METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR SUPPORTING AN HF SURGICAL PROCEDURE AND SOFTWARE PROGRAM PRODUCT

Abstract

A method and system for supporting an HF surgical procedure in which tissue is treated. The method includes supplying an HF instrument including an HF electrode and an HF generator with HF current, providing a plurality of HF modes adapted to respective ones of a plurality of tissue types, and orienting an optical capturing device toward the HF electrode such that a field of view of the optical capturing device is configured to encompass a region of the tissue to be treated around the HF electrode during an intended treatment of the tissue. The method further includes performing an optical classification of a tissue type of the tissue in the region of the HF electrode based on optical measurement signals captured by the optical capturing device, and setting a specific HF mode for the tissue type based on the result of the optical classification.

Claims

1. A method for supporting an HF surgical procedure in which tissue is treated, the method comprising: supplying an HF instrument including an HF electrode and an HF generator with HF current; providing a plurality of HF modes adapted to respective ones of a plurality of tissue types; orienting an optical capturing device toward the HF electrode such that a field of view of the optical capturing device is configured to encompass a region of the tissue to be treated around the HF electrode during an intended treatment of the tissue; performing an optical classification of a tissue type of the tissue in the region of the HF electrode based on optical measurement signals captured by the optical capturing device; and setting a specific HF mode for the tissue type based on the result of the optical classification.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the optical classification of the plurality of tissue types is performed on the basis of type and/or by properties of tissue types.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the optical classification of the plurality of tissue types is performed on the basis of conductivity of the plurality of tissue types.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the optical classification of the plurality of tissue types is performed using a spectroscopic analysis.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the optical classification of the plurality of tissue types is performed using reflection spectroscopy, autofluorescence spectroscopy or Raman spectroscopy.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the optical classification of the plurality of tissue types is performed on the basis of an analysis of color, shape and/or texture of the tissue with broadband visible light or narrow-band light in one narrow band or multiple narrow bands.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the optical classification of the plurality of tissue types is performed using a neural network trained on the basis of comparable images, characteristic values from imaging methods, spectrograms and/or characteristic spectrographic data for the various tissue types or on the basis of a comparison with predetermined comparative values.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the optical measurement signals are evaluated with regard to whether tissue of another tissue type than that of a current tissue type located in the region of the HF electrode is present in the surroundings of the HF electrode, wherein a distance of at least one region with the different tissue type from the current tissue type is monitored and a change in the HF mode to an HF mode appropriate for the different tissue type is initiated when the HF electrode reaches the region of the tissue with the different tissue type.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising evaluating changes in the HF mode after an operation, the evaluation being used to improve and/or automate the HF modes and/or to improve the classification of the tissue types.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising detecting a result of the HF treatment from optical recordings underlying the optical classification of tissue types, wherein in the case of an insufficient result, a warning is emitted.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the result is a coagulation result.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein the insufficient result is an insufficient homeostasis.

13. A system for supporting an HF surgical procedure in which tissue is treated, comprising: an HF instrument including an HF electrode and an HF generator, the HF generator configured to supply the HF instrument with HF current, wherein the HF generator is configured to provide a plurality of HF modes adapted to respective ones of a plurality of tissue types; an optical capturing device, the optical capturing device provided as part of the HF instrument or connected thereto, wherein the optical capturing device is oriented toward the HF electrode such that a field of view of the optical capturing device is configured to encompass a region of the tissue to be treated around the HF electrode during an intended treatment of the tissue; and an evaluation device configured to (a) perform an optical classification of a tissue type of the tissue in the region of the HF electrode based on optical measurement signals captured by the optical capturing device, and to (b) set a specific HF mode for the tissue type based on the result of the optical classification.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein the evaluation device is provided in the HF generator.

15. The system according to claim 13, wherein the optical capturing device comprises an optical waveguide or a bundle of optical waveguides that are integrated into the endoscopic HF instrument or can be fastened to the endoscopic HF instrument from outside.

16. The system according to claim 13, wherein the optical capturing device comprises an imaging sensor.

17. The system according to claim 13, wherein the optical capturing device comprises a spectrometer.

18. The system according to claim 13, wherein the optical capturing device includes a measuring head including the optical waveguide or the bundle of optical waveguides, the measuring head being constructed without electrical components.

19. A non-transitory, computer-readable medium that stores a program for causing a computer to execute: performing an optical classification of a tissue type of a tissue in a region of an HF electrode based on optical measurement signals captured by an optical capturing device; and setting a specific HF mode for the tissue type based on the result of the optical classification.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0028] The invention is described below, without restricting the general idea of the invention, based on exemplary embodiments in reference to the drawing, whereby we expressly refer to the drawing with regard to the disclosure of all details according to the invention that are not explained in greater detail in the text. The figure shows:

[0029] FIG. 1 a schematic representation of a system according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a system 10 according to the invention for supporting an HF surgical procedure during such a procedure. The system 10 comprises an endoscopic HF instrument 20 with a longitudinally extending endoscope shaft, at the distal tip of which an HF electrode 25 is arranged which is brought into contact with tissue 5 in order to heat it strongly in a localized manner by introducing HF output and as a result to cut or to coagulate. The HF electrode 25 can be a monopolar or a bipolar electrode.

[0031] The HF instrument 20 is connected to an HF generator 40 by an HF cable 48 which supplies the distal HF electrode 25 with HF current. The HF generator has HF measuring instrumentation 45 which is configured to measure electrical properties of the treated tissue 5, for example its electrical conductivity. The electrical conductivity determined by the HF measuring instrumentation 45 or other electrical properties determined by the HF measuring instrumentation 45 are used by the HF generator 40 to set suitable HF modes for the detected tissue type so that the optimal type of output for the tissue type can be introduced. This ensures that optimal treatment results for the respective tissue type are achieved.

[0032] The system 10 according to this embodiment also comprises an optical capturing device 30 which comprises an optical measuring head 32 and optical measuring instrumentation 35 which are connected to each other by optical waveguides 38, wherein the optical measuring instrumentation is arranged in the HF generator 40 in the exemplary embodiment. In the context of endoscopic HF surgery, optical waveguides as signal transmitters have the advantage that they are not negatively impacted by the HF fields generated by the HF electrode. If the cable is suitably shielded, however, it is also possible to realize electrical signal transmission for the data from the optical measuring head 32 to the optical measuring instrumentation 35.

[0033] The measuring head 32 can be configured completely optically without electrical components, for example through one or more optical waveguides 38 which are oriented toward the tissue around the HF electrode 25, if appropriate with an imaging optical system placed before it. Multiple optical waveguides 38 can also be led together to the distal tip of the endoscope shaft and distally spread toward the tissue such that each optical waveguide has a different small region of the tissue in its field of view, wherein the light that reaches the optical measuring instrumentation 35 through the various optical waveguides 38 is analyzed separately from each other. In this manner, classifications for the tissue types are present both at the location of the HF electrode 25 and also at various points around the HF electrode 25. Since the HF electrode 25 typically does not pause at one point of the tissue 5 during a treatment but is moved through the tissue or over the tissue, it is possible in this manner to detect the change in a tissue type along the direction of movement of the HF electrode 25 at an early stage and set a suitable other HF mode when this new tissue type is reached.

[0034] The optical measuring head 32 can be integrated into the HF instrument 20, but can also be configured as a retrofit solution and, as shown in FIG. 1, be fastened from the outside to the HF instrument in a suitable manner. This can be realized either through gripping means on the optical measuring head 32, or through an arrangement of the HF instrument 20 with an accommodation for an optical measuring head 32, wherein the optical measuring head 32 is configured with corresponding complementary means for the accommodation on the HF instrument 20. This solution enables the HF instrument to be equipped with various optical capturing devices which are optimized for various areas of application and purposes and may realize various optical measuring methods.

[0035] In the case of a retrofit solution, in order to prevent hindrances to the surgical personnel, one further development provides leading the various cables that lead to the HF measuring instrumentation 45 on the one hand and to the optical measuring instrumentation 35 on the other hand as a bundle 50. This can be done either through a common cable guide or cable integration, i.e. through a common cable for the HF and optical components, or through a mechanical bundling of the separate HF and optical cables or optical waveguides by means of a cable tunnel, by means of cable clamps, or the like.

[0036] All named characteristics, including those taken from the drawing alone, and individual characteristics, which are disclosed in combination with other characteristics, are considered alone and in combination as essential for the invention. Embodiments according to the invention can be fulfilled by individual features or a combination of several features.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0037] 5 Tissue

[0038] 10 System

[0039] 20 HF instrument

[0040] 25 HF electrode

[0041] 30 Optical capturing device

[0042] 32 Optical measuring head

[0043] 35 Optical measuring instrumentation

[0044] 38 Optical waveguide

[0045] 40 HF generator

[0046] 45 HF measuring instrumentation

[0047] 48 HF cable

[0048] 50 Bundle