Electrosurgical Device Jaw Temperature Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
During electrosurgery, maintaining the temperature of the end effector within a desired range is challenging, leading to difficulties in sensing data accurately and potentially causing thermal effects on unintended tissue, as passive cooling prolongs procedures and active heating requires waiting for temperature increase.
Innovation Solution
A handheld electrosurgical device with active heating and cooling capabilities, utilizing a temperature sensor, heater, and cooler coupled to a controller circuit that automatically adjusts temperature based on measured values to maintain the end effector within a specified range, ensuring stable temperature control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If passive cooling is used to maintain end effector temperature, then thermal effects on unintended tissue are reduced, but procedural time is prolonged
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically switches between passive cooling mode (when jaws are open) and active electrosurgery mode (when jaws are closed), allowing the end effector to be cooled between tissue manipulation events without interrupting the surgical workflow. This dynamic operation resolves the contradiction by making cooling proactive rather than reactive.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller proactively cools the end effector during periods when the jaws are open, before thermal effects could affect unintended tissue. This preliminary cooling action prevents the need for reactive cooling that would interrupt the procedure, thereby reducing procedural time while maintaining safety.
2Power
If active heating is used to maintain end effector temperature, then tissue manipulation effectiveness is improved, but waiting time for temperature increase is required
Solution Approach 1:
The system maintains continuous useful action by ensuring the end effector is pre-cooled and ready immediately when the jaws close around tissue, eliminating waiting time. The controller continuously monitors jaw position and ensures the end effector is in the optimal thermal state before each tissue manipulation event, making the heating/cooling process seamless and uninterrupted.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses real-time feedback from jaw position sensors to control the cooling/heating cycles. When the jaws close around tissue, the controller immediately activates the appropriate thermal mode, ensuring the end effector reaches the required temperature or cooling state exactly when needed, eliminating unnecessary waiting time while maintaining effectiveness.
3Measurement precision
If end effector temperature is not stabilized, then data sensing accuracy deteriorates, but temperature control complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The end effector system serves itself by using the jaw position information already available from the surgical device to automatically control its own thermal state. The controller uses the existing jaw position sensor data to determine when cooling or heating should be applied, eliminating the need for separate temperature sensors or complex control systems while maintaining data sensing accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system merges the jaw position detection function with the temperature control function into a single integrated control strategy. The same sensor data that controls jaw operation is also used to control thermal management, simplifying the overall system architecture while ensuring accurate temperature stabilization for optimal data sensing performance.
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 allows for immediate tissue manipulation without thermal exposure to unintended tissue, enhances data accuracy, and reduces procedural time by actively maintaining the end effector temperature within a stable range, facilitating precise surgical procedures.
Implementation Method 1
a temperature sensor to measure a temperature of the end effector
Implementation Method 2
a heater, to heat the end effector based on the measured temperature
Implementation Method 3
a cooler, to cool the end effector based on the measured temperature
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
Figure 2
AI summary
Systems and techniques for a medical apparatus, specifically a handheld electrosurgical device, are described herein. In an example, the device includes an electrosurgical end effector, a temperature sensor to measure a temperature of the end effector, a cooler to cool the end effector based on the measured temperature, and a heater to heat the end effector based on the measured temperature. The end effector may be kept within a temperature range or band such as by allowing the end effector to be heated or cooled as desired during a surgical procedure.