Electrosurgical Instrument Data Memory Partitioning for Flexible Operation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrosurgical instruments lack flexibility and safety in operation due to limited programmability and inflexible operating modes, restricting their adaptability to different surgical tasks.
Innovation Solution
An electrosurgical instrument with an instrument data memory and a connector for a connecting cable, allowing for data exchange with an electrosurgical generator, which includes a partitioned data memory for usage and status data, enabling flexible and safe operation through structured data references to operating specifications stored in the generator's data memory.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a simple programmable supply device with defined states is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the flexibility and adaptability to different surgical tasks deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The instrument data memory is divided into multiple partitions with different access rights: a read-only partition for operating mode data and a read-write partition for usage and status data. This segmentation allows the instrument to have flexible programmability while maintaining simple device architecture, as the complexity is distributed across memory partitions rather than requiring complex control logic.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary data exchange mechanism between the electrosurgical instrument and generator through the connecting cable. This intermediary allows flexible data transfer and programming of operating modes without requiring complex direct control circuits, thus improving adaptability while keeping the device complexity manageable.
2Device complexity
If operating modes are permanently stored in the generator, then the generator structure is simplified, but the adaptability to different electrosurgical instruments deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The electrosurgical instrument is designed with universal data memory partitions that can store different operating mode data from various generators. The read-only partition can accommodate operating mode definitions from different generator models, making the instrument universally adaptable without requiring generator-specific hardcoding, thus maintaining generator simplicity while achieving broad adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements copying of operating mode data from the generator to the instrument's read-only memory partition. This allows the instrument to receive and store operating mode definitions from different generators, enabling adaptability to multiple generator models without modifying the generator's permanent storage structure, thus maintaining generator simplicity while achieving instrument versatility.
3Reliability
If usage and status data are stored in read-write partition, then the safety monitoring capability is improved, but the data management complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The data memory is segmented into read-only and read-write partitions with clearly defined purposes. The read-write partition is dedicated solely to usage and status data for safety monitoring, while the read-only partition handles operating mode data. This segmentation simplifies data management by separating different data types into dedicated areas with specific access rules, reducing the complexity of data handling while enhancing safety monitoring capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The instrument automatically manages its own data storage and retrieval operations through the data interface. Usage and status data are automatically written to the read-write partition during operation, and operating mode data is automatically read from the read-only partition. This self-service mechanism reduces data management complexity by eliminating the need for complex manual data handling procedures while maintaining robust safety monitoring.
Data Source
AI summary
An electrosurgical instrument with at least one active electrode for effecting an electrosurgical treatment with an instrument data memory. Furthermore, the electrosurgical instrument has a connector for a connecting cable or a connected connecting cable including supply lines for supplying the active electrode with a high-frequency alternating current required for an electrosurgical treatment. The instrument data memory has at least one read-write area to which usage and status data can be written by an electrosurgical generator.