Electrosurgical Generator Control for Patient Movement Interruption
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Solution Overview
Problem
During electrosurgical procedures, particularly in urology and gynecology, neuromuscular irritation can occur due to high-frequency current, leading to undesirable muscle contractions and risks of surgical complications such as bladder wall perforation, despite the use of frequencies above 100 kHz.
Innovation Solution
A device with a generator and control system that includes a sensor attached to the patient to detect movement, allowing for quick switching off or modulation of the electrosurgical instrument's power to prevent disruptive muscle contractions, using a sensor such as an acceleration sensor to differentiate between harmless and harmful movements and generate appropriate control signals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If high-frequency current is used for electrosurgical procedures, then cutting and coagulation effectiveness is improved, but neuromuscular irritation and muscle contractions occur
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses acceleration sensors to detect patient movement and feeds this information back to the control device, which automatically adjusts or interrupts the electrosurgical current to prevent neuromuscular irritation while maintaining surgical effectiveness
Solution Approach 2:
The electrosurgical system dynamically adjusts its operation based on real-time patient movement detection, transitioning between active cutting/coagulation modes and safety interruption modes to eliminate harmful neuromuscular effects while preserving therapeutic benefits
2Productivity
If the generator is continuously active during surgery, then surgical productivity is improved, but risk of uncontrolled patient movement and complications increases
Solution Approach 1:
The acceleration sensors continuously monitor for early signs of muscle contraction before significant movement occurs, allowing the control device to preemptively interrupt the electrosurgical current to prevent bladder perforation or other complications while maintaining overall surgical productivity
Solution Approach 2:
Real-time feedback from acceleration sensors enables continuous safety monitoring without interrupting the surgical workflow, automatically distinguishing between harmless movements and dangerous muscle contractions to maintain both productivity and safety
3Reliability
If acceleration sensors and control systems are added to detect and respond to patient movement, then surgical safety is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces complex mechanical safety monitoring and manual intervention requirements with automated electronic acceleration sensors and control algorithms that continuously monitor patient movement and automatically adjust electrosurgical current delivery, improving safety while managing complexity through automation
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
The device effectively reduces the risk of surgical complications by quickly eliminating neuromuscular stimulation and minimizing disruptive muscle contractions, thereby preventing injuries like bladder wall perforations during procedures like transurethral electroresection.
Implementation Method 1
a sensor (27), which, during operation, is attached to the patient, in particular to an extremity thereof, to detect a movement of the patient, in particular of the extremity
Implementation Method 2
During surgical procedures, particularly electrosurgical procedures, neuromuscular irritation can occur despite the use of high-frequency current. This can occur even if the frequency of the high-frequency current exceeds the critical limit of 100 kHz
Data Source
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AI summary
The surgical device according to the invention comprises a device (19) with a generator (20) and an instrument (14) powered by the generator (20). The device also includes a sensor (27) which, during operation, is attached to the patient, particularly to an extremity, to detect movement of the patient, especially of the extremity. The sensor is connected to a control unit (23) which, when the sensor (27) detects a movement of the patient (11) exceeding a threshold value sa, modifies the operation of the generator (20), in particular switches off the generator (20). Injuries to the patient (11) that could result from involuntary jerking movements during the surgical procedure are thus avoided.