ELECTROSURGICAL SYSTEM AND METHOD OF ITS OPERATION

Claims

1. A power supply unit (11) for an electrosurgical system (10), comprising: - several connectors (20) including two neutral connectors (26, 27) for connecting a neutral electrode (13) and at least one working connector (21, 22) for connecting a corresponding working electrode (23, 24, 25) of an electrosurgical instrument (12), - a generator (31) for generating a generator voltage (UG) and / or a generator current (IG) with a generator frequency (fg), - a source (34) of a measuring signal for generating a measuring signal (MS) oscillating with a frequency (fm), - a measuring device (40) for measuring the impedance parameter (P) describing the impedance (Z1, Z2) between two connectors (20) to which the measuring signal (XM) is supplied, - a switching device (51) switchable between several switching states (C1, C2, C3, C4, C5), which in the first switching state (C1) electrically connects the source (34) of the measuring signal to two neutral connectors (26, 27) and electrically separates the source (34) of the measuring signal from at least one working connector (21, 22), and in the second switching state (C2) electrically connects the source (34) of the measuring signal to at least one working connector (21, 22), and - a data analysis device (50) connected with the possibility of transmitting data with the measuring device (40) and configured to evaluate the measured impedance parameter (P).

2. The power supply device according to claim 1, comprising a first working connector (21) for connecting the working electrode (23) of the monopolar instrument (12a).

3. A power supply device according to claim 1 or 2, comprising a first working connector (21) for connecting a first working electrode (24) and a second working connector (22) for connecting a second working electrode (25) of a bipolar instrument (12b).

4. A power supply device according to one of the previous paragraphs, in which the source (34) of the measuring signal is designed with the possibility of generating a measuring signal (MS) at several frequencies (fm) that are different from each other.

5. A power supply device according to one of the preceding paragraphs, in which the data analysis device (50) is designed in such a way that in the first switching state (C1), based on the measured impedance parameter (P), the electrical contact between the neutral electrode (13) connected to the two neutral connectors (26, 27) and the patient's body is checked.

6. A power supply device according to one of the preceding paragraphs, comprising a first neutral connector (26) for connecting a first conductive section (14) of a neutral electrode (13) and a second neutral connector (27) for connecting a second conductive section (15) of a neutral electrode (13).

7. A power supply device according to one of the preceding paragraphs, in which the data analysis device (50) is designed in such a way that in the second switching state (C2) it determines, on the basis of the measured impedance parameter (P), the state and / or type of tissue with which the working electrode (23, 24, 25) of the electrosurgical instrument (12) is in electrically conductive contact, connected to at least one working connector (21, 22).

8. A power supply device according to one of the preceding paragraphs, in which in the first switching state (C1) and in the second switching state (C2) the switching device (51) electrically separates the generator (31) from the source (34) of the measuring signal.

9. A power supply device according to one of the preceding claims, in which the generator (31) is designed or controlled in such a way that it does not generate a generator voltage (UG) and a generator current (IG) when, in the first switching state and / or in the second switching state (C2) of the switching device (51), the measuring signal source (34) generates a measuring signal (XM).

10. A power supply device according to one of the preceding claims, in which the switching device (51) in the second switching state (C2) electrically connects the source (34) of the measuring signal, on the one hand, to at least one working connector (21, 22), and on the other hand, to two neutral connectors (26, 27).

11. A power supply device according to one of the preceding claims, in which the switching device (51) in the third switching state (C3) electrically connects the generator (31), on the one hand, to at least one working connector (21, 22), and on the other hand, to neutral connectors (26, 27).

12. The power supply device according to claim 11, in which the data analysis device (50) is designed in such a way that in the third switching state (C3) the first current (I1) caused by the generator current (IG) on the first neutral connector (26) and / or the second current (12) on the second neutral connector (27) is checked.

13. The power supply device according to item 11 or 12, in which the switching device (51) in the third switching state (C3) electrically connects the frequency-dependent impedance circuit, in particular the parallel oscillatory circuit (44), to the source (34) of the measuring signal.

14. A power supply device according to one of paragraphs 11-13, in which, in the third switching state (C3), the source (34) of the measuring signal is designed or controlled in such a way that it generates a measuring signal (XM) at a frequency (fm) different from the generator frequency (fg).

15. The power supply device according to item 14, in which, in the third switching state (SS), the source (34) of the measuring signal is designed or controlled in such a way as to vary the frequency (fm) of the measuring signal (MS) in a frequency range in order to find the frequency at which the frequency-dependent impedance circuit has a maximum (ZPmax) of impedance (ZP).

16. A power supply device according to one of the preceding paragraphs, comprising a first working connector (21) and a second working connector (22), wherein the switching device (51) in the fourth switching state (C4) electrically connects the source (34) of the measuring signal, on the one hand, to the first working connector (21), and on the other hand, to the second working connector (22).

17. A power supply device according to one of the preceding claims, comprising a first working connector (21) and a second working connector (22), wherein the switching device (51) in the fifth switching state (C5) electrically connects the generator (31), on the one hand, to the first working connector (21), and on the other hand - to the second working connector (22) and electrically separates the source (34) of the measuring signal from the first working connector (21) and from the second working connector (22).

18. An electrosurgical system (10) comprising a power supply apparatus (11) according to one of the preceding paragraphs and a bipolar instrument (12b) or a monopolar instrument (12a).