Cutting Edge

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Sponsored by Medtronic

The Sonicision Curved Jaw Cordless Ultrasonic Dissection (SUD) System is an essential system to have in the operating room and for engineers. This system includes a handheld device called Sabre, which uses a generator to move a vibrating saw blade back and forth at ultrasonic speeds to cut tissue and seal vessels. There are two PCB boards attached to the device to collect data related to the device, such as voltage, current, power, friction, etc. This data is used to help engineers who want to develop the system further. The system also includes a DAQ board, which pulls the collected data from the Sabre board when connected to it and can display the data on the PC GUI when connected to a PC. Finally, this system outputs a video stream that allows users to view the operation on the GUI while viewing the data. This is a helpful function for a research and development engineer to gain intuition on the vessel sealing and dissection process, which also helps with the development of the system. 

While the prior version of the system is functional, there were several problems that are associated with it. The Sabre devices can get damaged easily if the user is not careful. This is due to the saw blade being able to cut into the jaw liner when no tissue is present, as shown in figure 1. Another problem is that the battery percentage of the Sabre device is not explicitly displayed, although there is a warning signal for low battery, it’s hard to predict when the battery will die. This is an issue because operating rooms are often scheduled back to back, and since the battery is not of sterile material, switching out the battery during surgery will take time that could be significant to the operation. For patients, their recovery times are heavily dependent on the performance of the devices. For engineers who want to collect data (voltage, current, power, friction, etc.), which allows them to find a pattern between numbers and tissue/reactions, they have limited mobility since the system is wired. 

To fix the problems mentioned above, our improved version of the system has wireless communication across devices to enable monitoring of devices set up. This helps to ensure the properties of the devices are good, so surgeons can confidently use them on patients, while also allowing for easier access to ultrasonic generator activation data. To improve the safety of the Sabre device, a computer vision machine learning algorithm is developed to recognize the vibrating blade and jaw liner. With a developed GUI that can function in the operating room, it allows for the display of a warning message when a vibrating blade is in contact with the jaw liner, preventing the device from getting damaged and ensuring longevity of these devices. To allow hospital personnel who manage medical equipment to check the battery percentage in between operations, and on-site troubleshooting to be performed by field technicians, a phone app is also developed. With the main problems solved and the GUI and phone application further improving the user experience when accessing essential tools, the system is successfully upgraded.

The people who will benefit from this system include surgeons, patients, and engineers. The ultrasonic dissection system itself will be used by surgeons who would like to use intelligent systems to ease difficult procedures in the operating room, so with the additional capabilities, they will be more effective and have more confidence using them. Their patients will be able to see better results and possibly have quicker recovery times. The GUI allows for a touchscreen interface that nurses can use in the operating room that would send out visual warning signals when the blade meets itself without tissue. Engineers who use this system for data collection will be able to access more data with ease, allowing for quicker future improvements.

The SUD System is important because the system offers capabilities that are not commonly available in the field. The Sonicision Ultrasonic Dissector can use a high frequency vibration to minimize, by a significant amount, the damage done to adjacent tissues during dissection. The Bluetooth connectivity of the Sabre handpiece allows for wireless connectivity with the data acquisition (DAQ) platform, allowing it to send data as well as a video camera feed to enhance safety. The data from the handpiece can then be used to implement a machine learning algorithm that prevents the handpiece device from activating if the vibrating blade and jaw liner are in close contact, adding another aspect of safety to the overall product. All in all, the ultrasonic dissector system with enhanced intelligence gives surgeons a higher grade of safety.