Distal Microwave Amplifier Layout to Cut Electrosurgical Cable Loss
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electrosurgical instruments face challenges in efficiently delivering microwave frequency energy to biological tissue, particularly in minimally invasive procedures, due to significant power losses along the cable assembly.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a microwave amplification apparatus at the distal end of a flexible cable assembly, which includes a power amplifier that amplifies a low power microwave signal to a suitable power level for treatment, reducing cable losses and avoiding the transmission of high power microwave signals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If high power microwave signals are transmitted through the cable assembly, then sufficient power is delivered to the treatment site, but significant power losses occur along the cable
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of transmitting high power signals from the proximal end through the cable to the distal end (conventional approach), the invention inverts the approach by transmitting low power signals through the cable and then amplifying them at the distal end. This reversal eliminates cable losses while achieving the same therapeutic effect at the treatment site
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces a power amplifier as an intermediary device at the distal end of the cable assembly. This amplifier acts as a mediator that receives low power microwave signals through the cable, amplifies them to the required therapeutic power level, and delivers them to the treatment site, thereby eliminating the need to transmit high power signals through the cable
2Loss of energy
If a power amplifier is placed at the distal end of the cable assembly, then cable power losses are reduced, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the power amplification function from the proximal generator and places it at the distal end of the cable assembly. This separation allows the cable to transmit only low power signals, eliminating cable losses, while the amplifier handles the power conversion at the treatment site
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution effectively reduces power losses along the cable assembly by amplifying the microwave signal at the distal end, achieving an output power of 10 W with an input power of only 1 W at the proximal end, thus enhancing the efficiency of microwave energy delivery for electrosurgical procedures.
Implementation Method 1
a power amplifier that is arranged to amplify the low power microwave input to a power level that is suitable for treatment
Implementation Method 2
At microwave frequencies, rapid molecular oscillations result in frictional heating and consequential dissipation of the field energy in the form of heat. This is known as dielectric heating.
Data Source
AI summary
Various embodiments provide a microwave amplification apparatus for an electrosurgical instrument. The microwave amplification apparatus comprises: a cable assembly; a proximal launch portion, and a distal amplification portion. The proximal launch portion is connected to a proximal end of the cable assembly, and comprises: a DC source configured to launch a DC signal along the cable assembly, and a microwave source configured to launch a microwave signal along the cable assembly. The distal amplification portion is connected to a distal end of the cable assembly, and comprises: a power amplifier configured to receive the microwave signal as an input signal to be amplified. The distal amplification portion is configured to apply the DC signal as a drain voltage across the power amplifier. The power amplifier has an output that is connectable to deliver an amplified microwave signal to a structure that is configured to deliver microwave energy into biological tissue.