BACKGROUND

This disclosure relates generally to the field of medical devices, systems and methods for use in surgical procedures. More specifically, this disclosure relates to electrosurgical devices, systems and methods that provide for cutting, coagulation, hemostasis, or sealing of bodily tissues including bone with an electrosurgical device.

Electrosurgery includes such techniques as cutting, coagulation, hemostasis, and/or sealing of tissues with the aid of electrodes energized with a suitable power source such as an electrosurgical unit including a power generator. Typical electrosurgical devices apply an electrical potential difference or a voltage difference between an active electrode and a return electrode on a patient's grounded body in a monopolar arrangement or between an active electrode and a return electrode on the device in bipolar arrangement to deliver electrical energy to the area where tissue is to be affected. The electrosurgical device are typically held by the surgeon and connected to the power source, such as the electrosurgical unit, via cabling.

In one example, an electrical signal, such as voltage, is applied either as a train of high frequency pulses or as a continuous signal typically in the radiofrequency (RF) range. The signals could include a set of parameters, such as power or voltage level parameters, waveform parameters such as frequency, pulse duration, duty cycle, and other signal parameters. For example, a surgeon could use a monopolar electrosurgical device to cut tissue and control bleeding. Tissue could be cut using a first RF signal having a set of parameters and bleeding could be controlled using a second RF signal having another set of parameters. The surgeon could also use a bipolar electrosurgical device for hemostatic sealing of the tissue that would employ a third RF signal having a unique set of parameters.

Surgical parameters, including the parameters related to RF energy as well as fluid flow and other parameters are typically set and adjusted on the electrosurgical unit. The electrosurgical device, which is includes the active electrode, are handheld and include activation switches, such as pushbuttons, to delivery the RF energy to the active electrode during surgery.

When different functions were performed during a surgical procedure, surgeons would switch between different devices or adjust settings located on the electrosurgical units. Switching between devices and adjusting settings for the devices can lead to undesirable effects such as longer procedure times, longer response times to issues that unexpectedly develop during surgery, higher costs, and an increased likelihood of inaccuracy or imprecision.

To address these issues, some electrosurgical devices capable of performing multiple functions, such as cutting and coagulating in a monopolar mode, or operating in multiple modes, such as both monopolar and bipolar modes, have been developed. Several such electrosurgical device are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 8,632,533 to Greeley, et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2012/0004657 to Conley, et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2011/0178515 to Bloom et al., each assigned to the assignee of the present disclosure and incorporated by reference herein in their entireties to the extent they are not inconsistent with the present disclosure.

Multifunction electrosurgical devices or electrosurgical devices having multiple features, however, can create concerns for surgeons. For example, such devices generally have dedicated inputs in the form of wires and cords corresponding for each function or feature that adds size and weight to the electrosurgical device and decreases flexibility of the input cable, which can result in hand strain for the surgeon. Additionally, each of these functions or features may require an activation mechanism, such as a pushbutton on the handpiece or other activation mechanism that may cause confusion for the surgeon increase the size of the device. Adding functions and features to electrosurgical devices increase these concerns and diminish from the utility of the device.

SUMMARY

This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description.

The disclosure relates to an electrosurgical device having a handpiece that includes a multivariate controller including a transmission element to enable activation and the adjustments of one or more surgical parameters from the handpiece during surgery. In one example, the multivariate controller can be used to actuate the electrosurgical device and adjust settings of RF power, RF waveform, fluid flow, or other features or parameters used during surgery from the handpiece rather than from a remote electrosurgical unit electrically coupled to the handpiece. In one example, the multivariate controller can be used to adjust settings and or change functions between hemostatic sealing, cutting, and coagulation. A user such as a surgeon can touch or apply a force to the multivariate controller, and one or more settings or surgical parameters can be adjusted with a single touch.

In one example, the multivariate control includes a transmission element. The transmission element can be used in place of actuating pushbuttons or in addition to binary actuating switches. The transmission element includes a section referred to as an active portion that can sense a position of touch as well as a force of the touch on the active portion. In one example, three conductors from the transmission element are provided to the electrosurgical unit through the handpiece cabling. One conductor can be used to energize the element with a voltage while the other two conductors can be used to decipher position and force of the touch. The transmission element is modeled as a resistor network that alters as force is applied and also changes depending where that force is applied on the active area. The location and force of the touch is used to control multiple surgical parameters, such as power level and waveform of the RF energy provided to the electrode. One implementation of this may be to positively correlate increasing force with increasing power. Additionally, force applied on one end of the element may correlate with a cut waveform, and the other end with a coagulation waveform.

In one aspect, the disclosure is directed to an electrosurgical device including a handpiece, an electrode tip extending from the handpiece, the electrode tip configured to deliver an RF signal, and a multivariate controller disposed on the handpiece. The multivariate controller is configured to activate the electrode tip and adjust a setting of the RF signal within a range of settings.

In another aspect, the disclosure is directed to an electrosurgical device including a handpiece, an electrode tip extending from the handpiece, the electrode tip configured to deliver an RF signal, and a multivariate controller. The multivariate controller includes a mounting piece disposed within the handpiece, and a transmission element disposed on the mounting piece. The transmission element is configured to detect an amount of force applied to the multivariate controller and responsively adjust a setting of the RF signal within a range of settings.

In still another aspect, the disclosure is directed to an electrosurgical device including a handpiece, an electrode tip extending from the handpiece, the electrode tip configured to deliver an RF signal, and a force sensing linear potentiometer. The force sensing linear potentiometer includes an active surface disposed on the handpiece configured to activate the electrode tip and adjust a setting of the RF signal within a range of settings with a force applied to the active surface to adjust an impedance.

In still another aspect, the disclosure is directed to an electrosurgical device including a handpiece, an electrode tip extending from the handpiece, wherein the electrode tip configured to deliver an RF signal. The electrosurgical device also includes a multivariate controller coupled to the handpiece and configured to activate the electrode tip and adjust a setting of the RF signal within a range of settings. The multivariate controller includes a first conductive drive line and a second conductive drive line and a conductive sense line coupled to a touch spot on the potentiometer.

