US 11,751,934 B2
Surgical instrument and system
Jesse Smith, Minneapolis, MN (US); David Hubelbank, Minneapolis, MN (US); and John Gearheart, Minneapolis, MN (US)
Assigned to Medtronic Advanced Energy LLC, Minneapolis, MN (US)
Filed by MEDTRONIC ADVANCED ENERGY, LLC, Minneapolis, MN (US)
Filed on Aug. 3, 2018, as Appl. No. 16/53,917.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/549,560, filed on Aug. 24, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2019/0059982 A1, Feb. 28, 2019
Int. Cl. A61B 18/14 (2006.01); A61B 18/12 (2006.01); A61B 17/02 (2006.01); A61B 18/16 (2006.01); A61B 18/00 (2006.01); A61B 17/00 (2006.01); A61B 90/30 (2016.01)
CPC A61B 18/14 (2013.01) [A61B 17/02 (2013.01); A61B 18/1206 (2013.01); A61B 18/16 (2013.01); A61B 17/0206 (2013.01); A61B 90/30 (2016.02); A61B 2017/00026 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00039 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00734 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00907 (2013.01); A61B 2018/00029 (2013.01); A61B 2018/00702 (2013.01); A61B 2018/00726 (2013.01); A61B 2018/00755 (2013.01); A61B 2018/00875 (2013.01); A61B 2018/00892 (2013.01); A61B 2018/126 (2013.01); A61B 2018/1253 (2013.01); A61B 2018/1412 (2013.01); A61B 2018/1475 (2013.01); A61B 2018/1495 (2013.01); A61B 2018/162 (2013.01); A61B 2018/165 (2013.01); A61B 2090/309 (2016.02)] 5 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An electrosurgical system, comprising:
an electrosurgical unit having RF output operably coupled to a RF active receptacle including an output conductor and an RF return operably coupled to a plurality of RF return receptacles, the RF output and RF return to provide an RF signal configured to be received in a tissue of a patient;
an electrosurgical device operably coupled to the RF active receptacle and having an active electrode configured to interface with the patient at a surgical site in the tissue;
a surgical retractor having a blade and a handle attached to the blade, the blade configured to push or pull the tissue of the patient at a first location remote from the surgical site, the blade including a major surface, the major surface configured to be oblique to the handle, the surgical retractor having a retractor electrode coupled to the electrosurgical unit to interface with the RF signal in the tissue of the patient, the retractor electrode consisting of a conductive return pad affixed to the major surface;
a return pad dispersive electrode configured to interface with the tissue of the patient at a second location remote from the surgical site, wherein the plurality of RF return receptacles of the electrosurgical unit includes a first RF return receptacle and a second RF return receptacle, wherein the surgical retractor is electrically coupled to the first RF return receiptacle and the return pad dispersive electrode is electrically coupled to the second RF return receptacle;
wherein the electrosurgical unit is configured to determine a first impedance in the tissue between the active electrode of the electrosurgical device and the return pad dispersive electrode and second impedance in the tissue between the active electrode of the electrosurgical device and the retractor electrode of the surgical retractor.