 50846 and the upstream pressure sensor 50840, such as an occlusion in the filter(s). For example, as the filter becomes occluded, the pressure at the pressure sensor 50840 may remain the same or substantially the same (pressure at the surgical site) and the pressure at the pressure sensor 50846 may decrease as the pump continues to pull a vacuum.

[0265] The ratio of upstream to downstream pressure can be indicative of filter life, for example a low ratio can indicate that the filter does not need to be changed and a high ratio can indicate that the filter needs to be changed.

[0266] Time t 0 From a new and unblocked filter at time t 2The progression to a nearly blocked filter at time t is shown in Figure 37. As shown in Figure 37, the ratio of the upstream to downstream pressures (pressure at the upstream pressure sensor 50840 and the downstream pressure sensor 50846) starts out at a non-zero ratio, which may be due to baseline pressure differences from the airflow through the filter components and materials. 0 From time t 1 It remains relatively constant until just before time t 1 5, the upstream to downstream pressure ratio increases at a relatively constant rate with a slope of α until the upstream to downstream pressure ratio reaches an exchange ratio R″. Once the exchange ratio R″ is reached and / or exceeded, the filter is considered to be substantially clogged and should be replaced, for example to avoid damage to the motor and / or pump. In one example, the control circuitry can access and / or reference the exchange ratio R″ for a given filter installed or disposed in a filter receptacle of the evacuation system via the cloud. For example, the exchange ratio R″ may be stored in memory 50410 accessible to the processor 50408 of FIG. 6. Alternatively, the exchange ratio R″ may be user defined and / or based on a history of local and / or global pressure data in the cloud. In various aspects of the present disclosure, the control circuitry can utilize the tracked and / or plotted ratio to display a filter life metric (e.g., 40% remaining) on ​​a user interface of the evacuation system and / or surgical hub.

[0267] 37, the control circuitry may further track and / or plot the pulse width modulation (PWM) duty cycle of the motor of the exhaust system over time. For example, the filter(s) may 0 After that, at time t 1 If the motor is considered relatively new until just before t , the PWM duty cycle of the motor is set to a relatively low constant duty cycle or percentage. 1 In the control circuit, α 1The motor PWM duty cycle is configured to increase at a relatively constant speed with a slope of α. The increase in duty cycle can be selected to compensate for filter blockage. As blockages in the filter continue to accumulate during use, the duty cycle can be increased accordingly to compensate for the filter blockage. In various examples, the slope α 1 may track the slope α as shown in Figure 37. The control circuitry may access and / or reference the partial blockage ratio associated with a given filter installed in a filter receptacle of the exhaust system via a cloud, such as cloud 104 (Figure 39) and / or cloud 204 (Figure 46). Alternatively, the partial blockage ratio may be user defined and / or based on historical local and / or global pressure data in the cloud.

[0268] In one aspect of the disclosure, the pump speed can be increased so that the pump draws more air through the exhaust system by increasing the duty cycle of the motor. In other words, an increase in the pressure differential across the filter can trigger a corresponding increase in the PWM duty cycle of the motor for the pump.

[0269] The pump of the evacuation system is configured to transport or affect the movement of a fluid along the flow path by mechanical action. During operation, the pump can increase the pressure of the fluid as it moves. The pump can have two or more operating pressures. In one aspect of the disclosure, the pump can operate at a first operating pressure that results in a first flow rate of the fluid through the flow path, and the pump can operate at a second operating pressure that results in a second flow rate of the fluid through the flow path. The first and second flow rates of the fluid through the flow path can be the same or substantially similar, regardless of the difference between the first and second operating pressures of the pump. In one example, as obstructions build up in the flow path, the pump can operate at a higher operating pressure to maintain a constant flow rate.

[0270] With further reference to the graphical representation 54200 of FIG. 37 , the control circuit can increase the PWM duty cycle of the motor to increase the current supplied to the motor and increase the operating pressure of the pump. The control circuit can adjust the duty cycle based on, for example, the sensed pressure(s), pressure differential(s), and / or a ratio of the sensed pressures. The increased operating pressure can increase the operating pressure for a period of time t 1 The control circuitry may be configured to compensate for blockages, such as blockages in a filter that begin near the filter. In such an example, the control circuitry may control the load on a pump, for example, as the filter becomes clogged with particles.

[0271] In various aspects of the present disclosure, the control circuitry can increase the current supplied to the motor up to an established motor current threshold. In one aspect, the control circuitry can increase the established motor current threshold to achieve the pressure differential necessary to maintain a desired flow rate. For example, the pressure differential and desired flow rate can be maintained despite an obstruction in the flow path.

[0272] In another aspect of the present disclosure, the control circuitry can decrease the established motor current threshold for various reasons. For example, the control circuitry can decrease the established motor current threshold to prevent inadvertent tissue damage at the surgical site. For example, when a surgical port is occluded by patient tissue, the control circuitry can decrease the motor current to decrease the pressure in the system and the suction applied to the tissue. In one example, the control circuitry can access and / or reference the established motor current threshold via a cloud, such as cloud 104 (FIG. 39) and / or cloud 204 (FIG. 46). Alternatively, the established motor current threshold may be user defined and / or based on a history of local and / or global data in the cloud.

[0273] In various aspects of the present disclosure, the control circuitry can provide increased power and / or motor speed for a limited period of time based on feedback from the pressure sensor. During this time, an indication of the pressure(s) and / or occlusion may be communicated to a user, for example, via an interface in the operating room. In one example, the clinician can address the occlusion by removing the occlusion and / or changing one or more filter(s) in the filter receptacle. The limited period of time can be determined based on data stored in the cloud, such as, for example, historical data regarding periods of operation at increased power levels and / or speeds before motor and / or pump failure. After the limited period of time, the power and / or speed can be reduced, as further described herein, until the occlusion is appropriately addressed.

[0274] According to various aspects of the disclosure, the control circuitry of the evacuation system can send drive signals to provide increased or decreased current to the motor of the evacuation system to adjust the speed of the motor and / or the speed of the pump. In one example, the control circuitry can send drive signals to achieve a burst rate upon start-up of the evacuation system and / or transition between power levels. For example, the burst rate can be configured to draw the evacuation system to a specified level at the beginning of an active evacuation mode. The specified level can correspond to, for example, a specified flow rate and / or a specified pressure. In various examples, the burst rate can efficiently draw the evacuation system to the specified level in an energy efficient manner.

[0275] In one example, the burst speed set by the control circuitry is different from the constant operating speed set by the control circuitry. For example, after initial start-up of the exhaust system and / or setting an increased power level of the exhaust system, the control circuitry can send a drive signal to supply increased current to the motor to increase the motor speed to the burst speed for a short period of time. The burst speed may be, for example, a motor speed at least 20% higher than the constant motor speed required to achieve the desired flow rate. In one aspect of the present disclosure, the burst speed is at least 50% or at least 100% higher than the constant motor speed required to achieve the desired flow rate.

[0276] Referring now to the graphical representation 54300 of FIG. 38, there is shown the air flow rate and particle count over time for a surgical evacuation system. The control circuitry of the surgical evacuation systems 50800 and 50900 (FIGS. 18 and 19) can adjust the air flow rate, for example, as shown graphically in FIG. 38. More specifically, the air flow rate includes burst rates 54302 and 54304 for the motors of the surgical evacuation system. For example, the burst rate may be the motor speed required to achieve a higher than desired air flow rate for a short period of time. As shown in FIG. 38, the burst rate 54302 is a motor speed that is proportional to the air flow rate over a period of time t 1 and time t 2 For a portion (e.g., 1 / 5) of the period between time t 1 and time t 2 The desired air flow velocity V between 1 54304 may be the motor speed required to achieve an air flow rate at least 20% higher than the burst speed t 2 and time t 3 For a portion (e.g., 1 / 4) of the period between time t 2 and time t 3 The desired air flow velocity V between 2 The motor speed may be the motor speed required to achieve an air flow rate that is at least 20% higher than ...

[0277] According to various aspects of the disclosure, a transition of the exhaust system from a first airflow rate to a second airflow rate can be accompanied by an increase in the airflow rate immediately before or after the transition and before an adjustment to the second airflow rate. For example, the first airflow rate and the second airflow rate can correspond to a constant or substantially constant motor speed and a corresponding constant or substantially constant airflow velocity. Referring again to the graphical representation of FIG. 38, the airflow velocity increases over a time t 1 and time t 2 Except for the burst rates 54302 and 54304 immediately following each other, time t 1 and time t 2 and again at time t 2 and time t 3 The substantially constant air flow rate shown in FIG. 38 may correspond to a corresponding constant motor speed in a corresponding mode of operation of the exhaust system.

[0278] Further referring to FIG. 38, at time t 0 The air flow rate can correspond to the motor speed of the 54310 in "quiet" mode, V 0 ~V 1 In the "quiet" mode 54310, the evacuation system can be configured to sample fluid from the surgical site. The sampled fluid can be used to determine, for example, the operational status of the smoke evacuation system, the energy device, and / or another component of the surgical system. 1 At time t , the exhaust system can enter an “active” mode 54312. In certain examples, the “active” mode 54312 can be triggered by one or more sensors in the exhaust system, as described further herein. 1 Velocity V at 1 to and / or time t 2 Velocity V at 2 The increase in air flow rate to may be accompanied by a further increase in air flow rate immediately after the transition or initiation to the new speed level. More specifically, the air flow rate increases from time t 1 Immediately after and at time t2 In addition, the air flow rate is increased to a rate v in the second “active” mode 54314. 1 from velocity v 2 When the transition to 2 It rises sharply immediately afterwards.

[0279] Additionally or alternatively, a reduction in the power level of the exhaust system from a first air flow rate to a second air flow rate can be accompanied by an initial increase in air flow rate immediately prior to the reduction. For example, when reducing the air flow rate from a first constant or substantially constant level to a second constant or substantially constant level, the air flow rate can experience an air flow rate spike similar to that shown in FIG. 38. In one example, the control circuit can affect an air flow rate spike immediately prior to returning to a constant "quiet mode" motor speed from the "active mode". In various examples, the burst rate prior to the quiet mode can flush smoke out of the surgical system and / or the exhaust system, for example.

[0280] According to aspects of the disclosure, various particle sensors, such as, for example, particle sensors 50838 and 50848 of Figures 18 and 19, can be positioned and configured to count particles flowing through and / or within the exhaust systems 50800 and 50900. Similarly, air quality particle sensors, such as, for example, particle sensor 50852 of Figures 18 and 19, can be positioned and configured to count particles in the ambient air around the exhaust systems 50800 and 50900 and / or within the operating room. The various particle sensors (e.g., particle sensors 50838, 50848, 50852, etc.) can be further configured to send a signal indicative of the particle concentration to a control circuit, for example to adjust the air flow rate.

[0281] Referring again to FIG. 38, the motor of the exhaust system is rotated at time t 0 and time t 1 It can operate at a constant "quiet" mode 54310 speed between time t 0 and time t 1Between the particle concentration detected by particle sensor 50838 and / or particle sensor 50848, at least one particle sensor (e.g., particle sensor 50838 and / or 50848) can actively count particles flowing through the exhaust system. In certain examples, at least one particle sensor (e.g., particle sensor 50852) can actively count particles in the ambient air. In at least one example, the control circuitry can compare the particles counted by particle sensor 50838 and / or particle sensor 50848 to the particles counted by particle sensor 50852. The control circuitry can, for example, determine whether the particulate concentration detected by particle sensor 50838 and / or particle sensor 50848 is greater than or equal to threshold C of FIG. 1 It can be determined that the first threshold value, such as threshold C, is exceeded. 1 may correspond, for example, to particulate concentration levels and / or ratios of particles counted at various sensors along the flow path. 1 In response to a particle concentration exceeding a time t 1 5, the motor speed or the second air flow rate (e.g., V 1 ) the motor speed may be increased to an “active” mode 54312 associated with a time t 1 This may be accompanied by a spike or burst of air flow 54302 immediately following.

[0282] With further reference to FIG. 38, the control circuit 1 From time t 2 Up to air flow velocity V 1 While maintaining the motor speed associated with time t, the particulate concentration may continue to be detected from at least one of the particle sensors 50838, 50848, and / or 50852. 2 In the embodiment, the control circuitry determines whether the particle concentration and / or ratio detected by at least one of the particle sensors 50838, 50848, and / or 50852 is greater than or equal to the threshold C 2 It can be determined that the difference exceeds a second threshold such as threshold C. 2 is the first threshold C 1The larger the particle concentration level and / or ratio of particles counted at various sensors along the flow path, the greater the time t 2 The second threshold C 2 In response to exceeding the air flow rate V 1 or the increased air flow rate V from the motor speed associated with the first “active” mode 54314. 2 or to a motor speed associated with the second “active” mode 54314. Again, the air flow velocity V 1 Air flow velocity V 2 The increase to time t 2 This may be accompanied by a spike or burst of air flow 54304 immediately following.

[0283] In various examples, the control circuit may, for example, 2 and time t 3 The air flow velocity V between 2 While maintaining the motor speed associated with time t, the particle sensors 50838, 50848, and / or 50852 may continue to receive input indicative of particulate concentration. 3 In the embodiment, the control circuitry detects whether the particulate concentration and / or ratio detected by at least one of the particle sensors 50838, 50848, and / or 50852 exceeds a first threshold C 1 In response, the control circuit determines that the air flow rate V 2 , back to the “quiet” mode speed associated with the first non-zero air flow rate. As noted above, in a particular example, the air flow rate V 2 The decrease from t back to non-zero air flow velocity occurs at time t 3 The control circuit may, for example, include an air flow velocity spike immediately following time t 3 While maintaining the "quiet" mode speed thereafter, particulate concentrations detected by particle sensors 50838, 50848, and / or 50852 can continue to be detected and / or compared.

[0284] In various aspects of the disclosure, the motor may be a variable speed motor. For example, motor 50512 (FIG. 4) may be a variable speed motor. In such an example, the speed of the motor may be controlled based on an externally measured parameter. For example, the speed of the variable speed motor may be increased, decreased, or maintained based on a parameter measured external to the exhaust system.

[0285] According to aspects of the disclosure, the motor 50512 (FIG. 4) can be regulated by varying the supply of electrical current to the motor 50512. For example, a first amount of electrical current can be supplied to the motor 50512 to operate the motor 50512 at a first operating level. Alternatively, a second amount of electrical current can be supplied to the motor 50512 to operate the motor 50512 at a second operating level. More specifically, varying the supply of electrical current can be accomplished by varying a pulse width modulation (PWM) duty cycle of an electrical input to the motor 50512. In other aspects, the electrical current can be varied by adjusting the frequency of the electrical current supplied to the motor. In various aspects of the disclosure, the motor 50512 is coupled to a rotating mechanism or pump 50506 (e.g., a compressor, blower, etc. as described herein) such that decreasing the duty cycle or frequency of the electrical current input to the motor 50512 decreases the rotational speed of the pump 50506. Similarly, the rotational speed of the pump 50506 can be increased by increasing the duty cycle or frequency of the current input to the motor 50512 .

[0286] In various aspects of the present disclosure, a lower operating level of the motor 50512 may be advantageous over turning the motor 50512 completely off when evacuation and / or suction is not required, and then switching the motor 50512 back on when suction is required. For example, a clinician may only need to use suction intermittently during an extended procedure. In such an aspect, turning the motor 50512 on from a completely off state requires a high starting torque to overcome the static inertia of the motor 50512. Repeatedly turning the motor 50512 on from a completely off mode in this manner may be inefficient and reduce the lifespan of the motor 50512. Alternatively, employing a lower operating level may allow the motor 50512 to remain on during intermittent use of the evacuation system during surgery, allowing adjustment to a higher operating level (e.g., when additional suction is required) without requiring a higher torque to overcome the static inertia of the motor.

[0287] In various aspects of the present disclosure, a range of variation can be established or predetermined for the motor parameters. In one example, a motor speed range can be predetermined for a variable speed motor. In various aspects, a control circuit as described above can determine that a particular flow rate or an increase or decrease in flow rate is required at the surgical site based on feedback from one or more sensors. For example, the processor 50308 and / or 50408 in the control circuit can be configured to receive input from one or more sensors and make adjustments to the flow rate based at least in part on the sensor input(s). The adjustments can be determined in real time or near real time.

[0288] In one aspect, the control circuitry can determine a need for adjustments to the motor based on measurements detected by sensors within the surgical system, such as at least one sensor positioned and configured to detect fluid (e.g., fluid detection sensor 50830, FIGS. 18 and 19) and / or particles in the fluid (e.g., particle sensors 50838 and / or 50848, FIGS. 18 and 19), and / or a separate sensor on the electrosurgical instrument (e.g., electrosurgical instrument 50630, FIG. 7) positionable at or near the surgical site. In response to the determined need, the control circuitry can send a drive signal to provide a drive current to the motor 50512 (FIG. 4) to adjust its speed to an adjusted motor speed. This adjusted motor speed can correspond to a particular flow rate desired.

[0289] Alternatively, depending on the determined need, the control circuitry may send a drive signal to provide a drive current to the motor 50512 to increase or decrease the motor speed to a speed within a predetermined motor speed range. In such an example, the control circuitry limits the increase or decrease in the speed of the variable speed motor to within the predetermined motor speed range. This adjusted motor speed may or may not correspond to a desired adjusted flow rate. For example, the predetermined motor speed range may not allow the control circuitry to adjust the motor speed to achieve a desired flow rate.

[0290] In another aspect of the present disclosure, the motor speed may be selected by a clinician in the operating room, such as when the motor is operating in manual mode. For example, the clinician can manually change the variable speed motor to a desired motor speed via a user interface. The user interface may be, for example, on the housing of the evacuation system and / or on the surgical hub interface. In various aspects, the user interface can display externally measured parameters (e.g., smoke and / or particle volume measured via a sensor at or near the surgical site) to the clinician, and the clinician can manually set the motor speed based on the externally measured parameters. In such aspects, the user interface can send a drive signal to provide a drive current to the motor to set, increase, or decrease the motor speed to the selected motor speed.

[0291] In one aspect of the disclosure, the control circuitry can modify the first drive signal to the second drive signal based on pressure conditions detected and / or measured within the exhaust system. For example, referring back to FIG. 18 and FIG. 19, the pressure sensors 50840, 50846, 50850, and 50854 can transmit their corresponding pressures to the control circuitry, and the control circuitry can modify the first drive signal to the second drive signal based on one or more of the detected pressures. Notably, in such an aspect, the actual motor speed may not be equal to the motor speed selected by the user via the user interface. For example, if the pressure measured within the exhaust system exceeds a threshold pressure, allowing an increased motor speed associated with the user-selected motor speed may damage the motor and / or other components of the exhaust system. Thus, the control circuitry can override the user-selected motor speed to prevent damage to the exhaust system and its components.

[0292] In another aspect of the present disclosure, the motor speed may be automatically selected by the control circuitry, such as when the motor is operating in an automatic mode. In such an aspect, the control circuitry may send a drive signal to provide a drive current to the motor to set, increase, or decrease the motor speed to an appropriate motor speed based on an externally measured parameter(s) (e.g., smoke and / or particle amount measured at or near the surgical site). In an alternative aspect, the control circuitry may send a drive signal to provide a drive current to the motor to set, increase, or decrease the motor speed based on parameters measured within the evacuation system, including at least one of pressure and particulate concentration detected by various internal sensors. In one example, the pressure sensors 50840, 50846, 50850, and 50854 may transmit their corresponding detected and / or measured pressures to the control circuitry. Additionally or alternatively, the particle sensors 50838, 50848, and 50852 may transmit their corresponding detected and / or measured particle counts to the control circuitry.

[0293] Referring now to FIG. 35, an adjustment algorithm 54000 for a surgical evacuation system is shown. Various surgical evacuation systems disclosed herein may utilize the adjustment algorithm 54000 of FIG. 35. Additionally, the reader will readily appreciate that in certain instances, the adjustment algorithm 54000 may be combined with one or more additional adjustment algorithms described herein. Adjustments to the surgical evacuation system may be implemented by a processor in signal communication with a motor of an evacuation pump (see, e.g., the processor and pump of FIGS. 5 and 6). For example, a processor 50408 may implement the adjustment algorithm 54000. Such a processor may also be in signal communication with one or more sensors within the surgical evacuation system.

[0294] In one example, the control circuit 54008 may be communicatively coupled to a first particulate sensor 54010, which may be similar to the particle sensor 50838 of Figures 18 and 19, and may transmit a first signal including the detected and / or measured particle count at block 54002. Additionally, the control circuit 54008 may be coupled to a second particulate sensor 54012, which may be similar in many respects to the particle sensor 50848 of Figures 18 and 19, and may transmit a second signal including the detected and / or measured particle count at block 54004 to the control circuit. The control circuit 54008 may then transmit a drive signal at block 54006 to apply the determined drive current to a motor of the exhaust system at block 54016. For example, the control circuit 54008 may be similar in many respects to the control schematic of Figures 5 and 6, and may include a processor communicatively coupled to a memory. In yet another aspect, any combination of sensors 50840, 50846, 50850, 50854, 50838, 50848, and 50852 (FIGS. 18 and 19) can transmit their corresponding sensed and / or measured parameters to the control circuit 54008. In such alternative aspects, the control circuit can determine an appropriate motor speed based on the internally measured parameters. In either case, in various examples, the user interface can display the current motor speed.

[0295] In various aspects of the disclosure, the appropriate motor speed may be an ideal motor speed determined based on historical data stored in a cloud, such as cloud 104 (FIG. 39) and / or cloud 204 (FIG. 46). The ideal motor speed may be, for example, the most efficient speed given the measured external and / or internal parameter(s). In other aspects, the appropriate motor speed may be an ideal motor speed determined such that all measured pressures are below a threshold pressure. In other words, to avoid damage to exhaust system components and minimize particulate concentrations, such as those measured by particle sensor 50848. In further aspects, the motor speed automatically selected by the control circuitry may be manually adjusted. In such a manual override mode, the user may select a desired motor speed different from the automatically selected motor speed. In such aspects, the user interface may display the selected motor speed. In further aspects of the disclosure, the user interface may display the ideal motor speed determined by the control circuitry such that the user is notified that a lower (or higher) than ideal motor speed and / or flow rate has been set and / or selected.

[0296] In yet another aspect of the present disclosure, the externally measured parameters provided to the control circuitry can include a power level of the electrosurgical signal provided by a generator to the electrosurgical instrument, such as by the generator 50640 of FIG. 6 to the electrosurgical instrument 50630. In such an aspect, the control circuitry can increase the motor speed in proportion to an increase in the power level. For example, various power level increases can be correlated with increasing levels of smoke in a cloud database. Similarly, the control circuitry can decrease the motor speed in proportion to a decrease in the power level. Here, in an alternative aspect, the motor speed can be set in the exhaust system (e.g., automatically and / or manually as described herein). Furthermore, in such an aspect, the power level set at the generator 50640 can affect the set motor speed. In one aspect, the manually set motor speed can be changed based on the power level set at the generator 50640. In another aspect, the automatically set motor speed can be changed based on the power level set at the generator 50640.

[0297] FIG. 36 illustrates a graphical representation 54100 of particle count, power, voltage, and motor speed of a surgical evacuation system, such as evacuation systems 50800 and 50900. The control circuitry of the evacuation system is configured to adjust the motor speed based on externally measured parameters and internally measured parameters. In one aspect of the present disclosure, the control circuitry of FIGS. 5 and 6 can perform the illustrated motor speed adjustments. In FIG. 36, the externally measured parameter is the power level of an electrosurgical signal provided by a generator used in the surgical procedure to an electrosurgical instrument (e.g., electrosurgical instrument 50630 by generator 50640 of FIG. 7). The internally measured parameter is the particle count detected by an evacuation system, such as, for example, laser particle count counter 50838 of FIGS. 18 and 19. The reader will readily appreciate that in certain instances, the motor speed can be adjusted based on one of the externally measured parameters or the internally measured parameters. In certain instances, additional internal or external parameters can be utilized to adjust the motor speed.

[0298] Time t 0 At time t the motor speed is zero, the power level delivered to the electrosurgical instrument is zero, and the number of particles detected by the particle sensor 50838 is zero. 1 At time t, a first power level is delivered by the generator to the electrosurgical instrument. In one embodiment, the first power level may correspond to a coagulation mode. 1 Concurrently with or immediately following the increase in power level at t, the control circuit sends a drive signal to supply a starting current to the motor. 1 and 2 t , resulting in a burst of motor speed 54102 before the motor settles to a baseline (e.g., idle) motor speed 54104. The baseline motor speed 54104 may correspond, for example, to the minimum torque required to turn a pump. For example, 2As time t approaches, the motor speed may correspond to a sleep or quiet mode and the smoke evacuator is powered in anticipation of smoke generation. 1 In this case, the particle sensor 50838 does not affect the motor speed.

[0299] Time t 2 At time t 2 Shortly after, the control circuitry increases the flow rate through the exhaust system from the "quiet" mode to the "active" mode, for example by sending a second drive signal to provide an increased current to the motor. In response to the increase in flow rate, the particulate concentration counted by the particle sensor 50838 increases at time t 2 and time t 3 The control circuit actively monitors the output from the particle sensor 50838 and, as the particulate concentration decreases, sends a third drive signal to provide a reduced current to the motor 50512 in proportion to the decreasing particulate concentration detected by the particle sensor 50838. In other words, between time t 2 and time t 3 The motor speed between is proportional to the particulate concentration detected by the particle sensor 50838.

[0300] Time t 3 At time t 1 and 3 The first power level provided by the generator 50640, which remained relatively constant between time t and time t, is increased from the first power level 54112 to a second power level 54114. In one example, the second power level 54114 may correspond to a cutting mode. In response to the increase in the generator power level, 3 Shortly after, the control circuit sends a third drive signal to supply an increased current to the motor, again increasing the flow rate through the exhaust system. For example, the motor speed increases from time t 3The third drive signal may be altered in response to a change in the waveform at time t. Additionally, due to the increased power level, the particle sensor 50838 detects a second spike 54108 in counted particles. The third drive signal may address the increased particulate concentration in the smoke. In response to an increase in motor speed, the particles counted by the particle sensor 50838 may increase at time t. 3 and 4 Again, the control circuit actively monitors the particle sensor 50838 and sends a fourth drive signal to provide a reduced current to the motor in proportion to the decrease in particulate concentration detected by the particle sensor 50838.

[0301] Time t 4 At time t 3 and 4 The second power level 54114 provided by the generator that remained relatively constant between time t 4 and 5 It decreases at a constant rate between time t 4 After time t, the particulate concentration detected by the particle sensor 50838 also decreases. In fact, the particulate concentration decreases after time t 4 and time t 5 Between time t 5 The control circuitry remains relatively constant around the stop threshold 54118 until time t 4 and 5 Continue monitoring the particle sensor 50838 between times t 4 and time t 5 A subsequent drive signal is sent to reduce the current to the motor in proportion to the decrease in particulate concentration between.

[0302] Time t 5At time t a third spike 54116 in particulate concentration can be detected by the particle sensor 50838, again increasing the particle count above the minimum threshold 54110. In one example, additional smoke generated during a surgical procedure and detected by the particle sensor 50838 can be the result of tissue conditions. For example, additional smoke can be generated as tissue dries out during a procedure. 5 In response to an increase in smoke at time t, the generator waveform is automatically adjusted to minimize smoke. For example, a third power level may be provided by the generator. 1 and time t 5 The voltage that remained relatively constant at a first level between time t 5 After that, at time t 6 In a particular example, the power increases and the voltage decreases at time t 5 The waveform adjustment at 54122 can be configured to produce less smoke.

[0303] Time t 5 In response to adjustments in the power level to the generator at time t 5 and 6 It steadily decreases between time t 6 At time t, the generator power level and voltage are reduced to zero, which corresponds to a power-off state, e.g., upon completion of a surgical procedure. Additionally, the particulate concentration detected by the particle sensor 50838 decreases at time t 6 In response, the control circuitry sends a drive signal to provide a reduced current to the motor, reducing the motor speed to a sleep or quiet mode 54120.

[0304] In various examples, the evacuation system can automatically sense and compensate for the use of a laparoscope. For example, the evacuation system can automatically detect the laparoscopic mode of the surgical system. In laparoscopic surgery, a patient's body cavity is insufflated with gas (e.g., carbon dioxide) to inflate the cavity and create a working space and / or viewing space for the surgeon during the surgical procedure. Inflating the cavity creates a pressurized cavity. In such examples, the evacuation system disclosed herein can be configured to sense the pressurized cavity and adjust parameters of the evacuation system parameters, such as, for example, motor speed, in response to parameters of the pressurized cavity.

[0305] For example, referring again to Figures 18 and 19, the pressure sensor 50840 may detect pressures above a certain threshold pressure, which may correspond to pressures traditionally utilized for insufflation. In such an example, the control circuitry may first determine whether the surgical procedure being performed is a laparoscopic procedure. In certain examples, the smoke evacuation system's control circuitry (e.g., processors 50308 and / or 50408 of Figures 5 and 6) may query a communicatively coupled surgical hub and / or cloud to determine whether a laparoscopic procedure is being performed. For example, situational awareness may determine and / or confirm whether a laparoscopic procedure is being performed, as described further herein.

[0306] In certain instances, an external control circuit, such as, for example, a control circuit associated with a surgical hub, can query the communicatively coupled cloud. In another aspect, a user interface of the evacuation system can receive input from a practitioner. The control circuit can receive a signal from the user interface indicating that the surgical procedure being performed is a laparoscopic procedure. If not, the control circuit can determine if the filter is clogged and / or partially clogged as described herein. If not, the control circuit can adjust the pressure detected by the pressure sensor 50840 by a predetermined amount to achieve a laparoscopically adjusted pressure at the sensor 50840. This laparoscopically adjusted pressure at the sensor 50840 can be utilized in accordance with various aspects described herein in lieu of the actual pressure detected by the sensor 50840. In such aspects, this can avoid inappropriate and / or premature indications that the filter is clogged and / or partially clogged. Additionally, such adjustments can avoid unnecessary motor speed adjustments.

[0307] According to various embodiments, the evacuation system can further sense such a pressurized cavity and adjust evacuation system parameters (e.g., motor speed) in response to a determination that the surgical procedure being performed is a laparoscopic procedure. In such an embodiment, after a pressure sensor, such as, for example, pressure sensor 50840, detects that the evacuation system is being used in a pressurized environment, the control circuit can send a drive signal to modify one or more operating parameters of the motor to an effective evacuation speed for a laparoscopic procedure. In one example, the baseline (e.g., idle) motor speed and / or upper limit motor speed can be adjusted down to compensate for the applied pressure provided by the pressurized cavity (e.g., see FIG. 7, via the distal conduit opening 50634 near the tip of the surgical instrument 50630 and the suction hose 50636). In such an example, after a pressure sensor, such as, for example, pressure sensor 50840, detects that the evacuation system is being used in a pressurized environment, the control circuit can set a secondary threshold and / or monitor an established secondary threshold for pressure loss at the pressure sensor.

[0308] If the pressure detected at the pressure sensor 50840 falls below such a secondary threshold, the evacuation system may adversely affect insufflation at the surgical site. For example, adjustments to the motor speed may cause the pressure at the pressure sensor 50840 to fall below the secondary threshold. In certain examples, a separate pressure sensor may be positioned on the electrosurgical instrument (i.e., within the body cavity during a laparoscopic procedure) to initially detect the pressurized cavity during laparoscopic surgery and / or to monitor the pressure within the body cavity. In such embodiments, such a pressure sensor would send a signal to the control circuitry to appropriately adjust the evacuation system parameters (e.g., motor speed), as described herein.

[0309] The reader will readily appreciate that the various surgical evacuation systems and components described herein can be incorporated into a computer-implemented interactive surgical system, a surgical hub, and / or a robotic system. For example, the surgical evacuation system can communicate data to and / or receive data from a surgical hub, a robotic system, and / or a computer-implemented interactive surgical system. Various examples of computer-implemented interactive surgical systems, robotic systems, and surgical hubs are further described below.

[0310] Computer-implemented interactive surgical system 39, a computer-implemented interactive surgical system 100 includes one or more surgical systems 102 and a cloud-based system (e.g., a cloud 104 that may include a remote server 113 coupled to a storage device 105). Each surgical system 102 includes at least one surgical hub 106 in communication with the cloud 104, which may include the remote server 113. In one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 39, the surgical systems 102 include a visualization system 108, a robotic system 110, and a handheld intelligent surgical instrument 112 configured to communicate with each other and / or with the hub 106. In some aspects, the surgical system 102 may include M hubs 106, N visualization systems 108, O robotic systems 110, and P handheld intelligent surgical instruments 112, where M, N, O, and P are integers equal to or greater than 1.

[0311] FIG. 40 illustrates an example of a surgical system 102 used to perform a surgical procedure on a patient lying on an operating table 114 in a surgical room 116. A robotic system 110 is used as part of the surgical system 102 in the surgical procedure. The robotic system 110 includes a surgeon's console 118, a patient side cart 120 (surgical robot), and a surgical robot hub 122. The patient side cart 120 can manipulate at least one detachably coupled surgical tool 117 during minimally invasive incision of the patient's body while the surgeon views the surgical site via the surgeon's console 118. Images of the surgical site can be obtained by a medical imaging device 124, which can be manipulated by the patient side cart 120 to orient the imaging device 124. The robotic hub 122 can be used to process images of the surgical site for subsequent display to the surgeon via the surgeon's console 118.

[0312] Other types of robotic systems can be readily adapted for use with the surgical system 102. Various examples of robotic systems and surgical tools suitable for use with the present disclosure are described in U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 611,339, filed December 28, 2017, entitled "ROBOT ASSISTED SURGICAL PLATFORM," the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0313] Various examples of cloud-based analytics performed by cloud 104 and suitable for use with the present disclosure are described in U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 611,340, entitled "CLOUD-BASED MEDICAL ANALYTICS," filed December 28, 2017, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0314] In various embodiments, the imager 124 includes at least one image sensor and one or more optical components. Suitable image sensors include, but are not limited to, charge-coupled device (CCD) sensors and complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) sensors.

[0315] The optical components of the imaging device 124 may include one or more illumination sources and / or one or more lenses. The one or more illumination sources may be directed to illuminate a portion of the surgical field. The one or more image sensors may receive light reflected or refracted from the surgical field, including light reflected or refracted from tissue and / or surgical instruments.

[0316] The one or more illumination sources may be configured to emit electromagnetic energy in the visible and invisible spectrum. The visible spectrum, sometimes called the optical spectrum or luminous spectrum, is the portion of the electromagnetic spectrum that is visible to (i.e., detectable by) the human eye and is sometimes called visible light, or simply light. A typical human eye responds to wavelengths in air between about 380 nm and about 750 nm.

[0317] The invisible spectrum (i.e., the non-radiative spectrum) is the portion of the electromagnetic spectrum that lies below and above the visible spectrum (i.e., wavelengths below about 380 nm and above about 750 nm). The invisible spectrum is not detectable by the human eye. Wavelengths above about 750 nm are longer than the red visible spectrum, which are invisible infrared (IR), microwave, and wireless electromagnetic radiation. Wavelengths below about 380 nm are shorter than the violet spectrum, which are invisible ultraviolet, X-ray, and gamma ray electromagnetic radiation.

[0318] In various aspects, the imaging device 124 is configured for use in minimally invasive surgery. Examples of imaging devices suitable for use with the present disclosure include, but are not limited to, arthroscopes, angioscopes, bronchoscopes, cholangioscopes, colonoscopes, cytoscopes, duodenoscopes, enteroscopes, esophagogastroduodenoscopes (gastroscopes), endoscopes, laryngoscopes, nasopharyngo-neproscopes, sigmoidoscopes, thoracoscopes, and ureteroscopes.

[0319] In one aspect, the imaging device uses multispectral monitoring to distinguish between topography and underlying structures. Multispectral imaging captures image data within a specific wavelength range across the electromagnetic spectrum. The wavelengths can be separated by filters or by using instruments sensitive to light from specific wavelengths including frequencies beyond the visible light range, for example, IR and ultraviolet light. Spectral imaging can allow for the extraction of additional information that the human eye cannot capture with its red, green, and blue receptors. The use of multispectral imaging is described in detail in the "Advanced Imaging Acquisition Module" section of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 611,341, entitled "INTERACTIVE SURGICAL PLATFORM," filed December 28, 2017, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Multispectral monitoring can be a useful tool to reposition the surgical field after a surgical procedure is completed to perform one or more of the above-mentioned tests on the treated tissue.

[0320] It is self-evident that any surgical procedure requires strict sterilization of the operating room and surgical instruments. The strict sanitary and sterile conditions required in the "surgical theater", i.e., operating room or treatment room, require the utmost sterility of all medical devices and equipment. Part of that sterilization process is the need to sterilize everything that comes into contact with the patient or enters the sterile field, including the imaging device 124 and its accessories and components. It will be understood that the sterile field may be considered a specific area that is deemed free of microorganisms, such as in a tray or on a sterile towel, or the sterile field may be considered the area immediately surrounding the patient who is prepared for the surgical procedure. The sterile field may include cleaned team members in appropriate clothing, and all the equipment and fixtures in the area.

[0321] In various aspects, the visualization system 108 includes one or more imaging sensors strategically positioned relative to the sterile field, one or more image processing units, one or more storage arrays, and one or more displays, as shown in FIG. 40. In one aspect, the visualization system 108 includes HL7, PACS, and EMR interfaces. The various components of the visualization system 108 are described in the "Advanced Imaging Acquisition Module" section of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 611,341, entitled "INTERACTIVE SURGICAL PLATFORM," filed December 28, 2017, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0322] As shown in FIG. 40, the primary display 119 is positioned within the sterile field so as to be visible to an operator positioned at the operating table 114. In addition, a visualization tower 111 is positioned outside the sterile field. The visualization tower 111 includes a first non-sterile display 107 and a second non-sterile display 109 facing away from each other. A visualization system 108 guided by the hub 106 is configured to coordinate information flow to operators inside and outside the sterile field using the displays 107, 109, and 119. For example, the hub 106 can cause the visualization system 108 to maintain a live video of the surgical site on the primary display 119 while displaying snapshots of the surgical site recorded by the imager 124 on the non-sterile displays 107 or 109. The snapshots on the non-sterile displays 107 or 109 can, for example, enable the non-sterile operator to perform diagnostic steps related to the surgical procedure.

[0323] In one aspect, the hub 106 is also configured to send diagnostic input or feedback entered by a non-sterile operator located in the sterile field at the visualization tower 111 to the primary display 119 in the sterile field for viewing by a sterile operator located at the operating table. In one example, the input may be in the form of a correction to a snapshot displayed on the non-sterile display 107 or 109 that can be sent by the hub 106 to the primary display 119.

[0324] 40, a surgical instrument 112 is used as part of the surgical system 102 in a surgical procedure. The hub 106 is also configured to coordinate information flow to the display of the surgical instrument 112, for example in U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 611,341, filed December 28, 2017, entitled "INTERACTIVE SURGICAL PLATFORM," the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Diagnostic input or feedback entered by a non-sterile operator at the visualization tower 111 may be sent by the hub 106 to the surgical instrument display 115 in the sterile field, where the diagnostic input or feedback may be viewed by the operator of the surgical instrument 112. Exemplary surgical instruments suitable for use with the surgical system 102 are described, for example, in the section entitled "Surgical Instrument Hardware" and in U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 611,341, filed December 28, 2017, entitled "INTERACTIVE SURGICAL PLATFORM," the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0325] 41 , the hub 106 is shown in communication with a visualization system 108, a robotic system 110, and a handheld intelligent surgical instrument 112. The hub 106 includes a hub display 135, an imaging module 138, a generator module 140, a communications module 130, a processor module 132, and a storage array 134. In certain embodiments, as shown in FIG. 41 , the hub 106 further includes a smoke evacuation module 126 and / or a suction / irrigation module 128.

[0326] During a surgical procedure, the application of energy to tissue for sealing and / or cutting is typically accompanied by smoke evacuation, aspiration of excess fluid, and / or irrigation of tissue. Fluid, power, and / or data lines from different sources often become entangled during a surgical procedure. Valuable time may be lost addressing this issue during a surgical procedure. Untangling the lines may require unplugging the lines from their corresponding modules, which may require resetting the modules. The modular housing 136 of the hub provides a unified environment for managing the power, data, and fluid lines, reducing the frequency of such tangling between lines.

[0327] Aspects of the present disclosure present a surgical hub for use in a surgical procedure involving the application of energy to tissue at a surgical site. The surgical hub includes a hub housing and a combination generator module slidably receivable within a docking station of the hub housing. The docking station includes data and power contacts. The combination generator module includes two or more of an ultrasonic energy generator component, a bipolar RF energy generator component, and a monopolar RF energy generator component housed within a single unit. In one aspect, the combination generator module further includes a smoke evacuation component, at least one energy delivery cable for connecting the combination generator module to a surgical instrument, at least one smoke evacuation component configured to evacuate smoke, fluid, and / or particulates generated by the application of therapeutic energy to tissue, and a fluid line extending from a remote surgical site to the smoke evacuation component.

[0328] In one aspect, the fluid line is a first fluid line and a second fluid line extends from a remote surgical site to an aspiration and irrigation module that is slidably received within the hub housing. In one aspect, the hub housing includes a fluid interface.

[0329] Certain surgical procedures may require the application of more than one energy type to tissue. One energy type may be more beneficial for cutting tissue, while another different energy type may be more beneficial for sealing tissue. For example, a bipolar generator may be used to seal tissue, while an ultrasonic generator may be used to cut the sealed tissue. Aspects of the present disclosure present a solution in which the modular housing 136 of the hub is configured to house and facilitate bidirectional communication between various generators. One advantage of the modular housing 136 of the hub is that it allows for quick removal and / or replacement of various modules.

[0330] Aspects of the present disclosure present a modular surgical housing for use in a surgical procedure involving application of energy to tissue, the modular surgical housing including a first energy generator module configured to generate a first energy for application to tissue, and a first docking station including a first docking port including first data and power contacts, the first energy generator module slidably movable into electrical engagement with the power and data contacts, and the first energy generator module slidably movable out of electrical engagement with the first power and data contacts.

[0331] In addition to the above, the modular surgical housing further includes a second energy generator module configured to generate a second energy for application to tissue, different from the first energy, and a second docking station including a second docking port including second data and power contacts, wherein the second energy generator module is slidably movable into electrical engagement with the power and data contacts, and the second energy generator module is slidably movable out of electrical engagement with the second power and data contacts.

[0332] Additionally, the modular surgical housing further includes a communication bus between the first docking port and the second docking port configured to facilitate communication between the first energy generator module and the second energy generator module.

[0333] 41-45, an embodiment of the disclosure is presented regarding a hub modular housing 136 that allows for modular integration of a generator module 140, a smoke evacuation module 126, and an aspiration / irrigation module 128. The hub modular housing 136 further facilitates bidirectional communication between the modules 140, 126, 128. As shown in FIG. 43, the generator module 140 may be a generator module that includes integrated monopolar, bipolar, and ultrasonic components supported within a single housing unit 139 that is slidably insertable into the hub modular housing 136. As shown in FIG. 42, the generator module 140 may be configured to connect to a monopolar device 146, a bipolar device 147, and an ultrasonic device 148. Alternatively, the generato...

Claims

1. A pump, a motor operably connected to the pump; a flow path fluidly connected to the pump; 1. A sensor system comprising: A third pressure sensor; and a first pressure sensor disposed along the flow path upstream of the third pressure sensor; a second pressure sensor disposed in the flow path between the third pressure sensor and the first pressure sensor; A sensor system including: A control circuit comprising: determining a first pressure differential between the third pressure sensor and the second pressure sensor; determining a second pressure differential between the first pressure sensor and the second pressure sensor; adjusting an operating parameter of the motor based on the first pressure differential and the second pressure differential. A control circuit configured as follows:

1. A surgical drainage system comprising: The surgical drainage system comprises: A receptacle; a filter disposed within the receptacle; the third pressure sensor and the second pressure sensor are disposed downstream of the filter, and the first pressure sensor is disposed upstream of the filter; The surgical drainage system further comprises a housing including an inlet and an outlet, the flow path extending between the inlet and the outlet, the third pressure sensor being disposed adjacent the outlet and downstream of the pump, the first pressure sensor being disposed adjacent the inlet and the second pressure sensor being disposed upstream of the pump; The pump is disposed downstream of the filter and upstream of the outlet.

2. The surgical drainage system of claim 1 , wherein the control circuit is configured to increase a speed of the motor when the second pressure differential increases above a threshold amount.

3. The surgical drainage system of claim 1 , further comprising a fluid trap, the first pressure sensor being disposed downstream of the fluid trap.

4. The surgical drainage system of claim 1 , wherein the control circuit is configured to maintain a suction load on the pump below a maximum suction load.

5. The control circuit includes: a processor communicatively coupled to the sensor system; a memory communicatively coupled to the processor; wherein the memory stores instructions executable by the processor.

10. The surgical drainage system of claim 1.

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