An ablation system includes multiple electrodes configured to contact body tissue of a patient, including two or more ablation electrodes for contacting respective locations in a target organ and a return electrode. A signal-generating unit includes multiple signal generators, which are configured to apply respective composite signals to respective ones of the ablation electrodes. The composite signals include multiple, respective signal components, including respective ablation signals, having different, respective ablation-signal amplitudes and phases at a common ablation-signal frequency, and respective probe signals having respective probe-signal amplitudes and different respective probe-signal frequencies. A processor is coupled to measure the probe signals received by each of the multiple electrodes, and responsively to the measured probe signals, to control the ablation-signal amplitudes and phases.

A modular energy system including a header module and a module. The header module includes a display screen for displaying a user interface. The header module is configured to receive data, including safety critical data, from the module, control the display screen to cause the UI to display UI content based on the received data, the UI content including safety critical UI content based on the safety critical data, and transmit the displayed safety critical UI content to the module for verification thereby. The module is configured to confirm whether the transmitted safety critical data coincides with the displayed safety critical UI content. In the event that it is determined that they do not coincide, the header module and/or the module can be configured to stop the function(s) of the module, display an alert on the display screen, and take various other actions.

A modular energy system that can include a header module removably couplable to one or more energy modules. The one or more energy modules collectively comprise multiple ports to which a surgical instrument is connectable and are each configured to drive a plurality of energy modalities for the surgical instrument. The header module can comprise a display screen configured to display a user interface. The header module is connectable to a footswitch such that the header module can receive a control signal from the footswitch and can send a control signal to the footswitch. The header module can further comprise configured to assign the footswitch to a particular port and, based on user input received via the user interface, reassign the footswitch to another of the ports.

A first module configured to engage with a second module in a stacked configuration to define a modular energy system is provided. The first module comprises a first bridge connector portion and a second conductive portion. The first bridge connector portion is configured to engage with a second bridge connector portion of the second module as the first module and the second module are engaged. The first conductive portion is configured to engage with a second conductive portion of the second module as the first module and the second module are engaged, prior to engagement between the first bridge connector portion and the second bridge connector portion.

An unattended approach can increase the reproducibility and safety of the treatment as the chance of over/under treating of a certain area is significantly decreased. On the other hand, unattended treatment of uneven or rugged areas can be challenging in terms of maintaining proper distance or contact with the treated tissue, mostly on areas which tend to differ from patient to patient (e.g. facial area). Delivering energy via a system of active elements embedded in a flexible pad adhesively attached to the skin offers a possible solution. The unattended approach may include delivering of multiple energies to enhance a visual appearance.

Disclosed is a method of generating electrical signal waveforms by a generator. The generator includes a processor and a memory in communication with the processor. The memory defines a first and second table. The processor retrieves information from the first table defined in the memory, where the information is associated with a first wave shape of a first electrical signal waveform for performing a surgical procedure. The processor retrieves information from the second table defined in the memory, where the information is associated with a second wave shape of a second electrical signal waveform for performing a surgical procedure. The processor combines the first and second wave shapes to create a combined wave shape of an electrical signal waveform for performing a surgical procedure and the combined wave shape electrical signal waveform for performing a surgical procedure is delivered to a surgical instrument.

An electrosurgical device may include a controller including an electrical generator, a surgical probe having a distal active electrode in electrical communication with an electrical source terminal of the electrical generator, and a return pad in electrical communication with an electrical return terminal of the electrical generator. The electrical generator may be configured to source an electrical current from the electrical source terminal, in which the electrical current combines characteristics of a therapeutic electrical signal and characteristics of an excitable tissue stimulating signal. The device may be configured to determine a distance from the electrode to an excitable tissue, based at least in part on an output signal generated by a sensing device in the pad. The device may also be configured to alter one or more characteristics of the therapeutic signal when the distance from the electrode to the tissue is less than a predetermined value.

A method for controlling a user interface of a modular energy system. The modular energy system comprises a header module and a display screen on which the user interface is displayed. The modular energy system can detect attachment of a first module thereto, control the user interface to display one or more first user interface elements corresponding to the first module, detect attachment of a second module to the modular energy system, control the user interface to resize the one or more first user interface elements to accommodate display of one or more second user interface elements corresponding to the second module, and control the user interface to display the one or more second user interface elements. The various UI elements can correspond to the particular module type that is being connected to the modular energy system.

Surgical instruments and system and methods for using surgical instruments are disclosed. A surgical instrument comprises an end effector comprising an ultrasonic blade and clamp arm, an electrode, an ultrasonic transducer, and a sensor coupled to a control circuit. The electrode receives electrosurgical energy from a generator and applies the electrosurgical energy to the end effector to weld tissue based on the generator generating a drive signal. The ultrasonic transducer ultrasonically oscillates the ultrasonic blade in response to the drive signal. The control circuit receives a signal from the sensor indicative of a surgical parameter, determines a weld time of a surgical operation based on the sensor signal, and varies one or more of a clamp arm pressure applied by the clamp arm and a power level of the electrosurgical energy to maintain one or more of a predefined heat flux or power applied to tissue loaded in the end effector.

Surgical instruments and system and methods for using surgical instruments are disclosed. A surgical instrument comprises an end effector comprising an ultrasonic blade and clamp arm, an ultrasonic transducer, and a control circuit. The ultrasonic transducer ultrasonically oscillates the ultrasonic blade in response to a drive signal from a generator. The end effector receives electrosurgical energy to weld tissue. The control circuit determines a resonant frequency measure indicative of a thermally induced change in resonant frequency and a electrical continuity measure; calculates a weld focal point based on the determined measures, controls closure of the clamp arm to vary a pressure applied by the clamp arm to provide a threshold control pressure to the tissue loaded into the end effector, and maintains a gap between the ultrasonic blade and clamp arm at a point proximal to the proximal end of the tissue. Pressure is varied based on corresponding weld focal point.