Multiple parameter fault detection in electrosurgical instrument shields

1. A method of detecting faults within a shielded electrosurgical instrument, the shielded electrosurgical instrument having an active electrode, the method comprising:

contemporaneously sensing an active voltage in the active electrode and a power in the electrosurgical instrument shield;

determining whether a resistance fault exists, wherein determining whether a resistance fault exists comprises determining whether the expression W shield R trip >V active 2 K scale is true, wherein V active 2 is equal to the mean, squared, active electrode voltage over a frame, wherein W shield is equal to the mean, real shield power over a frame, wherein R trip is equal to the resistance below which a resistance fault is tripped, and wherein K scale is equal to a scaling constant;

determining at least one of:

(a) whether one or more current faults exists;

(b) whether a power fault exists; or

(c) whether a capacitance fault exists; and

altering power delivery to the active electrode if any of the resistance fault, current faults, power fault, or capacitance faults exist.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining whether a current fault exists comprises determining whether the expression I shield 2 >I trip 2 is true, wherein I shield 2 is equal to the mean, squared shield current over a frame, and wherein I trip 2 is equal to a constant representing the square of current below which a current fault is tripped.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining whether a capacitance fault exists comprises determining whether the expression V active 2 >I shield Z fault 2 is true, wherein V active 2 is equal to the mean, squared, active electrode voltage over a frame, wherein I shield 2 is equal to the mean, squared, shield current over a frame, and wherein Z fault 2 is equal to a constant representing the square of the magnitude of the impedance at which a capacitance fault should be tripped.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining whether a power fault exists comprises determining whether the expression (W shield >W trip ) is true, where W shield is equal to the mean, real power in the shield and W trip is equal to a constant representing the maximum average value of power above which a power fault may trip.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising

detecting a shield current value; and

determining whether a low shield current fault exists, wherein a low shield current fault exists if the following expression is true: (I shield 2 >I low _ trip 2 ) AND (V active 2 <V max 2 ); wherein

I shield 2 is a mean square of the shield current value;

I low _ trip 2 is a constant representing the square of current above which a low current fault is tripped;

V active 2 is a mean square of the active voltage in the active electrode; and

V max 2 is a constant representing the maximum value of mean, squared, active electrode voltage below which a low-current fault may trip.

6. A system for detecting faults within a shielded electrosurgical instrument, the electrosurgical instrument having an active electrode and a shield, the system comprising:

a processor;

a logic circuit;

a memory element;

an electrosurgical generator adapted to couple to the electrosurgical instrument and adapted to deliver power through the electrosurgical instrument; and

monitoring circuitry coupled to the electrosurgical generator and the electrosurgical instrument, the monitoring circuitry comprising structure for contemporaneously detecting an active voltage in the active electrode and a power in the electrosurgical shield;

the monitoring circuitry further comprising structure for determining whether a resistance fault exists, wherein determining whether a resistance fault exists comprises determining whether the expression W shield R trip >V active 2 K scale is true, wherein V active 2 is equal to the mean, squared, active electrode voltage over a frame, wherein W shield is equal to the mean, real shield power over a frame, wherein R trip is equal to the resistance below which a resistance fault is tripped, and wherein K scale is equal to a scaling constant, the monitoring circuitry further comprising structure for determining at least one of (a) whether one or more current faults exists, (b) whether a power fault exists, or (c) whether a capacitance fault exists;

the monitoring circuitry further configured to generate a signal to cause the system to alter power delivery to the active electrode if any of the resistance fault, current faults, power fault, or capacitance faults exist.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein:

determining whether a current fault exists comprises determining whether the expression I shield 2 >I trip 2 is true, wherein I shield 2 is equal to the mean, squared shield current over a frame, and wherein I trip 2 is equal to a constant representing the square of current below which a current fault is tripped.

8. The system of claim 6 , wherein:

determining whether a capacitance fault exists comprises determining whether the expression V active 2 >I shield 2 Z fault 2 is true, wherein V active 2 is equal to the mean, squared, active electrode voltage over a frame, wherein I shield 2 is equal to the mean, squared, shield current over a frame, and wherein Z fault 2 is equal to a constant representing the square of the magnitude of the impedance at which a capacitance fault should be tripped.

9. The system of claim 6 , wherein:

determining whether a power fault exists comprises determining whether the expression (W shield >W trip ) is true, where W shield is equal to the mean, real power in the shield and W trip is equal to a constant representing the maximum average value of power above which a power fault may trip.

10. The system of claim 6 , wherein the monitoring circuitry comprises at least one of a capacitive divider or a current transformer.

11. The system of claim 6 , further comprising at least one of:

structure for displaying at least one of (a) the power delivered to the patient and the active electrode, (b) the active electrode current, (c) the return electrode current, (d) the active electrode voltage, (e) the shield power, (f) the shield current, (g) the shield resistance, or (h) shield fault status; or

structure for recording at least one of (a) the power delivered to the patient and the active electrode, (b) the active electrode current, (c) the return electrode current, (d) the active electrode voltage, (e) the shield power, (f) the shield current, (g) the shield resistance, or (h) shield fault status.

12. The system of claim 6 , wherein the processor is adapted to

determine whether a low shield current fault exists.

13. The system of claim 6 , wherein

the monitoring circuitry further comprises structure for detecting a shield current value; and

the processor is adapted to determine whether a low shield current fault exists, wherein a low shield current fault exists if the following expression is true: (I shield 2 >I low _ trip 2 ) AND (V active 2 <V max 2 ); wherein

I shield 2 is a mean square of the shield current value;

I low _ trip 2 is a constant representing the square of current above which a low current fault is tripped;

V active 2 is a mean square of the active voltage in the active electrode; and

V max 2 is a constant representing the maximum value of mean, squared, active electrode voltage below which a low-current fault may trip.

14. The system of claim 6 , wherein the electrosurgical generator and the monitoring circuitry are integrated into the same device.

15. The system of claim 6 , further comprising an identification element that indicates to the monitoring circuitry a specific set of fault threshold criteria.

16. The system of claim 6 , further comprising an identification element that indicates to the monitoring circuitry a class of the electrosurgical instrument.

17. A method of detecting faults within a shielded electrosurgical instrument, the shielded electrosurgical instrument having an active electrode, the method comprising:

contemporaneously sensing an active voltage in the active electrode and a power in the electrosurgical instrument shield;

determining at least two of: (a) whether a resistance fault exists, (b) whether one or more current faults exists, (c) whether a power fault exists, or (d) whether a capacitance fault exists; and

altering power delivery to the active electrode if any of the resistance fault, current faults, power fault, or capacitance faults exist; wherein

determining whether a resistance fault exists comprises determining whether the expression W shield R trip >V active 2 K scale is true, wherein V active 2 is equal to the mean, squared, active electrode voltage over a frame, wherein W shield is equal to the mean, real shield power over a frame, wherein R trip is equal to the resistance below which a resistance fault is tripped, and wherein K scale is equal to a scaling constant;

determining whether a current fault exists comprises determining whether the expression I shield 2 >I trip 2 is true, wherein I shield is equal to the mean, squared shield current over a frame, and wherein I trip 2 is equal to a constant representing the square of current below which a current fault is tripped;

determining whether a capacitance fault exists comprises determining whether the expression V active 2 >Z fault 2 is true, wherein V active 2 is equal to the mean, squared, active electrode voltage over a frame, wherein I shield 2 is equal to the mean, squared, shield current over a frame, and wherein Z fault 2 is equal to a constant representing the square of the magnitude of the impedance at which a capacitance fault should be tripped; and wherein

determining whether a power fault exists comprises determining whether the expression (W shield >W trip ) is true, where W shield is equal to the mean, real power in the shield and W trip is equal to a constant representing the maximum average value of power above which a power fault may trip.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising

detecting a shield current value; and

determining whether a low shield current fault exists, wherein determining whether a low shield current fault exists comprises determining whether the expressions (I shield 2 >I low _ trip ) AND (V active 2 <V max 2 ) are true; wherein

I shield 2 is a mean square of the shield current value;

I low _ trip 2 is a constant representing the square of current above which a low current fault is tripped;

V active 2 is a mean square of the active voltage in the active electrode; and

V max 2 is a constant representing the maximum value of mean, squared, active electrode voltage below which a low-current fault may trip.

19. A method of detecting faults within a shielded electrosurgical instrument, the shielded electrosurgical instrument having an active electrode, the method comprising:

contemporaneously sensing an active voltage in the active electrode and a power in the electrosurgical instrument shield;

determining

whether one or more current faults exists, wherein determining whether one or more current faults exist comprises determining whether the expression I shield 2 >I trip 2 is true, wherein I shield 2 is equal to the mean, squared shield current over a frame, and wherein I trip 2 is equal to a constant representing the square of current below which a current fault is tripped;

determining at least one of: (a) whether a resistance fault exists, (b) whether a power fault exists, or (c) whether a capacitance fault exists; and

altering power delivery to the active electrode if any of the resistance fault, current faults, power fault, or capacitance faults exist.

20. A method of detecting faults within a shielded electrosurgical instrument, the shielded electrosurgical instrument having an active electrode, the method comprising:

contemporaneously sensing an active voltage in the active electrode and a power in the electrosurgical instrument shield;

determining at least one of:

whether a resistance fault exists;

whether one or more current faults exists; or

whether a power fault exists;

determining whether a capacitance fault exists, wherein determining whether a capacitance fault exists comprises determining whether the expression V active 2 >I shield 2 Z fault 2 is true, wherein V active 2 is equal to the mean, squared, active electrode voltage over a frame, wherein I shield 2 is equal to the mean, squared, shield current over a frame, and wherein Z fault 2 is equal to a constant representing the square of the magnitude of the impedance at which a capacitance fault should be tripped; and

altering power delivery to the active electrode if any of the resistance fault, current faults, power fault, or capacitance faults exist.

21. A system for detecting faults within a shielded electro surgical instrument, the electrosurgical instrument having an active electrode and a shield, the system comprising:

a processor;

a logic circuit;

a memory element;

an electrosurgical generator adapted to couple to the electrosurgical instrument and adapted to deliver power through the electrosurgical instrument; and

monitoring circuitry coupled to the electro surgical generator and the electro surgical instrument, the monitoring circuitry comprising structure for contemporaneously detecting an active voltage in the active electrode and a power in the electrosurgical shield;

the monitoring circuitry further comprising structure for determining at least one of (a) whether a resistance fault exists, (b) whether a power fault exists, or (c) whether a capacitance fault exists,

the monitoring circuitry further comprising structure for determining whether one or more current faults exists, wherein determining whether one or more current faults exist comprises determining whether the expression I shield 2 >I trip 2 is true, wherein I shield 2 is equal to the mean, squared shield current over a frame, and wherein I trip 2 is equal to a constant representing the square of current below which a current fault is tripped;

the monitoring circuitry further configured to generate a signal to cause the system to alter power delivery to the active electrode if any of the resistance fault, current faults, power fault, or capacitance faults exist.

22. A system for detecting faults within a shielded electro surgical instrument, the electrosurgical instrument having an active electrode and a shield, the system comprising:

a processor;

a logic circuit;

a memory element;

an electrosurgical generator adapted to couple to the electrosurgical instrument and adapted to deliver power through the electrosurgical instrument; and

monitoring circuitry coupled to the electro surgical generator and the electro surgical instrument, the monitoring circuitry comprising structure for contemporaneously detecting an active voltage in the active electrode and a power in the electrosurgical shield;

the monitoring circuitry further comprising structure for determining at least one of (a) whether a resistance fault exists, (b) whether one or more current faults exists, or (c) whether a power fault exists;

the monitoring circuitry further comprising structure for determining whether a capacitance fault exists, wherein determining whether a capacitance fault exists comprises determining whether the expression V active 2 >I shield 2 Z fault 2 is true, wherein V active 2 is equal to the mean, squared, active electrode voltage over a frame, wherein I shield 2 is equal to the mean, squared, shield current over a frame, and wherein Z fault 2 is equal to a constant representing the square of the magnitude of the impedance at which a capacitance fault should be tripped;

the monitoring circuitry further configured to generate a signal to cause the system to alter power delivery to the active electrode if any of the resistance fault, current faults, power fault, or capacitance faults exist.