A method implemented by a surgical instrument is disclosed. The surgical instrument includes first and second jaws and a flexible circuit including multiple sensors to optimize performance of a radio frequency (RF) device. The flexible circuit includes at least one therapeutic electrode couplable to a source of RF energy, at least two sensing electrodes, and at least one insulative layer. The insulative layer is positioned between the at least one therapeutic electrode and the at least two sensing electrodes. The method includes contacting tissue positioned between the first and second jaws of the surgical instrument with the at least one therapeutic electrode and at the least two sensing electrodes; sensing signals from the at least two sensing electrodes; and controlling RF energy delivered to the at least one therapeutic electrode based on the sensed signals.

A method for adaptive control of surgical network control and interaction is disclosed. The surgical network includes a surgical feedback system. The surgical feedback system includes a surgical instrument, a data source, and a surgical hub configured to communicably couple to the data source and the surgical instrument. The surgical hub includes a control circuit. The method includes receiving, by the control circuit, information related to devices communicatively coupled to the surgical network; and adaptively controlling, by the control circuit, the surgical network based on the received information.

A method of ablation includes storing in a memory a pre-determined relation between lesion size and amount of ablative energy, for each of one or more selected temperatures. Using a processor, user input is received, that indicates a lesion size and a tissue temperature. Based on the relation, an amount of energy is determined, that matches the lesion size and the tissue temperature. An ablation probe is controlled to apply the amount of ablative energy that matches the selected lesion size.

Electrosurgical generator for providing a high-frequency alternating voltage to an electrosurgical instrument, including a control unit and an inverter for high voltage that generates a high-frequency alternating voltage fed to an output socket for the instrument. A detection unit is provided that includes a capacitive detector configured for detecting a capacitance of a plugged-in cable of the instrument. Thereby a parasitic capacitance induced by the instrument's cable can be detected. The capacitance is however low picofarad range and difficult to detect, further complicated by the requirement of galvanic separation for patient safety. However, the invention realized that just a qualitative detection is sufficient to determine whether the instrument's cable is being plugged in. The invention provides simple and efficient measurement circuit for such detection. Thereby, a safe and cost-effective plugging-in detection is realized.

An invasive electrohydraulic lithotripter probe may comprise a lithotripter tip that comprises a first electrode and a second electrode. The lithotripter tip has a length in excess of 250 cm and is dimensioned to be inserted into a long channel having a length in excess of 250 cm. The lithotripter probe may include a material that reinforces a linear strength of at least a portion of the lithotripter probe.

An electrosurgical system can include an electrosurgical generator, a feedback circuit or controller, and an electrosurgical tool. The feedback circuit can provide an electrosurgery endpoint by determining the phase end point of a tissue to be treated. The electrosurgical system can include more than one electrosurgical tool for different electrosurgical operations and can include a variety of user interface features and audio/visual performance indicators. The electrosurgical system can also power conventional bipolar electrosurgical tools and direct current surgical appliances.

Ablation systems and methods of the present disclosure control lesion depth and width such that, for example, wide and shallow lesions can be formed in target tissue in an anatomic structure of a patient during a medical procedure. Such wide and shallow lesions can be useful for treating, for example, thin tissue such as atrial tissue in atria of the heart of the patient.

A surgical instrument is disclosed. The surgical instrument comprises an end effector comprising an ultrasonic blade and a clamp arm. The clamp arm is movable relative to the ultrasonic blade to transition the end effector between an open configuration and a closed configuration to clamp tissue between the ultrasonic blade and the clamp arm. The surgical instrument further comprises a transducer configured to generate an ultrasonic energy output and a waveguide configured to transmit the ultrasonic energy output to the ultrasonic blade. The surgical instrument further comprises a control circuit configured to monitor a parameter of the surgical instrument, wherein crossing an upper predetermined threshold of the parameter causes the control circuit to effect a first electromechanical system, and wherein crossing a lower predetermined threshold of the parameter causes the control circuit to effect a second electromechanical system different than the first electromechanically system.

A method of body tissue ablation includes defining an ultrahigh-power ultrashort-duration (UPUD) ablation protocol that specifies an ablation signal having (i) a target ablation power of at least 400 Watts and (ii) a pulse duration that does not exceed three seconds, for creating a specified lesion in tissue in a body of a patient. Contact is made between an ablation probe and the tissue. Using the ablation probe, the ablation signal is applied to the tissue according to the UPUD protocol, which delivers the ablation signal having the specified target ablation power and duration.

A method for cryogenically treating tissue. A connection is detected between a probe having a disposable secure processor (DSP) to a handpiece having a master control unit (MCU) and a handpiece secure processor (HSP), the probe having at least one cryogenic treatment applicator. The probe is fluidly coupled to a closed coolant supply system within the handpiece via the connection. An authentication process is initiated between the DSP and the HSP using the MCU. As a result of the authentication process, one of at least two predetermined results is determined, the at least two predetermined results being that the probe is authorized and non-authorized.