Electrosurgical system

Abstract

An electrosurgical system is provided and includes a bipolar electrosurgical instrument and an electrosurgical generator. The bipolar electrosurgical instrument is arranged to seal and cut tissue captured between jaws of the bipolar electrosurgical instrument. The electrosurgical generator is arranged to supply RF energy through the bipolar electrosurgical instrument, monitor the supplied RF energy, and adjust or terminate the supplied RF energy to optimally seal the tissue.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . An electrosurgical generator for fusing or sealing tissue comprising:
 a controller configured to:
 determine one or more characteristics related to an area of tissue, 
 instruct an RF amplifier to generate a pre-determined amount of RF energy for an area of tissue based on the determined one or more characteristics, 
 detect changes to the one or more characteristics for the area of tissue, and 
 modify the pre-determined amount of RF energy based on the detected changes to the one or more characteristics; and 
   an RF amplifier configured to generate an amount of RF energy that is passed to an electrosurgical instrument connected to the electrosurgical generator, wherein the amount of RF energy generated is based on the instructions provided by the controller to generate the pre-determined amount of RF energy.   
     
     
         3 . The electrosurgical generator of  claim 2 , wherein the pre-determined amount of RF energy being generated by the RF amplifier is for a pre-determined period of time. 
     
     
         4 . The electrosurgical generator of  claim 3 , wherein the RF amplifier terminates generation of the RF energy to the electrosurgical instrument after the pre-determined period of time. 
     
     
         5 . The electrosurgical generator of  claim 2  further comprising a user interface configured to receive user input, wherein the user input is implemented into instructions generated for the RF amplifier that modifies the amount of RF energy being generated. 
     
     
         6 . The electrosurgical generator of  claim 2 , wherein the amount of RF energy generated by the RF amplifier is based on a type of electrosurgical instrument connected to the electrosurgical generator. 
     
     
         7 . The electrosurgical generator of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more characteristics used by the controller to generate instructions for the RF amplifier is based on associated surgical procedures being performed. 
     
     
         8 . The electrosurgical generator of  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the characteristics related to the area of tissue is a desiccation level of the area of tissue. 
     
     
         9 . The electrosurgical generator of  claim 8 , wherein determination of the desiccation level of the area of tissue is performed by evaluating an amount of steam being generated during a seal cycle from the area of tissue. 
     
     
         10 . The electrosurgical generator of  claim 8 , wherein determination of the desiccation level of the area of tissue is performed by using low levels of current or power during a seal cycle from the area of tissue. 
     
     
         11 . The electrosurgical generator of  claim 10 , wherein determination of the desiccation level of the area of tissue is based on pre-determined thresholds associated with an amount of current or power being drawn to distinguish between already-sealed tissue and tissue not yet sealed. 
     
     
         12 . The electrosurgical generator of  claim 8 , wherein determination of the desiccation level of the area of tissue is performed by using high levels of impedance during a seal cycle from the area of tissue. 
     
     
         13 . The electrosurgical generator of  claim 8 , wherein determination of the desiccation level of the area of tissue is performed by using low phase angles during a seal cycle from the area of tissue. 
     
     
         14 . The electrosurgical generator of  claim 8 , wherein determination of the desiccation level of the area of tissue is performed by using low energy delivery during a seal cycle from the area of tissue. 
     
     
         15 . The electrosurgical generator of  claim 2 , wherein a magnitude of a modification of the pre-determined amount of RF energy is based on different thresholds of the detected changes. 
     
     
         16 . The electrosurgical generator of  claim 2 , wherein determining one or more characteristics related to the area of tissue includes calculating an RF output peak condition corresponding to a maximum current or power value resulting from an increasing voltage from the RF energy being supplied to the area of tissue. 
     
     
         17 . The electrosurgical generator of  claim 2  wherein the controller is configured to further detect one or more errors, and wherein detection of at least one error results in instructing the RF energy to terminate generation of RF energy to the area of tissue. 
     
     
         18 . The electrosurgical generator of  claim 17 , wherein the one or more errors include a short detection error and an open detection error. 
     
     
         19 . The electrosurgical generator of  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the characteristics related to the area of tissue is a temperature, and wherein the controller is configured to maintain the temperature of the area of tissue at 100° C. 
     
     
         20 . The electrosurgical generator of  claim 2 , the controller is configured to download a script that configures the electrosurgical generator for a particular surgical procedure, wherein the script is stored in a memory storage device associated with the electrosurgical instrument. 
     
     
         21 . The electrosurgical generator of  claim 2 , wherein the controller is further configured to identify a current peak condition, the current peak condition being identified by:
 establishing a break value that is based on a percentage of a maximum amount or window for a voltage measurement or a current measurement associated with the amount of RF energy that can be applied to the area of tissue; and   detecting that the voltage measurement or the current measurement for the amount of RF energy being applied to the area of tissue is greater than the break value.