Monitoring thermal conditions to vary operation of an ultrasonic needle tip of a surgical instrument

Abstract

A method and apparatus to operate a surgical instrument in response to a thermal condition being detected that warrants curtailment of further operation. When the thermal condition is reached, command signals are generated that cause a needle of the surgical instrument to either have its vibrational speed slowed, have its vibrational movement stopped, or have it withdrawn from its relative position. The detection is of infrared radiation wavelengths and is carried out with either a thermal imaging device of a thermal recognition device. A corresponding temperature of the detected infrared radiation wavelengths is compared to a critical temperature to determine whether the thermal condition has been reached.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of operating a surgical instrument, comprising 
 detecting infrared radiation wavelengths with a thermal imaging or thermal recognition source;    evaluating the detected infrared radiation wavelengths to determine whether a thermal condition has been reached;    generating command signals in response to the evaluating making a determination that the thermal condition has been reached; and    varying at least one of a vibrational speed and a relative position of a needle of the surgical instrument in response to the command signals.    
     
     
         2 . A method as in  claim 1 , further comprising driving the needle to vibrate at ultrasonic speeds, the detecting being of the infrared radiation wavelengths given off that are attributed to the driving of the needle to vibrate at the ultrasonic speeds.  
     
     
         3 . A method as in  claim 1 , wherein the detected infrared wavelengths have a corresponding temperature, the varying causing the corresponding temperature to stop rising further.  
     
     
         4 . A. method as in clam  1 , further comprising aiming a surgical operating microscope, and arranging the thermal imaging or thermal recognition source to effect the detecting through the optical pathways of the surgical operating microscope.  
     
     
         5 . A. method as in clam  1 , further comprising attaching an optical attachment having an optical pathway to an outer housing of a surgical operating microscope and arranging the thermal imaging or thermal recognition source to effect the detecting through the optical pathways of the optical attachment.  
     
     
         6 . A method as in  claim 1 , further comprising selecting the thermal imaging or thermal recognition source from a group consisting of a thermal imaging camera and an optical pyrometer.  
     
     
         7 . A method as in  claim 4 , wherein the surgical operating microscope has an objective lens formed of a material that is more transmissive of the infrared radiation wavelengths than that of glass or fused silica.  
     
     
         9 . A method as in  claim 1 , wherein the detecting of the infrared radiation wavelengths is directed at a location selected from a group consisting of proximal to a needle tip of the surgical instrument, along a hub of the needle of the surgical instrument, and at a driver of the surgical instrument to which is attached the needle.  
     
     
         10 . A method as in  claim 1 , wherein the varying is selected from a group consisting of slowing a vibrational speed of the needle, stopping the needle and withdrawing the needle in response to a corresponding temperature of the detected infrared radiation wavelengths reaching at least a critical temperature.  
     
     
         11 . An apparatus to operate a surgical instrument, comprising 
 a detector of infrared radiation wavelengths with a thermal imaging or thermal recognition source;    a controller responsive to the detected infrared radiation wavelengths to determine whether a thermal condition has been reached;    a generator configured to generate command signals in response to the controller making a determination that the thermal condition has been reached; and    a driver configured to vary at least one of a vibrational speed and a relative position of a needle of the surgical instrument in response to the command signals.    
     
     
         12 . An apparatus as in  claim 11 , wherein the detector is configured to generate detection signals indicative of the detected infrared radiation wavelengths, the controller being responsive to the detection signals to issue further command signals to the driver provided a temperature corresponding to the detected infrared radiation wavelengths at least reaches a critical temperature, the driver being responsive to the further command signals to at least reduce a speed of vibration the needle.  
     
     
         13 . An apparatus as in  claim 11 , wherein the detector is configured to generate detection signals indicative of the detected infrared radiation wavelengths, the controller being responsive to the detection signals to issue further command signals to the driver provided a temperature corresponding to the detected infrared radiation wavelengths at least reaches a critical temperature, the driver being responsive to the further command signals to withdraw the needle.  
     
     
         14 . An apparatus as in  claim 12 , wherein the driver is responsive to the further command signals to reduce the speed of vibration of the needle to a stop.  
     
     
         15 . An apparatus as in clam  11 , further comprising a surgical operating microscope, the detector being arranged to detect the infrared radiation wavelengths through optical pathways of the surgical operating microscope.  
     
     
         16 . An apparatus as in clams  11 , further comprising an attachment having an optical pathway and that is attached to an outer housing of the surgical operating microscope, the detector being arranged to detect the infrared radiation wavelengths through an optical pathway of the attachment.  
     
     
         17 . An apparatus as in  claim 11 , wherein the thermal imaging or thermal recognition source is selected from a group consisting of a thermal imaging camera and an optical pyrometer.  
     
     
         18 . An apparatus as in  claim 15 , wherein the surgical operating microscope has an objective lens formed of a material that is more transmissive of the infrared radiation wavelengths than that of glass or fused silica.  
     
     
         19 . An apparatus as in  claim 12 , wherein the surgical instrument has at least one sleeve concentrically arranged about the needle.  
     
     
         20 . An apparatus as in  claim 13 , wherein the surgical instrument has at least one sleeve concentrically arranged about the needle.