GB2456353A

GB2456353A - Electrosurgical system including a switch adapter cable

Info

Publication number: GB2456353A
Application number: GB0800593A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Richard J Curtis; Michael David Newton
Original assignee: Gyrus Medical Ltd
Current assignee: Gyrus Medical Ltd
Priority date: 2008-01-14
Filing date: 2008-01-14
Publication date: 2009-07-15
Also published as: WO2009090361A1; GB2467510A; GB201010408D0; US20090192509A1; GB2467510B; DE112008003619T5; GB0800593D0

Abstract

An electrosurgical system includes an electrosurgical generator 1 with at least one radio frequency power output connection 2 and a switch input connection 25, at least one electrosurgical instrument 5 connected to an output connection 2 via a cable 8, at least first and second switch assemblies to control the electrosurgical instrument, each including a switch module 11, 17, a cable 12, 20, and a switch connector 38, 39, an adapter cable 30 including a first connector 31 to connect with the switch input connection 25 and at least second and third connectors 36, 37 to connect with the switch connectors 38, 39 of the first and second switch assemblies. The switch assemblies may be footswitches 11 and/or hand switches 17 and the hand switch 17 may be mounted on the electrosurgical instrument 5.

Description

1 2456353 Electrosurgical System This invention relates to an electrosurgical system including an electrosurgical generator, and one or more electrosurgical instruments for use therewith.

The majority of electrosurgical generators are designed to have only one instrument attached to the generator at any one time. However, there is an increasing trend, with ever more sophisticated electrosurgery systems, to have multiple instruments connected to the generator at any one time. US patent specifications 5,342,356 and 6,508,809 relate to two examples of electrosurgical systems in which multiple instruments can be connected to a single generator. These patent specifications describe how shaped-connectors, colour-coding and distinct symbols can be used to assist with the connection of these multiple instruments, and to ensure that the correct instrument is connected to the appropriate output of the generator.

Another example of an electrosurgery system with multiple instruments connected to a single generator is described in US patent application 2004/0215131. Like most of these known electrosurgical generators, this application describes a system that only allows for the operation of one of the attached instruments at any one time.

Handswitches are present on the electrosurgical instruments, and the pressing of any of the handswitches immediately makes that instrument the "active" instrument.

With more sophistication being introduced to electrosurgical systems, the control of the instruments becomes more complex. It is an aim of the present invention to provide an improved electrosurgical system in which various electrosurgical instruments can be controlled more easily.

Accordingly, an electrosurgical system is provided comprising; I) an electrosurgical generator comprising: a) at least one source of radio frequency (RF) power, b) at least one output connection, the or each output connection being such that at least a first electrosurgical assembly can be connected to the generator, and c) a switch input connection; ii) at least one electrosurgical assembly comprising an electrosurgical instrument and a cable connecting the electrosurgical instrument to a respective output connection; iii) at least first and second switch assemblies, each adapted to control the operation of respective electrosurgical assembly, and each comprising a switch module, a cable and a switch connector; and iv) an adapter unit comprising a first connector adapted to interconnect with the switch input connection of the generator, and at least second and third connectors, each of the second and third connectors being adapted to interconnect with the switch connector of the first and second switch assemblies.

The adapter unit, with a first connector for connection with the generator, and two or more further connectors for connecting with the switch assemblies, provides more options for the control of the electrosurgical system. For example, in one arrangement, the switch module of the first switch assembly is a footswitch, and the switch module of the second switch assembly is a handswitch mounted on one of the electrosurgical instruments. In this way, the surgeon can be presented with the option of controlling an electrosurgical instrument either by a conventional footswitch or by the handswitch mounted on the instrument. The provision of the adapter unit allows for both the footswitch and the handswitch to be connected to the single switch input connection provided on the electrosurgical generator.

Published application W02005/048860 describes a "Y-Cable" used with an electrosurgical generator. However, the Y-Cable of W02005/048860 is used to allow a single RF output, typically situated on the front of the generator, to drive two electrosurgical instruments. This is fundamentally different from the present invention, which uses the adapter unit to allow multiple switch assemblies to be connected to the switch input connection, typically situated on the back of the generator.

In another arrangement, the switch module of the second switch assembly is a footswitch. This allows for two footswitch assemblies to be connected to the electrosurgical generator. It is nowadays common for two or more surgeons to be present during a surgical procedure, especially during complex and/or time-consuming surgery. Often each of the surgeons is holding an electrosurgical instrument, and the surgeons take turns to perform parts of the procedure. With only a single footswitch, the footswitch is often moved back and forth under the operating table, as a surgeon on each side of the patient needs to activate his/her electrosurgical instrument. By way of the present invention, a surgical system can be provided in which each surgeon has a footswitch, or at the very least a footswitch is provided on each side of the operating

table.

In a typical arrangement, there are at least first and second electrosurgical assemblies respectively connected to first and second output connections of the generator, and the switch module of the first switch assembly is a handswitch mounted on the first electrosurgical instrument. Conceivably, the switch module of the second S switch assembly is a handswitch mounted on the second electrosurgical instrument, and the adapter unit is provided to allow both handswitches to be simultaneously connected to the electrosurgical generator. Each handswitch can be used to send signals to the electrosurgical generator, to cause any particular instrument to be used. One protocol for determining the command structure for the different electrosurgical instruments is described in our co-pending GB patent application, (Ref P523092GB).

The adapter unit can have a first connector for the generator, and second and third connectors for the switch assemblies (typically a "Y-Cable"). Alternatively, where there are at least three switch assemblies, the adapter unit has four or more connectors such that there are at least three connectors, one connector being adapted to interconnect with the switch connector of each of the three or more switch assemblies.

This typically makes the adapter unit an "X-Cable", with one connector for the generator, and three (or conceivably even more) further connectors, i.e. for the handswitch of each of the electrosurgical instruments.

The invention will now be described in more detail, by way of example only, with reference to the drawings, in which; Figure 1 is a schematic view of an electrosurgical system constructed in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a plan view, partly in section, of an adapter unit forming part of the electrosurgical system of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a schematic view of an electrosurgical system constructed in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the invention; and Figure 4 is a schematic view of electrosurgical system constructed in accordance with a further embodiment of the invention.

Referring to Figure 1, a generator 1 has an output socket 2 providing a radio frequency (RF) output for an electrosurgical instrument 5 via a connection cord 8.

Activation of the generator 1 may be performed from the instrument 5 via a handswitch 17, or by means of a footswitch unit 11, as shown, connected to the generator via a footswitch connection cord 12. In the illustrated embodiment, the footswitch unit 11 has two footswitch pedals 1 1A and 1 lB for selecting a coagulation mode and a cutting mode of the generator I respectively. The footswitch unit 11 may have one or more additional buttons (not shown), for example for entering commands for changing the operating parameters of the generator 1. The generator front panel has push buttons 13 and 14 for respectively setting coagulation and cutting power levels, which are indicated in a display 15.

The handswitch 17 is mounted on the instrument 5, and sends command signals to the generator I via a handswitch cable 20. Both the footswitch connection cord 12 and the handswitch cable 20 are connected to a single switch socket 25 located on the rear o of the generator 1. This is achieved by means of an adapter unit in the form of an adapter cable 30, which will now be described in more detail with reference to Figure 2.

The adapter cable 30 comprises a generator plug 31 adapted to be received in the switch socket 25 on the back of the generator 1. Emerging from the plug 31 is a main cable 32, which divides into two sub-cables 33 and 34 at a Y-shaped division section 35. A first adapter cable socket 36 is present on the end of the sub-cable 33. while a second adapter cable socket 37 is present on the end of the sub-cable 34. The operation of the adapter cable 30 will now be described.

Firstly, the adapter cable 30 is attached to the generator I by inserting the generator plug 31 into the switch socket 25. Then a footswitch plug 38 on the end of the footswitch connection cord 12 is attached to the first adapter cable socket 36. Finally, a handswitch plug 39 on the end of the handswitch cable 20 is attached to the second adapter cable socket 37. The footswitch unit 11 and the handswitch 17 are now both connected to the generator I as shown in Figure 1.

In this way, commands can be given to the generator I to activate and control the operation of the instrument 5 by either the footswitch unit 11 or the handswitch 17.

The handswitch 17 may be a simple button as shown, or may alternatively comprise two or more buttons to replicate the operation of the footswitch unit 11. The software hierarchy within the generator 1 may be such that commands from one or other of the footswitch unit 11 or the handswitch 17 take priority over the other, or the generator may be programmed to respond to whichever signals are received in turn.

Figure 3 shows an alternative arrangement in which the instrument 5 is complemented by a second instrument 6, connected to the generator 1 by a connection cord 9 connected to an output socket 3. Push buttons 16 are provided on the generator 1 as a means for selection between the instruments 5 and 6. The instruments 5 and 6 are not provided with handswitches in this embodiment, but the adapter cable 30 is provided to enable an additional footswitch unit 11' to be employed. The additional footswitch unit 11' is similar to the footswitch unit 11 previously described, with footswitch pedals hA' and I1B', a footswitch connection cord 12' and a footswitch plug 38'. The plug 31 of the adapter cable 30 is inserted into to the back of the generator I as before, and the footswitch plugs 38 and 38' are attached to the first and second adapter cable sockets 36 and 37. In this way, both the footswitch units 11 and 11' can be used to control the electrosurgical instruments 5 and 6.

In general, only one of instruments 5 and 6 may be activated at any one time, and one process for controlling and changing which instrument is the "active" instrument is described in our co-pending GB patent application, (Ref GO83GB). The changeover from one instrument to the other can also be carried out by means of the push buttons 16 on the generator I, or by a sequence of signals sent from the footswitch units 11 and 11'. Typically, the electrosurgical system of Figure 3 is used by two surgeons, one situated on each side of an operating table (not shown). With a single footswitch, it often seems that the footswitch has to be passed from one surgeon to the other. In contrast, the provision of the two footswitch units 11 and 11' allows for one footswitch unit to be present on each side of the operating table, such that each surgeon can access a footswitch without the need for the footswitch to be moved or passed from one surgeon to the other.

Figure 4 shows an alternative system in which only one footswitch unit 11 is present, but three instruments 5, 6 and 7 are connected to the generator 1, the additional instrument 7 being connected by a connection cord 10 to an output socket 4.

Furthermore, each of the instruments 5, 6 and 7 is provided with a handswitch 17, 18 and 19 respectively. The handswitch 17 has a handswitch cable 20 as previously described, while the handswitch 18 on the instrument 6 has a haridswitch cable 21, and the handswjtch 19 on the instrument 7 has a handswitch cable 22. The cable 20 terminates in a handswitch plug 39 as previously described, while the cable 21 terminates in a plug 40 and the cable 22 in a plug 41. The adapter cable 30 is of a different design, having four sub-cables 33, 34, 42 and 43, and four adapter cable sockets 36, 37, 44 and 45. The footswitch plug 38 is received in an adapter cable socket 36, to coimect the footswitch unit 11 to the generator 1. Additionally, the handswitch plugs 39, 40 and 41 are received in the adapter cable sockets 37, 44 and 45, to connect the handswitches 17, 18 and 19 to the generator 1. In this way, the operation of the instruments 5, 5 and 7 can be controlled either by the footswitch unit 11, or by the handswitches 17, 18 and 19 present on the instruments.

Where there are multiple instruments, as in Figure 4, a system must be put in place to control the transfer of the operation of one instrument to another. Such a system is described in our co-pending GB patent application, (Ref P523092GB). In this, control of the instruments is either "pulled" from one instrument to another, or "pushed" from one instrument to another as described in more detail therein.

Claims

Claims 1. An electrosurgical system comprising: i) an electrosurgical generator comprising: a) at least one source of radio frequency (RF) power, b) at least one output connection, the or each output connection being such that at least a first electrosurgical assembly can be connected to the generator, and c) a switch input connection; ii) at least one electrosurgical assembly comprising an electrosurgical instrument and a cable connecting the electrosurgical instrument to a respective output connection; iii) at least first and second switch assemblies, each adapted to control the operation of a respective electrosurgical assembly, and each comprising a switch module, a cable and a switch connector; and iv) an adapter unit comprising a first connector adapted to interconnect with the switch input connection of the generator, and at least second and third connectors, each of the second and third connectors being adapted to interconnect with the switch connector of the first and second switch assemblies.
2. An electrosurgical system according to claim 1, wherein the switch module of the first switch assembly is a footswitch.
3. An electrosurgical system according to claim 2, wherein the switch module of the second switch assembly is a handswitch mounted on one of the electrosurgical instruments.
4. An electrosurgical system according to claim 1, wherein the switch module of the second switch assembly is a footswitch.
5. An electrosurgical system according to claim I, wherein there are at least first and second electrosurgical assemblies respectively connected to first and second output connections of the generator.
6. An electrosurgical system according to claim 5, wherein the switch module of the first switch assembly is a handswitch mounted on the first electrosurgical instrument.
7. An electrosurgical system according to claim 6 wherein the switch module of the second switch assembly is a handswitch mounted on the second electrosurgical instrument.
8. An electrosurgical system according to claim 1, wherein there are at least three switch assemblies, and the adapter unit has four or more connectors such that there are at least three connectors, one connector being adapted to interconnect with the switch connector of each of the three or more switch assemblies.