Covidien LP

James E Thompson

Daniel A Friedrichs

Robert B Smith

Robert M Sharp

Robert B Stoddard

Anthony B Ross

Thomas W Meiser

A surgical system includes a surgical instrument and a cooling module. The cooling module includes a fluid reservoir retaining a conductive cooling fluid, a pump configured to pump the conductive cooling fluid along a flowpath, first and second electrodes disposed at first and second positions along the flowpath and configured to sense an electrical property of the conductive cooling fluid at the first and second positions, and a controller configured to determine an impedance of the conductive cooling fluid between the first and second positions based upon the sensed electrical properties of the first and second electrodes. A method for cooling a surgical instrument includes detecting an electrical property of a conductive cooling fluid at first and second positions along a flowpath and determining an impedance of the conductive cooling fluid between the first and second positions based upon the detected electrical properties at the first and second positions.

Devices, systems, and methods for cooling a surgical instrument

A surgical instrument end effector assembly includes a first jaw member defining an insulative tissue-contacting surface and first and second electrically-conductive tissue-contacting surfaces, and a second jaw member positioned including an ultrasonic blade body and defining at least one electrically-conductive tissue-contacting surface. The first jaw member is movable relative to the second jaw member between a spaced-apart position and an approximated position to grasp tissue therebetween. The second jaw member is movable relative to the first jaw member between a first configuration, to facilitate transmission of ultrasonic energy to tissue grasped between the first and second jaw members, and a second configuration, to facilitate conduction of electrosurgical energy through tissue grasped between the first and second jaw members.

Surgical instruments incorporating ultrasonic and electrosurgical functionality

A plasma system is disclosed. The plasma system includes a plasma instrument having an elongated body defining a lumen therethrough and a first electrode and a second electrode; an ionizable media source in fluid communication with the lumen and configured to supply ionizable media thereto; and a variable frequency energy source adapted to be coupled to the first and second electrodes and configured to supply energy to the first and second electrodes sufficient to ignite ionizable media supplied by the ionizable media source to generate a plasma influent, wherein a frequency of the energy is adjustable to modify at least one property of the plasma effluent.

Growing community of inventors

Frederick, CO, United States of America

James E Thompson