Patent ID: 8685016

Claim:
An electrosurgical tissue fusion system comprising: an electrosurgical instrument including at least one active electrode adapted to apply electrosurgical energy to tissue; and an electrosurgical generator adapted to supply electrosurgical energy to the at least one active electrode, the electrosurgical generator including: impedance sensing circuitry configured to measure impedance of tissue; and a processor configured to: regulate the supply of electrosurgical energy to tissue; determine whether a tissue reaction has occurred as a function of a minimum impedance value and a predetermined rise in impedance, wherein tissue reaction corresponds to a boiling point of tissue fluid, and wherein a timer is associated with the rise in impedance, an expiration of the timer setting off an alarm by the generator, the alarm prompting a re-grasp of tissue, whereas non-expiration of the timer triggers the generator to generate a ramping of current in an outer loop and a constant current in an inner loop of a current control curve; determine a cooling period in response to the tissue reaction; interrupt the supply of electrosurgical energy to tissue to effectuate the cooling period; and indicate expiration of the cooling period.