A temperature sensing system for an electrosurgical instrument able to detect temperatures internal and/or external to the electrosurgical instrument. Temperatures detected by a temperature sensor are processed by a monitoring module which prompts action to reduce temperatures where appropriate. The temperature sensing system is particularly useful for electrosurgical instruments which combine rotary shaver arrangements and RF electrode arrangements, where suction is used to remove RF heated saline from the surgical site. Without monitoring the temperature of the electrosurgical instrument and/or the surgical site, there is a risk of burning the patient if the RF heated saline becomes too hot as the electrosurgical instrument may not be adequately insulated.

The present invention relates to systems for use for radio frequency ablation. The systems can include one or more of an ablation tool, power source for use with the ablation tool and a backstop for use in conjunction with the ablation tool during surgical procedures. Preferred ablation tools comprise a series of three or more blade-shaped electrodes disposed in a linear, curved, curvilinear or circular array. The backstops are useful for reducing direct physical and thermal heat transfer injuries to the patient or surgeon during procedures using radiofrequency (RF) ablation devices.

Systems, methods, and instrumentalities are disclosed for switching a control scheme to control a set of system modules and/or modular devices of a surgical hub. A surgical hub may determine a first control scheme that is configured to control a set of system modules and/or modular devices. The surgical hub may receive an input from one of the set of modules or a device located in an OR. The surgical hub may make a determination that at least one of a safety status level or an overload status level of the surgical hub is higher than its threshold value. Based on at least the received input and the determination, the surgical hub may determine a second control scheme to be used to control the set of system modules. The surgical hub may send a control program indicating the second control scheme to one or more system modules and/or modular devices.

A medical probe, consisting of an insertion tube having a distal end configured for insertion into a body of a patient and containing a lumen having an electrical conductor for conveying electrical energy. The probe also has a conductive cap attached to the distal end of the insertion tube and coupled electrically to the electrical conductor, the cap including a side wall having multiple longitudinal bores therein. There are a plurality of thermocouples disposed in respective ones of the longitudinal bores, and an electrically conductive cement at least partially fills the longitudinal bores so as to secure the thermocouples in the bores while making electrically conductive contact between the thermocouples and the conductive cap.

At least some embodiments of the present disclosures are directed to a hybrid electroporation ablation catheter. In some embodiments, the hybrid electroporation ablation catheter comprises a catheter shaft having a proximal end and an opposite distal end and an electrode assembly extending from the distal end of the catheter shaft and the electrode assembly comprising a plurality of energy-delivering electrodes. The electrode assembly is configured to be selectively operable in a plurality of different operation modes.

A system is configured to delivering radiofrequency power to the endometrial lining tissue of a uterine cavity, including modulating the delivered power so that a measured impedance of the endometrial lining tissue tracks a target impedance as a function of time, wherein the target tissue impedance is derived from a function that approximates a preferred endometrial lining tissue ablation impedance curve that is determined based upon a measured impedance of the endometrial lining tissue after RF power has been delivered for a predetermined initial time period.

Ablation visualization and monitoring systems and methods are provided. In some embodiments, such methods comprise applying ablation energy to a tissue to form a lesion in the tissue, illuminating the tissue with a light to excite NADH in the tissue, wherein the tissue is illuminated in a radial direction, an axial direction, or both, monitoring a level of NADH fluorescence in the illuminated tissue to determine when the level of NADH fluorescence decreases from a base level in the beginning of the ablating to a predetermined lower level, and stopping ablation of the tissue when the level of NADH fluorescence reaches the predetermined lower level.

The presently disclosed subject matter provides techniques for inducing collagen cross-linking in human tissue, such as cartilage, by inducing ionization of the water contained in the tissue to produce free radicals that induce chemical cross-linking in the human tissue. In an embodiment, a femtosecond laser operates at sufficiently low laser pulse energy to avoid optical breakdown of the tissue being treated. In an embodiment, the femtosecond laser operates in the infrared frequency range.

A system for performing robotic laser surgery is disclosed. The system comprises at least one surgery equipment, a surgeon terminal, and a communication module. Further, the system includes a surgical computer communicatively coupled to the at least one surgery equipment via the communication module. The surgical computer is configured to transfer data between the surgeon terminal and the at least one surgery equipment. The surgeon terminal is configured to modulate the tunable laser to conduct the surgical procedure in fully autonomous mode or semi-autonomous mode using robot controls. Further, a plurality of sensors is used to real-time data while performing surgical procedure and transmit the real-time data to the surgeon terminal.

A method for characterizing a state of an end effector of an ultrasonic device is disclosed. The ultrasonic device including an electromechanical ultrasonic system defined by a predetermined resonant frequency. The electromechanical ultrasonic system further including an ultrasonic transducer coupled to an ultrasonic blade. The method including applying, by an energy source, a power level to the ultrasonic transducer; measuring, by a control circuit coupled to a memory, an impedance value of the ultrasonic transducer; comparing, by the control circuit, the impedance value to a reference impedance value stored in the memory; classifying, by the control circuit, the impedance value based on the comparison; characterizing, by the control circuit, the state of the electromechanical ultrasonic system based on the classification of the impedance value; and adjusting, by the control circuit, the power level applied to the ultrasonic transducer based on the characterization of the state of the end effector.