Method And System For Adjusting Source Impedance And Maximizing Output By RF Generator

Abstract

An electrosurgical system includes an electrosurgical probe connected to a control console, wherein the probe is capable of coagulating and ablating tissue depending on a selected operating mode. Before operating the system, probe-specific data stored in a memory device associated with the probe is read by a processing device in the console. The data includes source impedance values specific to a coagulation or cutting mode of operation. A constant duty cycle value for a modulated cutting mode also is provided. Depending on the operating mode selected, an RF generator adjusted to have a predetermined source impedance value provides a voltage value to the probe. During the duty-cycled mode, the RF generator generates an instantaneous voltage value output for a duty cycle portion that is less than 100% of a time period, which value is no less than a maximum continuous average voltage value for the electrosurgical probe.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of controlling a cutting operation for an electrosurgical cutting system including a control console, an RF generator, and an electrosurgical RF probe, the method comprising the steps of:
 connecting the RF probe associated with a memory device to the control console to provide probe-specific data stored in the memory device to a processing device in the control console, the probe data comprising a maximum continuous average voltage value and a constant duty cycle value of less than 100% and corresponding proportionally to a time period defined by a secondary frequency value, the processing device having a maximum instantaneous voltage value based on the probe data; and   actuating the RF generator to output an instantaneous voltage value in a range that is not less than approximately the maximum continuous average voltage value and that is not greater than approximately the maximum instantaneous voltage value to the RF probe to cut tissue during the constant duty cycle value which comprises a first portion of the time period, and wherein no voltage value is output by the RF generator or applied to the RF probe during a second remaining portion of each said time period.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of actuating the RF generator includes selecting application of the continuous average voltage value having no duty cycle to the RF probe. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the RF probe comprises a first RF probe with a first constant duty cycle value and a second electrosurgical RF probe different from the first RF probe is provided having a second constant duty cycle value that is different from the first duty cycle value of the first probe. 
     
     
         4 . A method of controlling a coagulation operation for an electrosurgical coagulation system including a control console, an RF generator, and an electrosurgical RF probe, the method comprising the steps of:
 connecting the RF probe associated with a memory device to the control console to provide probe-specific data stored in the memory device to a processing device in the control console, the probe data comprising a maximum continuous average voltage value and a constant duty cycle value of less than 100% and corresponding proportionally to a time period defined by a secondary frequency value, the processing device having a maximum instantaneous voltage value based on the probe data; and   actuating the RF generator to output an instantaneous voltage value in a range that is not less than approximately the maximum continuous average voltage value and that is not greater than approximately the maximum instantaneous voltage value to the RF probe to coagulate tissue during the constant duty cycle value which comprises a first portion of the time period, and wherein no voltage value is output by the RF generator or applied to the RF probe during a second remaining portion of each said time period.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the step of actuating the RF generator includes selecting application of the continuous average voltage value having no duty cycle to the RF probe. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the RF probe comprises a first RF probe with a first constant duty cycle value and a second electrosurgical RF probe different from the first RF probe is provided having a second constant duty cycle value that is different from the first duty cycle value of the first probe. 
     
     
         7 . A method of controlling a surgical operation for an electrosurgical system including a control console, an RF generator, and an electrosurgical RF probe, the method comprising the steps of:
 connecting the RF probe associated with a memory device to the control console to provide probe-specific data stored in the memory device to a processing device in the control console,   actuating the RF generator to supply a power output to the RF probe to perform the surgical operation, the power being based on the probe-specific data.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the probe-specific data includes at least one source impedance value of the RF probe. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the surgical operation is a coagulation operation wherein the source impedance value corresponds to a coagulation operation mode of the RF probe. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the surgical operation is a cutting operation, wherein the source impedance value corresponds to a cutting operation mode of the RF probe. 
     
     
         11 . The method of claim of  claim 7 , wherein the power output is a continuous voltage value. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the surgical operation is a coagulation operation, wherein the continuous voltage value is continuously applied during the coagulation operation. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the surgical operation is a cutting operation, wherein the continuous voltage value is continuously applied during the cutting operation. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the power output is a duty cycled power value having a time period. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the surgical operation is a coagulation operation, wherein the duty cycled power value is an average coagulation power value, the average coagulation power value being obtained by dividing an average desired coagulation power value by a duty cycle value, the duty cycle value being stored in the RF probe and accessed by the processing device. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the surgical operation is a cutting operation, wherein the duty cycled power value is an average cutting power value, the average cutting power value being obtained by dividing an average desired cutting power value by a duty cycle value, the duty cycle value being stored in the RF probe and accessed by the processing device.