Patent classifications
A61B2018/00678
Control methods and devices for energy delivery
Control systems and methods for delivery of energy that may include control algorithms that prevent energy delivery if a fault is detected and may provide energy delivery to produce a substantially constant temperature at a delivery site. In some embodiments, the control systems and methods may be used to control the delivery of energy, such as radiofrequency energy, to body tissue, such as lung tissue.
TEMPERATURE SENSING CATHETER
Temperature sensing catheters and systems that can be used during cardiac ablation procedures to measure and monitor temperatures, and the rate and spread of temperature changes in the heart. The temperature data can be used to calculate temperature gradients, which may be used to estimate if and when certain regions of heart may undergo injury due to thermal exposure. The temperature data can be used to limit or cut-off power delivery to an ablation catheter, or otherwise modify the ablation procedure, to prevent injury to certain regions of heart. In some cases, the temperature data is used to control aspects of the ablation in a feedback loop control scheme.
Automatic irrigation-coordinated lithotripsy
Systems and methods for controlling an irrigation flow rate during a lithotripsy procedure are provided. The system includes a laser configured for lithotripsy procedure, a lithotripsy irrigation system, and a temperature sensor configured to provide input to enable control of a flow of the lithotripsy irrigation system in response to a change in temperature from the operation of the laser.
REAL-TIME SURGICAL TOOL PRESENCE/ABSENCE DETECTION IN SURGICAL VIDEOS
Embodiments described herein provide various techniques and systems for building machine-learning surgical tool presence/absence detection models for processing surgical videos and predicting whether a surgical tool is present or absent in each video frame of a surgical video. In one aspect, a process for ensuring patient safety during a laparoscopic or robotic surgery involving an energy tool is disclosed. The process can begin receiving a real-time control signal indicating an operating state of an energy tool during the surgery. Next, the process receives real-time endoscope video images of the surgery. The process simultaneously applies a machine-learning surgical tool presence/absence detection model to the real-time endoscope video images to generate real-time decisions on a location of the energy tool in the real-time endoscope video images. The process then checks the real-time control signal against the real-time decisions to identify an unsafe event and takes a proper action when an unsafe event is identified.
Directional cryoablation system
A cryoablation system is provided that can assume a directional activated state and includes a cryoablation probe and a controller. The cryoablation probe has an active region that includes a cooling compartment and an opposing heating compartment that are thermally insulated from one another to minimize energy losses therebetween such that ice is selectively and directionally formed at the target site. The cooling compartment can include a temperature sensor and an exhaust tube to guide a fluid or gas that exhibits a Joule Thomson cooling effect through the probe. The heating compartment can include a temperature sensor and a heater cartridge having a heater zone. The controller of the cryoablation system can process temperature measurement data from the sensors of the heating and cooling compartments and regulate the heater zone based on the temperature measurement data processing to maintain a temperature that is sufficiently constant to mitigate or prevent formation of ice on the heating compartment.
Microwave ablation probe with radiofrequency impedance sensing
A microwave ablation system and method include an elongate microwave ablation probe. The probe has a radiating portion for performing microwave ablation. The probe includes a first electrode and a second electrode located along the probe body. A radiofrequency energy source is connected to the first and second electrodes. An impedance of tissue is measured using the first and second electrodes. The impedance is used to detect a change in tissue due to microwave ablation of the tissue. Therapy parameters for the microwave ablation procedure can be adjusted in response to the measured impedance. In some examples, one of the electrodes is proximal and one electrode is distal to the radiating portion.
Surgical laser system
A thulium fiber laser system can be used to treat tissues based on the ability for quick changes between laser pulses. For example, to treat stones in a tissue, a long pulse having low peak power can be used to create bubbles in front of the stone (calculi), then follow a series of shorter pulses and higher peak power can be used to break the stone. The sequence can be repeated to maintain large bubble formation, with the long pulse characteristics changed to accommodate for the changes in the tissue. A fluorescent sensing assembly can be used to detect the tissue conditions for selecting the conditions of the thulium fiber laser.
Systems and methods for minimizing arcing of bipolar forceps
An electrosurgical generator includes a processor and a memory storing instructions executable by the processor. The instructions when executed, cause the generator to provide an indicated treatment energy to the instrument, where the indicated treatment energy is set by a user and having a corresponding current limit, receive signals from the instrument over time relating to a load impedance between the active electrode and the return electrode of the instrument, determine based on the signals that the active electrode and the return electrode are currently shorted together, and prior to the short, the instrument was grasping tissue between the active electrode and the return electrode, and based on the determination, reduce a current limit of treatment energy being provided to the instrument to below the corresponding current limit.
METHOD FOR OPERATING SURGICAL INSTRUMENT SYSTEMS
A method for adjusting the operation of a surgical instrument using machine learning in a surgical suite is disclosed.
SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR AESTHETIC TREATMENT
Provided herein is a multifunctional aesthetic system including a housing, an electromagnetic array situated in the housing and having one or more electromagnetic radiation (EMR) sources, a controller in electronic communication with the array to operate the one or more of the EMR sources to direct the EMR beam to a treatment area, and one or more sensors in electronic communication with the controller for providing feedback to the controller based on defined parameters to allow the controller to adjust at least one operating condition of the multifunctional system in response to the feedback.