Electrosurgical Forceps with Pressure Sensor Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrosurgical forceps often apply excessive gripping force, leading to tissue tearing during coagulation or cutting procedures.
Innovation Solution
Incorporation of a pressure sensing trigger and actuator system that allows for controlled grip pressure, using a handpiece with a lever and pressure sensor to manage the closure of jaws and energy delivery to the tissue, ensuring the energy provided is proportional to the applied force.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If a physician squeezes the grip surface on the lever to control gripping force, then the mechanical function of closing jaws is activated, but excessive gripping force is applied causing tissue tearing
Solution Approach 1:
The pressure sensor provides real-time feedback on the gripping force applied to the tissue. This feedback signal is used by the control system to regulate the electrical energy delivery, ensuring that cutting or coagulation functions are only activated when appropriate gripping force is detected, thereby preventing tissue tearing while maintaining effective mechanical gripping
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the purely mechanical control system with an integrated sensor-based control system. The pressure sensor converts mechanical gripping force into an electrical signal that triggers or modulates the electrical energy delivery, substituting direct mechanical actuation with sensor-mediated electronic control to prevent excessive force application
2Power
If electrical energy is delivered to cut or coagulate tissue, then the cutting or coagulation function is achieved, but tissue damage occurs due to excessive energy delivery
Solution Approach 1:
The pressure sensor signal serves as feedback to the control system, which regulates the electrical energy delivery to the electrodes. The system monitors the gripping force and adjusts the power delivery accordingly, delivering sufficient energy for effective cutting or coagulation while preventing excessive energy that would cause tissue damage
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically changes the electrical parameters (voltage, current, pulse duration) based on the pressure sensor input. By adjusting these parameters in response to detected gripping force, the system optimizes energy delivery to achieve effective tissue cutting or coagulation while minimizing thermal damage and other harmful effects
3Adaptability or versatility
If the lever is designed to activate both mechanical jaw closure and electrical energy delivery, then device functionality is integrated, but control precision is lost leading to simultaneous excessive mechanical and electrical action
Solution Approach 1:
The pressure sensor provides independent feedback on the actual gripping force, allowing the control system to decouple the triggering of mechanical and electrical functions. This feedback mechanism enables precise control by activating electrical energy delivery only when appropriate mechanical gripping is detected, maintaining both functional integration and control precision
Solution Approach 2:
The pressure sensor acts as an intermediary between the mechanical lever operation and the electrical energy delivery system. It translates mechanical gripping force into an electrical signal that mediates the activation and modulation of electrical functions, enabling precise control while maintaining the integrated design
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
Enables precise tissue gripping and energy application, reducing the risk of tissue tearing while allowing for effective coagulation and cutting, with the pressure sensor ensuring energy delivery only exceeds a threshold force required to move the lever through its full range.
Implementation Method 1
a pressure sensor associated with the grip surface. When a user of the medical device applies a grip pressure to the lever, the lever moves to provide an input to a first function of the medical device, and concurrently the pressure sensor produces a pressure signal
Implementation Method 2
the first jaw includes a first electrode and the second jaw includes a second electrode, the first electrode and the second electrode being configured to deliver energy to tissue
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
A medical device includes a handpiece, a lever with a grip surface attached to the handpiece, and a pressure sensor associated with the grip surface. When a user of the medical device applies a grip pressure to the lever, the lever moves to provide an input to a first function of the medical device, and concurrently the pressure sensor produces a pressure signal that is read by a control unit to control a second function.