Electrosurgical Resection Tool Combining RF and Microwave Energy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrosurgical tools struggle to efficiently cut and coagulate fatty tissue due to reduced efficiency in delivering RF energy and microwave energy, leading to inefficient cutting and sealing, especially in endoscopic procedures where bleeding is undesirable.
Innovation Solution
An electrosurgical resector tool with a pair of jaws, each equipped with electrodes, allowing for RF and microwave energy delivery, enabling gliding RF-based cuts, scissor-type cuts, and coagulation/sealing using RF and microwave energy, respectively, with a compact design for use through surgical scopes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If RF energy is used to cut biological tissue, then cutting capability is improved, but efficiency in fatty tissue deteriorates due to fewer ionic constituents
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines RF energy delivery and microwave energy delivery into a single electrosurgical resector tool. The tool includes both RF electrodes and microwave antenna elements, allowing it to switch between or combine both energy modalities to cut and coagulate tissue effectively, including in fatty tissue where RF alone is less efficient.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the energy delivery parameter from RF only to include both RF and microwave frequencies. By adjusting the operating frequency and energy type, the tool can optimize performance for different tissue types, particularly overcoming the limitation in fatty tissue by using microwave energy which is less dependent on ionic constituents.
2Productivity
If RF coagulation is applied to seal blood vessels, then coagulation capability is improved, but efficiency in fatty tissue deteriorates due to diminished electrical effect
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines RF energy delivery and microwave energy delivery into a single electrosurgical resector tool. The tool includes both RF electrodes and microwave antenna elements, allowing it to switch between or combine both energy modalities to cut and coagulate tissue effectively, including in fatty tissue where RF alone is less efficient.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the energy delivery parameter from RF only to include both RF and microwave frequencies. By adjusting the operating frequency and energy type, the tool can optimize performance for different tissue types, particularly overcoming the limitation in fatty tissue by using microwave energy which is less dependent on ionic constituents.
3Ease of operation
If a compact design is used for endoscopic procedures, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases due to integration of multiple energy delivery mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines RF energy delivery and microwave energy delivery into a single electrosurgical resector tool. The tool includes both RF electrodes and microwave antenna elements, allowing it to switch between or combine both energy modalities to cut and coagulate tissue effectively, including in fatty tissue where RF alone is less efficient.
Solution Approach 2:
The electrosurgical resector tool is designed to perform multiple functions: RF cutting, RF coagulation, microwave cutting, and microwave coagulation. This multi-functionality is achieved by integrating both RF and microwave energy delivery systems into a single compact device that can be inserted through surgical scopes, eliminating the need for separate tools for different tissue types.
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 tool provides smoother, more uniform cuts and effective tissue coagulation and ablation, minimizing bleeding and ensuring precise cutting and sealing in various surgical environments.
Implementation Method 1
as an electric current passes through a tissue matrix (aided by the ionic cell contents), the impedance to electron flow across the tissue generates heat
Implementation Method 2
Water molecules have a permanent electric dipole moment, meaning that a charge imbalance exists across the molecule. This charge imbalance causes the molecules to move in response to the forces generated by application of a time varying electric field as the molecules rotate to align their electric dipole moment with the polarity of the applied field. At microwave frequencies, rapid molecular oscillations result in frictional heating and consequential dissipation of the field energy in the form of heat. This is known as dielectric heating.
Implementation Method 3
When a pure sine wave is applied to the tissue matrix, enough heat is generated within the cells to vaporize the water content of the tissue
Implementation Method 4
RF coagulation operates by applying a less efficient waveform to the tissue, whereby instead of being vaporized, the cell contents are heated to around 65° C., drying out the tissue by desiccation and denaturing the proteins in the vessel walls
Data Source
AI summary
An electrosurgical resector tool comprising: an energy conveying structure for carrying radiofrequency electromagnetic energy and/or microwave electromagnetic energy; a tool tip mounted at a distal end of the energy conveying structure, wherein the tool tip comprises a first jaw and a second jaw. The first jaw comprises a first pair of electrodes that are electrically isolated. The first pair of electrodes is coupled to the energy conveying structure. The first and second jaw are movable relative to each other between a closed position in which the first and second jaw lie alongside each other, and an open position in which the second jaw is spaced from the first jaw for receiving biological tissue. The first jaw extends in a distal direction beyond the second jaw in the closed position. The first jaw includes a distal end face, the first pair of electrodes being exposed on the distal end face.