Electrosurgical system with device specific operational parameters

Abstract

Electrosurgical systems and methods include a generator which is operable to connect to an electrosurgical device and to identify the electrosurgical device. The generator automatically determines at least one device specific operational parameter for carrying out the electrosurgical procedure. In an exemplary embodiment, a generator includes a fluid pump and the generator automatically determines a candidate flowrate at which to operate the pump based on the type of device. The device specific operational parameter may be selected or modified by the operator prior to commencing the procedure.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An electrosurgical system for treating tissue at a target site during an open procedure comprising:
 an electrosurgical device comprising a shaft having a distal end and an active and return electrode disposed near the distal end;   a generator comprising:
 a high frequency power supply configured to deliver high frequency energy to said active and return electrode; 
 a pump configured to pump electrically conductive fluid to the target site and wherein the electrically conductive fluid provides a current path between the active and return electrode; and 
   a controller configured to identity a device type of said electrosurgical device when said electrosurgical device is operationally connected to said generator and to automatically determine at least one operational parameter specific to said device type and a selected operating mode, and wherein said at least one operational parameter comprises a first candidate flowrate for delivering said electrically conductive fluid when the selected operating mode is a first mode that volumetrically removes tissue, and a second candidate flowrate that is lower than the first candidate flowrate for delivering electrically conductive fluid when an operating mode that coagulates tissue is selected.   
     
     
         2 . The electrosurgical system of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the operating modes includes pulsing the high frequency energy based on identifying the device type. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the controller is configured to determine at least 3 different candidate flowrates for delivering electrically conductive fluid to the target site based on the device type and selected operating mode. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said controller is configured to determine a minimum and maximum candidate flowrate for delivering electrically conductive fluid to the target site based on the device type and the operating mode. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4  wherein the minimum and maximum candidate flow rate for each operating mode define a first flowrate range and a second flowrate range that are different from each other. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the first operating mode is configured to volumetrically remove tissue in a non-thermal manner and thereby ablate the tissue. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said at least one operational parameter further comprises one or more of the following: alarm condition, energy stop condition, count duration, and device activation duration. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the pump is a peristaltic pump. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1  wherein both candidate flowrates are configured to flow over both the active and return electrodes followed by flowing away from the target site through an opening of the nose or mouth near the target tissue. 
     
     
         10 . An electrosurgical generator comprising:
 a high frequency power supply configured to deliver high frequency energy to an active and a return electrode of an electrosurgical device;   a means for controlling delivery of electrically conductive fluid to a target site adjacent the active electrode; and   a controller configured to identify a device type of said electrosurgical device when said electrosurgical device is operationally connected to said generator, and said controller configured to automatically determine at least one operational parameter specific to said device type and operating mode of the high frequency power supply, and wherein said at least one operational parameter comprises an first candidate flowrate when a high voltage operating mode is selected and a second candidate flowrate for delivering said electrically conductive fluid at a rate lower than the first candidate flowrate when a low voltage operating mode is selected; and   wherein the controller is further configured to activate the means for controlling delivery based on the candidate flowrate.   
     
     
         11 . The electrosurgical generator of  claim 10  wherein at least one of the operating modes includes pulsing the high frequency energy. 
     
     
         12 . The electrosurgical generator of  claim 10  wherein the low voltage operating mode is configured to coagulate tissue. 
     
     
         13 . The electrosurgical generator of  claim 10  wherein the low voltage operating mode is configured to volumetrically remove tissue in a non-thermal manner and thereby ablate the tissue. 
     
     
         14 . The electrosurgical generator of  claim 10  wherein the high voltage operating mode is configured to volumetrically remove tissue in a non-thermal manner and thereby ablate the tissue. 
     
     
         15 . The electrosurgical generator of  claim 10  wherein the means for controlling delivery of electrically conductive fluid is a pump. 
     
     
         16 . The electrosurgical generator of  claim 10  wherein both candidate flowrates are configured to flow over both the active and return electrodes followed by flowing away from the target site through an opening of the nose or mouth near the target tissue. 
     
     
         17 . An electrosurgical generator comprising:
 a high frequency power supply configured to deliver high frequency energy to an active and a return electrode of an electrosurgical device;   a pump configured to deliver electrically conductive fluid to a target site and wherein the electrically conductive fluid provides a current path between the active and the return electrode; and   a controller configured to identify said electrosurgical device when said electrosurgical device is operationally connected to said generator, and the controller is configured to automatically determine at least one operational parameter specific to said device and operating mode selected;   wherein the electrosurgical generator is configured to produce high frequency energy sufficient to volumetrically remove the tissue when a first operating mode is selected, and wherein the pump activates the electrically conductive fluid at a first fluid flow rate; and   wherein the electrosurgical generator is configured to produce high frequency energy sufficient to cause hemostasis of the tissue when a second operating mode is selected, and wherein the pump delivers the electrically conductive fluid at a second fluid flow rate, lower than when in the first operating mode.   
     
     
         18 . The electrosurgical generator of  claim 17  wherein at least one of the operating modes includes pulsing the high frequency energy. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 17  wherein said controller is configured to determine a minimum and maximum candidate flowrate for delivering electrically conductive fluid to the target site based on the device type and the operating mode. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 17  wherein the first operating mode is configured to volumetrically remove tissue in a non-thermal manner and thereby ablate the tissue.