Electrosurgical Handpiece Integrating Operating Room Device Controls
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electrosurgical instruments require surgeons to leave the sterile field to adjust operating room equipment settings, leading to interruptions and contamination risks due to controls being dispersed throughout the operating room.
Innovation Solution
An electrosurgical handpiece with integrated controls for various operating room devices, connected to a central controller, allowing surgeons to manage equipment like lighting, insufflation, and operating tables within the sterile field.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If controls for operating room equipment are dispersed throughout the operating room, then each device can be controlled at its location, but the surgeon must leave the sterile field to adjust controls, causing interruptions and contamination risks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent consolidates multiple control functions for different operating room devices (electrosurgical generator, lighting, insufflation, smoke evacuation, operating table) into a single hand-held electrosurgical instrument. This merging of controls allows the surgeon to access all controls within the sterile field without leaving the surgical site, thereby maintaining sterile field integrity while improving ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The electrosurgical instrument is designed with multi-functionality, serving both as a surgical tool and a centralized control device. The instrument includes controls for the electrosurgical generator as well as controls for other operating room equipment, making it a universal control interface that eliminates the need to access separate control locations throughout the operating room.
2Ease of operation
If the surgeon leaves the sterile field to adjust controls, then controls can be accessed and adjusted, but the surgical procedure is interrupted and contamination risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
By merging all control functions into the electrosurgical instrument held within the sterile field, the surgeon can adjust controls without interrupting the surgical procedure. The consolidation eliminates the need to leave the sterile field, maintaining procedural continuity while preserving full control adjustability.
Solution Approach 2:
The surgeon maintains self-service capability for controlling all operating room equipment directly from the surgical site. The instrument allows the surgeon to independently adjust all controls without assistance from operating room staff, enabling continuous surgical procedure while maintaining full control over equipment settings.
3Reliability
If controls are integrated into the electrosurgical handpiece, then all controls are accessible within the sterile field, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The electrosurgical handpiece is designed as a universal control device that integrates controls for multiple systems (electrosurgical generator, lighting, insufflation, smoke evacuation, operating table). This multi-functionality approach consolidates what would otherwise require multiple separate devices, managing the complexity within a single integrated instrument while maintaining sterile field integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The hand-held electrosurgical instrument serves as an intermediary device between the surgeon and multiple operating room systems. The controls on the instrument act as a mediator interface, translating surgeon inputs into control signals for various connected systems, thereby managing complexity through a centralized communication interface.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and apparatus for controlling operating room equipment during an electrosurgical procedure is disclosed. The system includes an electrosurgical generator, a controller in electrical communication with and configured to control the electrosurgical generator and at least one operating room device, and a handpiece having a housing and a cable extending proximally from the housing providing electrical connection to the controller, the handpiece further includes first controls for controlling the generator and second controls for controlling at least one operating room device.