EP-4340753-B1 - SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS AND SYSTEMS INCORPORATING ULTRASONIC AND THREE-PHASE ELECTROSURGICAL FUNCTIONALITY

Inventors

• COWLEY, Matthew S.
• LYONS, MICHAEL B.
• VAN TOL, DAVID J.
• MALANG, KEITH W.

Dates

Publication Date

20260506

Application Date

20220502

Claims (14)

1. A surgical system (10), comprising: an ultrasonic generator (200) configured to provide an ultrasonic drive signal; an ultrasonic transducer (140) coupled to the ultrasonic generator to receive the ultrasonic drive signal therefrom and configured, in response to receiving the ultrasonic drive signal, to produce mechanical ultrasonic energy; an electrosurgical generator (200) configured to output three-phase Radio Frequency (RF) energy having a first phase, a second phase, and a third phase; and an end effector assembly (160), including: an ultrasonic blade (162) coupled to the ultrasonic transducer and configured to receive the mechanical ultrasonic energy therefrom, the ultrasonic blade configured to supply the mechanical ultrasonic energy to tissue in contact with the ultrasonic blade to treat tissue, wherein at least a portion of the ultrasonic blade defines a first electrode; a second electrode (191); and a third electrode (191), wherein the first and second electrodes, the first and third electrodes, and the second and third electrodes are electrically coupled to the electrosurgical generator and configured to conduct the first, second, and third phases, respectively, of the three-phase RF energy therebetween and through tissue to at least one of treat or interrogate tissue, wherein the end effector assembly further includes a jaw member movable relative to the ultrasonic blade between a spaced apart position and an approximated position to clamp tissue therebetween, and wherein the jaw member includes: at least one of the second or third electrodes; a structural body (182); and, an electrically insulative jaw liner (184) which extends from the structural body (182) toward the ultrasonic blade (162) thereby to inhibit shorting between the electrodes and blade when in the approximated position.
2. The surgical system according to claim 1, further comprising at least one panel (191) extending along at least a portion of a length of the ultrasonic blade (162) in spaced-apart relation relative thereto, wherein the at least one panel includes one of the second or third electrodes.
3. The surgical system according to claim 1, wherein the electrosurgical generator and the first, second, and third electrodes define a star-delta three-phase transformer configuration.
4. The surgical system according to claim 1, wherein the electrosurgical generator defines a multi-phase bridge driver configuration (1200).
5. The surgical system according to claim 1, further comprising: a handle assembly (110); and an elongated assembly (150) extending distally from the handle assembly, wherein the end effector assembly is supported at a distal end of the elongated assembly.
6. The surgical system according to claim 5, wherein at least one of the electrosurgical generator (600) or the ultrasonic generator (600) is supported on or within the handle assembly.
7. The surgical system according to claim 6, wherein both the electrosurgical generator and the ultrasonic generator are supported on or within the handle assembly, and wherein a battery assembly (400) is also supported on or within the handle assembly.
8. The surgical system according to claim 1, wherein the electrosurgical generator is configured to enable at least two of the first, second, or third phases to have different energy parameters.
9. The surgical system according to claim 8, wherein the different energy parameters are different power levels.
10. The surgical system according to claim 1, wherein the electrosurgical generator is configured to output a tissue treating energy via at least one of the first, second, or third phases and to output a tissue interrogation energy via at least one other of the first, second, or third phases.
11. The surgical system according to claim 1, wherein the electrosurgical generator is configured to commutate the three-phase RF energy output.
12. The surgical system according to claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic generator and the electrosurgical generator are configured to simultaneously output the ultrasonic drive signal and the three-phase RF energy, respectively, such that the mechanical ultrasonic motion and the three-phase RF energy are simultaneously supplied to tissue for sealing tissue, optionally wherein the electrosurgical generator is further configured to interrogate tissue during the simultaneous output to monitor a progress of tissue sealing, and optionally wherein the electrosurgical generator is configured to interrogate tissue via one of the first, second, or third phases during the simultaneous output, and to provide treatment energy during the simultaneous output via another one of the first, second, or third phases.
13. The surgical system according to claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic generator and the electrosurgical generator are combined into a single generator.
14. The surgical system according to claim 1, wherein the first, second, and third phases are 120 degrees out of phase relative to one another.

Description

FIELD The present disclosure relates to surgical instruments, systems, and methods. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to surgical instruments, systems, and methods incorporating ultrasonic and three-phase electrosurgical functionality. BACKGROUND Ultrasonic surgical instruments and systems utilize ultrasonic energy, i.e., ultrasonic vibrations, to treat tissue. More specifically, ultrasonic surgical instruments and systems utilize mechanical vibration energy transmitted at ultrasonic frequencies to treat tissue. An ultrasonic surgical device may include, for example, an ultrasonic blade and a clamp mechanism to enable clamping of tissue against the blade. Ultrasonic energy transmitted to the blade causes the blade to vibrate at very high frequencies, which allows for heating tissue to treat tissue clamped against or otherwise in contact with the blade. Electrosurgical instruments and systems conduct Radio Frequency (RF) energy through tissue to treat tissue. Electrosurgical instruments and systems are typically configured to delivery bipolar RF energy or monopolar RF energy. In bipolar RF instruments and systems, bipolar RF energy is conducted between oppositely charged electrodes and through tissue, e.g., tissue clamped between the electrodes or otherwise in contact therewith, to treat tissue. In monopolar RF instruments and systems, monopolar RF energy is delivered from an active electrode to tissue in contact with the electrode, with the energy returning via a remote return electrode device to complete the circuit. EP3505103A1 describes systems and methods for selectively controlling the activation of an ultrasonic surgical instrument according to the presence of tissue within an end effector. US8568411B2 describes an electrosurgical tool can be used for tissue dissection which may include several electrodes positioned on a jaw assembly. US2021/038292A1 describes a surgical instrument end effector assembly includes a first jaw member and a second jaw member SUMMARY Claim 1 defines the invention and dependent claims disclose embodiments. As used herein, the term "distal" refers to the portion that is described which is farther from an operator (whether a human surgeon or a surgical robot), while the term "proximal" refers to the portion that is being described which is closer to the operator. Terms including "generally," "about," "substantially," and the like, as utilized herein, are meant to encompass variations, e.g., manufacturing tolerances, material tolerances, use and environmental tolerances, measurement variations, and/or other variations, up to and including plus or minus 10 percent. Further, any or all of the aspects described herein, to the extent consistent, may be used in conjunction with any or all of the other aspects described herein. Provided in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure is a surgical system including an ultrasonic generator configured to provide an ultrasonic drive signal, an ultrasonic transducer coupled to the ultrasonic generator to receive the ultrasonic drive signal therefrom and produce mechanical ultrasonic energy in response thereto, an electrosurgical generator configured to output three-phase Radio Frequency (RF) energy, and an end effector assembly. The end effector assembly includes an ultrasonic blade coupled to the ultrasonic transducer and configured to receive the mechanical ultrasonic energy therefrom. The ultrasonic blade is configured to supply the mechanical ultrasonic energy to tissue in contact with the ultrasonic blade to treat tissue. At least a portion of the ultrasonic blade defines a first electrode. The end effector assembly further includes a second electrode and a third electrode. The first and second electrodes, the first and third electrodes, and the second and third electrodes are electrically coupled to the electrosurgical generator and configured to conduct first, second, and third phases, respectively, of the three-phase RF energy therebetween and through tissue to at least one of treat or interrogate tissue. In an aspect of the present disclosure, the end effector assembly further includes a jaw member movable relative to the ultrasonic blade to clamp tissue therebetween. In such aspects, the jaw member includes at least one of the second or third electrodes. In another aspect of the present disclosure, at least one panel extends along at least a portion of a length of the ultrasonic blade in spaced-apart relation relative thereto. In such aspects, the at least one panel includes one of the second or third electrodes. In yet another aspect of the present disclosure, the electrosurgical generator and the first, second, and third electrodes define a star-delta three-phase transformer configuration. In still another aspect of the present disclosure, the electrosurgical generator defines a multi-phase bridge driver configuration. In another aspect of the present disclosure, the system further includes a handle assem