Flexible Shielding for Electrosurgical Instruments
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current electrosurgical systems face challenges in monitoring and protecting both active and non-electrosurgical instruments, particularly in complex geometries and single-port access surgeries, where proximity of instruments increases the risk of electrical energy transfer and capacitive coupling, leading to potential patient and staff safety hazards.
Innovation Solution
A surgical system with a conductive shield surrounding the active electrode probe connected to a reference potential and a cold instrument monitor, which detects and conducts any stray electrosurgical energy to the reference potential, ensuring safe energy delivery and preventing unintended burns.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple instruments are used in close proximity during single-port access surgery, then surgical functionality is improved, but the risk of electrical energy transfer and capacitive coupling increases
Solution Approach 1:
A non-conductive barrier material is introduced between the active electrosurgical instrument and cold instruments to prevent electrical energy transfer and capacitive coupling. This intermediary barrier allows multiple instruments to operate in close proximity while eliminating the harmful electrical interactions that would otherwise occur.
2Reliability
If instrument shielding is provided on complex articulating geometries, then electrical protection is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of rigid shielding structures, flexible non-conductive barrier films are used to provide electrical protection. These thin film barriers can conform to complex articulating geometries of ECS instruments without adding significant structural complexity, maintaining reliability while simplifying the overall device design.
3Reliability
If cold instruments are monitored for stray electrical energy, then patient safety is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
A non-conductive barrier is placed between the active electrosurgical instrument and cold instruments to prevent stray electrical energy from reaching the cold instruments in the first place. This eliminates the need for complex monitoring systems, as the barrier itself prevents the harmful energy transfer.
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 solution effectively limits energy delivery to prevent excessive heating and electrical breakdowns, providing enhanced safety by monitoring and controlling electrosurgical energy in complex ECS systems, even in confined spaces, and reducing the risk of capacitive coupling and insulation failures.
Implementation Method 1
a conductive shield surrounding the active electrode probe connected to a reference potential and a cold instrument monitor, which detects and conducts any stray electrosurgical energy to the reference potential
Implementation Method 2
the proximity of instruments increases the risk of electrical energy transfer and capacitive coupling
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
Figure 1C
AI summary
A surgical system comprises a device adapted to deliver a plurality of surgical instruments to a site within a patient's body, a first surgical instrument comprising an active electrode probe, a second surgical instrument for performing a non-electrosurgical procedure, a conductive shield surrounding the active electrode probe of the first surgical instrument and connected to a reference potential, and a cold instrument monitor connected to the second surgical instrument and to the reference potential.