BACKGROUND

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to a system configured to provide controlled depth of hemostasis. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a system including a pair of electrodes, an electrosurgical generator and controller that enables a user to intuitively control depth of hemostasis.

Description of Related Art

Electrosurgical devices (e.g., surface tissue desiccation devices) are well known in the medical arts and typically include a handset with an on/off switch, a shaft and at least one electrode operatively coupled to a distal end of the shaft that is configured to perform an electrosurgical procedure, such as surface tissue desiccation. The electrosurgical devices utilize electrical energy to effect hemostasis by heating the tissue and blood vessels.

Electrosurgical devices that utilize this electrical energy for treating various maladies of different organs like the liver, kidney, and spleen that include such things such as tumors, injuries from trauma, and such may have several shortcomings. These shortcomings may affect efficacy, morbidity and mortality. For example, a typical issue is the inability to adequately control blood loss during a tissue transection.

In an attempt to help overcome this particular limitation, various mono-polar and bi-polar RF electrosurgical devices have been created that act as conduits to deliver energy from an RF generator. These devices include electrocautery pencils and probes of various types and configurations from a number of different manufactures. The algorithms currently used with these electrosurgical devices in surgical treatments typically provide a constant amount of delivered energy in which the power level and duration are directly controlled by the user.

There may be particular drawbacks associated with delivering a constant amount of energy to target tissue, e.g., an inability to automatically adjust to the correct level of energy delivery by properly responding to the condition of the tissue being transected. After the initial application of energy to the target tissue the properties of the tissue begin to change. With these changes the application of energy should also change in order to maintain an optimum energy application. Typical methods of delivering hemostatic energy to the target tissue are ill-suited because these methods tend to rely on the user to adjust the energy delivery with little or no information or guidance as to the changing state of the target tissue. As a result the ultimate amount or duration of delivered energy may be insufficient for creating proper hemostasis.

Further, the typical energy delivery systems rely on the user to set the initial level of energy delivery with little or no relevant information of the condition of the target tissue being treated. Therefore, when using typical energy delivery systems, the initial application of energy can be significantly lower or higher than what is needed. When an inadequate amount of energy is applied to the target tissue, a hemostatic tissue effect may not be achieved. Likewise, if the duration of the energy application is too short, proper hemostasis will not be achieved or the tissue may carbonize. Carbonization prevents the continued flow of delivered energy to the tissue; it also often creates an overly superficial depth of treated tissue resulting in poor hemostasis.

SUMMARY

In view of the foregoing, a system including a pair of electrodes, an electrosurgical generator and controller that enable a user to intuitively control depth of hemostasis may prove useful in the medical field.

Embodiments of the present disclosure are described in detail with reference to the drawing figures wherein like reference numerals identify similar or identical elements. As used herein, the term “distal” refers to the portion that is being described which is further from a user, while the term “proximal” refers to the portion that is being described which is closer to a user.

As it is used herein, “electrosurgical procedure” generally refers to any electrosurgical procedure involving any form of energy, such as, for example, microwave energy and radiofrequency (RF) energy.

An aspect of the present disclosure provides an electrosurgical device. The electrosurgical device includes a handset having a shaft extending therefrom. The electrosurgical device includes a pair of electrodes disposed at a distal end of the shaft. One or more sensors. The sensor(s) is/are in operable communication with the pair of electrodes to detect a pressure applied thereto. The amount of electrosurgical energy that is transmitted to the pair of electrodes is proportional to the amount of pressure that is applied to the pair of electrodes and detected by the sensor.

The electrosurgical device may be configured to couple to an electrosurgical energy source configured to generate radio frequency energy that is transmitted to the pair of electrodes to electrosurgically treat tissue.

The sensor may be in operable communication with a controller of the electrosurgical energy source.

In certain instances, the pair of electrodes may be joined to form a closed loop configuration with an insulator therebetween. Alternately, the pair of electrodes may include a split configuration.

In certain instances, two or more sensors may be provided and may be in operative communication with a corresponding electrode of the pair of electrodes.

The pair of electrodes may be configured to operate in either a bipolar mode or monopolar mode of operation.

An aspect of the present disclosure provides an electrosurgical system. The electrosurgical system includes a source of electrosurgical energy including one or more processors and a controller for controlling an electrosurgical output of the source of electrosurgical energy. The electrosurgical system includes electrosurgical device including a handset having a shaft extending therefrom. The electrosurgical device includes a pair of electrodes disposed at a distal end of the shaft. One or more sensors is disposed at the distal end of the shaft and adjacent the pair of electrodes. The sensor(s) is in operable communication with the pair of electrodes to detect a pressure applied thereto. The amount of electrosurgical energy that is transmitted to the pair of electrodes is proportional to the amount of pressure that is applied to the pair of electrodes and detected by the sensor.

The sensor may be in operable communication with a controller of the electrosurgical energy source.

In certain instances, the pair of electrodes may be joined to form a closed loop configuration with an insulator therebetween. Alternately, the pair of electrodes may include a split configuration.

In certain instances, two or more sensors may be provided and may be in operative communication with a corresponding electrode of the pair of electrodes.

The pair of electrodes may be configured to operate in either a bipolar mode or monopolar mode of operation.

The pair of electrodes may be configured to operate in a bipolar mode and the pressure sensing is by correlation to electrode contact geometry by the impedance between the electrode pair as sensed in the controller of the electrosurgical generator.

An aspect of the present disclosure provides a method for electrosurgically treating tissue. An electrosurgical device including at least two electrodes and at least one sensor in operable communication with the at least two electrodes is provided. The sensor may be configured to detect pressure applied to the at least two electrodes. Pressure applied to the at least two electrodes is detected. And an electrosurgical output based on the detected pressure applied to the at least two electrodes is adjusted, wherein the electrosurgical output provided to the at least two electrodes is proportional to the pressure that is applied to the at least two electrodes.

A step of the method may include providing an electrosurgical energy source that is configured to generate radio frequency energy that is transmitted to the pair of electrodes to electrosurgically treat tissue.

The detected pressure from the sensor may be communicated to a controller of the electrosurgical energy source.

The pair of electrodes may be configured to include a closed loop configuration and an insulator therebetween. Alternately, the pair of electrodes may be configured to include a split configuration.

In certain instances, the electrosurgical device may be provided with two or more sensors that are in operative communication with a corresponding electrode of the pair of electrodes.

The electrosurgical device may be operated in a bipolar mode of operation.

