Patent ID: 9579143
Date: 2017-02-28
CPC Classifications: A61B

Claim:
1. A surgical tool comprising: a handle; an electrical tissue contact element operable to ablate tissue mounted on a distal portion of the tool, wherein the distal portion is connected to the handle via a shaft; a power source electrically connected to the tissue contact element; an impedance analyzer electrically connected to the tissue contact element, wherein the impedance analyzer receives impedance measurement signals from the tissue contact element and calculates tissue impedance; a tactile mapping logic electrically connected to the impedance analyzer, wherein the tactile mapping logic receives calculated impedance information from the impedance analyzer and processes the information into signal commands; and a feedback system including one or more haptic actuators coupled to the handle and electrically connected to the tactile mapping logic, wherein the tactile mapping logic communicates the signal commands to the feedback system and the feedback system uses the signal commands to generate a first haptic feedback relating to the calculated impedance information to the handle, and wherein the feedback system separately communicates information to a user about operating parameters of the power source as a second haptic feedback generated by the feedback system, wherein the operating parameters include a frequency setting and an amplitude setting of the power source which are mapped into a set of vibrotactile alerts to provide confirmation that the power source is in a correct operating mode before the power source engages in electrosurgical activity and wherein at least one of an amplitude, a frequency, and a duration of the vibrotactile alerts vary based on changing levels of the operating parameters as the power source engages in electrosurgical activity, and wherein the second haptic feedback is generated separate from the first haptic feedback.