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US-12622736-B2 - Electrosurgical system and method for operation thereof

US12622736B2US 12622736 B2US12622736 B2US 12622736B2US-12622736-B2

Abstract

A supply apparatus for an electrosurgical system as well as an electrosurgical system having a supply apparatus. In addition to a generator, the supply apparatus has a measurement signal source that is able to provide a measurement signal (XM) in form of an alternating voltage and/or an alternating current. An impedance parameter (P) resulting from the measurement signal (XM) can be evaluated. A switch device of supply apparatus can be switched between multiple switch conditions (C 1 -C 5 ). In the different switch conditions (C 1 -C 5 ) different evaluation functions can be realized by means of the evaluation unit ( 50 ). The measurement signal source can apply a measurement signal to a treatment current path (B) at a working connection of supply apparatus as well as to a neutral current path (N) between neutral connections of supply apparatus. In doing so, by means of the measurement signal (XM), treated tissue can be analyzed as well as a contact between neutral electrode and the patient can be checked or monitored.

Inventors

  • Philipp Maier

Assignees

  • ERBE ELEKTROMEDIZIN GMBH

Dates

Publication Date
20260512
Application Date
20231025
Priority Date
20221028

Claims (18)

  1. 1 . A supply apparatus for an electrosurgical system comprising: at least two neutral connections for a neutral electrode ( 13 ) and at least one working connection for one working electrode of an electrosurgical instrument respectively, a generator for providing a generator voltage (UG) or a generator current (IG) at a generator frequency (fg), a measurement signal source for providing a measurement signal (XM) alternating with a measurement frequency (fm), a measurement device for measurement of an impedance parameter (P) that describes an impedance (Z 1 , Z 2 ) between two apparatus connections to which the measurement signal (XM) is provided, a switch device that can be switched between multiple switch conditions (C 1 , C 2 , C 3 , C 4 , C 5 ), which electrically connects the measurement signal source with the two neutral connections and disconnects the measurement signal source electrically from the at least one working connection in a first switch condition (C 1 ) and which electrically connects the measurement signal source with at least one of the working connections in a second switch condition, and an evaluation unit that is communicatively connected with the measurement device and configured for evaluation of the measured impedance parameter (P).
  2. 2 . The supply apparatus according to claim 1 , comprising a first working connection for connection of a working electrode of a monopolar instrument.
  3. 3 . The supply apparatus according to claim 1 , comprising a first working connection for connection of a first working electrode and a second working connection for connection of a second working electrode of a bipolar instrument.
  4. 4 . The supply apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the measurement signal source is configured to provide the measurement signal (XM) at multiple measurement frequencies (fm) that are different from one another.
  5. 5 . The supply apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein in the first switch condition (C 1 ) the evaluation unit is configured to check an electrical contact between a neutral electrode connected to the two neutral connections and a patient based on the measured impedance parameter (P).
  6. 6 . The supply apparatus according to claim 1 , comprising a first neutral connection for connection of an electrically conductive first electrode area of a neutral electrode and a second neutral connection for connection of an electrically conducting second electrode area of the neutral electrode.
  7. 7 . The supply apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein in the second switch condition (C 2 ) the evaluation unit is configured to determine, based on the measured impedance parameter (P), a tissue condition and/or a tissue type of tissue with which a working electrode of an electrosurgical instrument connected to the at least one working connection is in electrically conducting contact.
  8. 8 . The supply apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the switch device disconnects the generator electrically from the measurement signal source in the first switch condition (C 1 ) and in the second switch condition (C 2 ).
  9. 9 . The supply apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the generator is configured or controlled so that the generator does not provide a generator voltage (UG) or a generator current (IG), if the measurement signal source provides a measurement signal (XM) to the switch device in the first switch condition and/or the second switch condition (C 2 ).
  10. 10 . The supply apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein in the second switch condition (C 2 ) the switch device electrically connects the measurement signal source on one side with the at least one working connection and on an other side with the two neutral connections.
  11. 11 . The supply apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein in the third switch condition (C 3 ) the switch device electrically connects the generator on one side with the at least one working connection and on an other side with the neutral connections.
  12. 12 . The supply apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein in the third switch condition (C 3 ) the evaluation unit is configured to check a first current (I 1 ) at the first neutral connection and a second current (I 2 ) at the second neutral connection created by the generator current (IG).
  13. 13 . The supply apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein in the third switch condition (C 3 ) the switch device electrically connects a frequency-dependent impedance circuit, particularly a parallel oscillating circuit, with the measurement signal source.
  14. 14 . The supply apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein in a third switch condition (C 3 ) the measurement signal source is configured or controlled, so that the measurement signal source creates a measurement signal (XM) at the measurement frequency (fm), which is different from the generator frequency (fg).
  15. 15 . The supply apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein in the third switch condition (C 3 ) the measurement signal source is configured or controlled, so that the measurement frequency (fm) of the measurement signal (XM) varies in a frequency range in order to determine a frequency at which a frequency-dependent impedance circuit comprises an impedance maximum (ZPmax).
  16. 16 . The supply apparatus according to claim 1 , comprising a first working connection and a second working connection, wherein the switch device electrically connects the measurement signal source on one side with the first working connection and on an other side with the second working connection in a fourth switch condition (C 4 ).
  17. 17 . The supply apparatus according to claim 1 , comprising a first working connection and a second working connection, wherein the switch device electrically connects the generator on one side with the first working connection and on the other side with the second working connection and disconnects the measurement signal source from first working connection and from second working connection in a fifth switch condition (C 5 ).
  18. 18 . An electrosurgical system comprising the supply apparatus of claim 1 and further comprising a bipolar instrument or a monopolar instrument.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application claims priority to European Patent Application No. 22204530.4, filed Oct. 28, 2022, the entirety of which is incorporated by reference herein. The invention refers to an electrosurgical system as well as a method for operation thereof. In electrosurgical systems it is known to analyze tissue by means of impedance spectroscopy, e.g. to distinguish healthy tissue from tumor tissue. For this purpose, the impedance of the tissue is determined and evaluated by means of a measurement current between two electrodes. Such a method is known from EP 0 813 387 A1, for example. Between multiple electrodes of an instrument of an electrosurgical system either a measurement voltage or a treatment voltage that is higher compared with the measurement voltage can be applied. By means of the measurement voltage impedance measurements can be carried out for tissue identification. By means of the treatment voltage tissue can be treated. In a supply apparatus for supply of the instrument with the measurement voltage or the treatment voltage a switch device can be present in order to be able to switch between an energy source for the measurement voltage and an energy source for the treatment voltage. EP 1 511 534 B1 describes a device for electrosurgical obliteration of body tissue. The device has a supply apparatus to which multiple electrodes are connected. By means of a high frequency generator of the supply apparatus, a current flow is created between two electrodes respectively in order to coagulate the tissue. By means of a measurement device the impedance between two electrodes can be determined and from the number of present electrodes at least two active electrodes can be selected based on the impedance measurement. The electrosurgical system according to WO 2012/151 493 A2 comprises a supply apparatus and an instrument connected thereto. By means of a switch, an evaluation device for impedance analysis of the tissue or a generator for producing a high-frequent treatment voltage can be selectively connected to the instrument. By means of the evaluation device, frequencies are identified that decrease the impedance and thus increase the conductance of the tissue. Subsequently, the treatment voltage is applied to the instrument at the identified frequencies. An impedance measurement device in an electrosurgical system is in addition described in DE 10 2016 220 157 A1. Based on the impedance measurement at different frequencies, a condition of the treated tissue can be determined. For example, an undesired carbonization of tissue or sticking of tissue on the electrodes of the electrosurgical instrument shall be avoided. DE 10 2018 114 482 A1 as well as DE 197 14 972 A1 describe an electrosurgical system having a monopolar instrument and a neutral electrode that are connected to a supply apparatus. By means of an impedance measurement, a neutral electrode type is determined in DE 10 2018 114 482 A1, whereas DE 197 14 972 A1 proposes to monitor the contact of the neutral electrode on the body of the patient based on a measured tissue impedance. In both applications the measurement of the tissue impedance is carried out at multiple frequencies. EP 3 496 638 A1 discloses an electrosurgical system having a measurement unit. The electrosurgical system has a supply apparatus and at least two electrodes connected to the supply apparatus and between which an alternating voltage for treatment of tissue can be applied. In addition, it is possible to apply a measurement voltage between the electrodes at a frequency being different than the treatment alternating voltage and to determine therefrom a tissue characteristic of the tissue between the electrodes. Starting from the prior art, it can be considered as object of the present invention to provide an improved supply apparatus as well as an improved electrosurgical system that allows a tissue analysis as well as contact of a neutral electrode on the patient with simple and economical configuration. This object is solved by embodiments described herein. Supply apparatuses in accordance with embodiments of the present invention is configured and provided for use in an electrosurgical system. It comprises multiple apparatus connections for connection of an electrosurgical instrument and for optional connection of a neutral electrode. Two neutral connections for connecting a neutral electrode and at least one working connection for one working electrode of an electrosurgical instrument respectively are apparatus connections. If the supply apparatus comprises at least one working connection bipolar (or also other multipolar) instruments can be connected to the working connections. For connecting a monopolar instrument one working connection for the working electrode of the monopolar instrument is sufficient. In this case the neutral connections for connecting the neutral electrode are used, which are not needed in case of using a bip