Method of controlling a surgical system based on a load on the cutting tip of a handpiece

摘要

A surgical system that is able to sense the onset of an occlusion or other surgical event as well as the instant an occlusion breaks. To help avoid overheating of the tip, the system determines an approximate temperature of the eye using an irrigation flow rate and reduces the power to the handpiece automatically if an overheating situation is predicted. Alternatively or in addition, the system monitors the power drawn by the handpiece, which is indicative of the cutting load on the tip, and automatically adjusts the power to the tip to compensate for increased loads on the tip.

主权项

1. A method of controlling a surgical system, the surgical system having an ultrasound handpiece, the ultrasound handpiece having a cutting tip for cutting tissue, the method comprising the steps of:
establishing a threshold power level; monitoring a load on the cutting tip of the ultrasound handpiece by monitoring a voltage and a current drawn by the handpiece during a non-zero sense power interval, the sense power interval being between cutting power intervals; comparing the amount of power drawn by the handpiece and the threshold power level; and adjusting an amount of power delivered to the cutting tip of the ultrasound handpiece if the power drawn by the handpiece exceeds the threshold power level by enabling torsional vibration of the tip; determining a rate of change of a first operating parameter of the surgical system; determining a stage of occlusion based on the rate of change of the first operating parameter; and adjusting an amount of power delivered to the cutting tip of the ultrasound handpiece based on the determined stage of occlusion.