Electrosurgical Generator Phase Control for Emission Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing electrosurgical generators face challenges in optimizing emissions during simultaneous activation, leading to potential tissue damage and unwanted charring, as they struggle to accurately control power and waveform delivery for effective tissue fusion without collateral damage.

Innovation Solution

A modular electrosurgical generator platform that includes a power supply module, energy modules, a host controller, and a comparator to adjust the relative phase of waveforms between different energy modes, optimizing constructive and destructive interference to minimize emissions and ensure precise energy delivery.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If multiple electrosurgical generators are activated simultaneously, then surgical productivity is improved, but harmful electromagnetic emissions increase causing tissue damage and charring

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesurgical productivityVSAvoidelectromagnetic emissions

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies destructive interference to convert harmful electromagnetic emissions into beneficial effects. By introducing a phase shift between waveforms from multiple generators, the emissions cancel each other out through destructive interference, transforming the harmful radiation into a safe operating condition while maintaining simultaneous surgical activation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the phase parameter of the electrical waveforms to optimize emissions. By adjusting the phase relationship between waveforms from different generators, the system minimizes constructive interference and maximizes destructive interference, thereby reducing harmful electromagnetic emissions while maintaining surgical effectiveness

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If power delivery is increased to achieve tissue fusion, then sealing effectiveness is improved, but tissue destruction and charring increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesealing effectivenessVSAvoidtissue destruction

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent incorporates feedback mechanisms to monitor tissue response in real-time. Sensors detect tissue conditions and provide feedback to the control system, which adjusts power delivery dynamically. This ensures sufficient power is applied for effective sealing while preventing excessive power that would cause tissue destruction or charring

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs periodic pulse waveforms with controlled duty cycles to deliver energy to tissue. By using periodic action rather than continuous power application, the system achieves effective sealing through cumulative thermal effect while allowing heat dissipation between pulses, thereby preventing tissue destruction and charring

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

3Object-affected harmful factors

If waveform phase is adjusted to minimize emissions, then electromagnetic safety is improved, but control system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveradiation exposureVSAvoidcontrol system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements self-service control where the system automatically adjusts waveform phases to minimize emissions without requiring complex external control. The control system monitors emissions and autonomously modifies phase relationships between waveforms, reducing radiation exposure while managing the complexity internally rather than externally

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

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 reduces radiation exposure for surgeons and patients by minimizing constructive interference and maintaining energy within safe limits, enhancing the precision and safety of electrosurgical procedures.

Implementation Method 1

High frequency electrical energy, e.g., radio frequency (RF) energy, is produced by the electrosurgical generator and applied to the tissue by an electrosurgical tool

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectJoule heating: Joule Heating

Implementation Method 2

adjusting a relative phase between the first and second energy waveforms based on the comparison step... optimizing constructive and destructive interference to minimize emissions

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectInterference: Interference

Data Source

PatentUS9949783B2Systems and methods for optimizing emissions from simultaneous activation of electrosurgery generators

Publication Date: 2018.04.24 COVIDIEN LP

AI summary

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium is presented including a power supply module configured to output power, a first energy module configured to receive the power and convert the power into a first waveform having a first phase, and to deliver the power in a first energy mode, and a second energy module configured to receive the power and convert the power into a second waveform having a second phase, and to deliver the power in a second energy mode. A host controller module is configured to control a type and a number of energy modalities provided by the generator platform and a comparator compares the first phase of the first waveform with the second phase of the second waveform in one or more of a plurality of sub-periods. An adjustment module adjusts a relative phase between the first and second waveforms based on results obtained from the comparator.