Electrosurgical adaptation techniques of energy modality for combination electrosurgical instruments based on shorting or tissue impedance irregularity

Abstract

Disclosed is a method of adapting energy modality due to a short circuit or tissue type grasped in the jaws of an end effector of a surgical instrument and a system with a control circuit configured to execute the method. The method includes determining a first and second electrode of an array of segmented electrodes are shorted to each other, blending monopolar and bipolar RF energy to the array of segmented electrodes, and determining that the first and second electrodes remain shorted after the blending step. Additionally, or alternatively, the method may include determining that the first and second electrodes are no longer shorted after the blending step, sensing an electrical parameter of tissue grasped within jaws of the end effector, and determining an energy sealing and cutting procedure based on the sensed electrical parameter of the tissue.