Jaw Member Light Sensing for Electrosurgical Thermal Spread Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing energy-based surgical forceps struggle to minimize thermal spread beyond the jaw members during tissue treatment, leading to unintended heating of external tissues.
Innovation Solution
An electrosurgical system with light elements and sensors on the jaw members that predict and control thermal spread by adjusting energy delivery and light projection based on sensed data, including temperature, impedance, and hydration, to prevent excessive thermal spread.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If energy is applied to tissue between jaw members to treat, seal, and cut tissue, then tissue treatment effectiveness is improved, but thermal spread to external tissues increases causing unintended heating
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by projecting light onto tissue external to the jaw members before energy application to predict thermal spread. Sensors detect tissue properties in advance, and the controller uses this information to forecast where thermal energy will spread, allowing preventive measures to be taken before actual thermal damage occurs.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by using sensors to continuously monitor tissue properties (temperature, impedance, hydration) and light reflection data. This real-time feedback is processed by the controller to predict thermal spread and automatically adjust energy delivery parameters, creating a closed-loop control system that prevents excessive thermal spread while maintaining treatment effectiveness.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If light elements are added to project light onto tissue for thermal spread prediction, then thermal spread control is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The light elements serve multiple functions: they illuminate tissue for the surgeon's visual inspection, they act as heating elements to raise tissue temperature for treatment, and they serve as sensors to detect tissue properties and predict thermal spread. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated components, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the light elements themselves as part of the sensing mechanism, where the light reflected from or absorbed by tissue provides information about tissue properties. The same light infrastructure used for illumination and heating also serves the prediction function, making the system self-sufficient and reducing the need for additional complex sensing apparatus.
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 system effectively predicts and manages thermal spread, minimizing damage to surrounding tissues by providing real-time feedback and adjusting energy delivery, ensuring precise tissue treatment.
Implementation Method 1
Energy-based forceps utilize both mechanical clamping action and energy, e.g., monopolar Radio Frequency (RF), bipolar RF, microwave, ultrasonic, light, thermal, or other suitable energy, to heat tissue
Implementation Method 2
One or more light elements is operably associated with one or both jaw members and is oriented to project light onto tissue
Implementation Method 3
The electrosurgical generator is additionally coupled to the one or more light elements and one or more sensors configured to receive sensed data therefrom... predict thermal spread beyond the first and second jaw members based at least on the sensed data
Implementation Method 4
sensed data from one or more light elements to predict and/or control thermal spread... including temperature, impedance, and hydration
Data Source
AI summary
An electrosurgical system includes an end effector assembly having jaw members with tissue-contacting surfaces movable relative to one another between a spaced-apart position and an approximated position for grasping tissue therebetween. One or more light elements are operably associated with one or both jaw members and oriented to project light onto tissue. A generator couples to the tissue-contacting surfaces and supplies electrosurgical energy thereto for treating tissue grasped therebetween. The generator additionally couples to the light element(s) and one or more sensors configured to receive sensed data therefrom. The generator includes a controller configured to: control the supply of energy to tissue; predict thermal spread beyond the jaw members; and modify the light projected onto tissue from the light element when it is determined that the predicted thermal spread is above a threshold thermal spread.