	US 12,232,796 B2
	Electrosurgical techniques for sealing, short circuit detection, and system determination of power level
Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Hillsboro, OH (US); David C. Yates, Morrow, OH (US); Taylor W. Aronhalt, Loveland, OH (US); Shane R. Adams, Lebanon, OH (US); Daniel V. Boguszewski, Cincinnati, OH (US); Nicholas J. Ross, Franklin, OH (US); Marc A. Molnar, Dayton, OH (US); and Matthew D. Cowperthwait, Cincinnati, OH (US)
Assigned to CILAG GMBH INTERNATIONAL, Zug (CH)
Filed by Cilag GmbH International, Zug (CH)
Filed on Apr. 30, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/246,089.
Prior Publication US 2022/0346853 A1, Nov. 3, 2022
Int. Cl. A61B 18/12 (2006.01); A61B 18/14 (2006.01); A61B 18/00 (2006.01)

CPC A61B 18/1206 (2013.01) [A61B 18/1445 (2013.01); A61B 2018/0063 (2013.01); A61B 2018/00702 (2013.01); A61B 2018/0072 (2013.01); A61B 2018/00755 (2013.01); A61B 2018/00767 (2013.01)]

24 Claims

1. A method of detecting a short circuit in the jaws of an end effector of a surgical instrument, the method comprising:

prior to applying a therapeutic electrical signal, applying, by a radio frequency (RF) generator, a sub-therapeutic electrical signal to an electrode located in the jaws of the end effector, wherein the sub-therapeutic electrical signal comprises a sequence of exploratory waveforms comprising pulsed current and voltage waveforms;

detecting, by a control circuit, a shorted electrode of the short circuit when a measured electrical parameter in the jaws of the end effector is less than a predetermined value; and

modifying, by the control circuit, electrical current applied to the shorted electrode by the RF generator.