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Fulmer InstrumentsFulmer Instruments is a medical device company based in Alabama developing handheld, cordless surgical instruments focused on replacing outdated, corded operating room technology. With a core commitment to human-centered design, engineering, and advanced manufacturing, the company aims to provide tools that empower healthcare professionals with intuitive, reliable, and precise devices. Their innovation seeks to address critical clinical needs by enabling surgical precision and improving safety and workflow in challenging environments, both in hospitals and austere field settings. Fulmer Instruments leverages Alabama's engineering and manufacturing ecosystem and is in pre-clinical development, pursuing regulatory clearance.
Fulmer Instruments is a medical device company based in Alabama developing handheld, cordless surgical instruments focused on replacing outdated, corded operating room technology. With a core commitment to human-centered design, engineering, and advanced manufacturing, the company aims to provide tools that empower healthcare professionals with intuitive, reliable, and precise devices. Their innovation seeks to address critical clinical needs by enabling surgical precision and improving safety and workflow in challenging environments, both in hospitals and austere field settings. Fulmer Instruments leverages Alabama's engineering and manufacturing ecosystem and is in pre-clinical development, pursuing regulatory clearance.
Publication Number
US-10363085-B2
Publication Date
2019-07-30
Expiration Date
Abstract
A surgical knife has been developed. The knife includes a blade with an edge that contacts tissue of a patient and a differential amplifier circuit that provides a signal of voltage and current to the blade at a certain frequency and waveform. The device also includes an output monitor feedback circuit that monitors frequency and amplitude data from the differential amplifier circuit and a return monitor feedback circuit that monitors that monitors frequency and amplitude data from the tissue of the patient. The device has a microprocessor that receives the frequency and amplitude data from the output monitor and the return monitor and adjust the voltage, frequency and waveform provided by the differential amplifier.
Core Innovation
A cordless, battery-powered surgical cutting device presents a blade driven by a differential amplifier that provides an RF signal having a voltage, a current, a frequency and a waveform to the blade while onboard output- and return-monitor feedback circuits supply frequency and amplitude data to a microprocessor that adjusts voltage, frequency and waveform (via waveform-shaping circuitry) to control cutting and coagulation. The device completes the current loop using electrostatic/RF coupling to the patient via tuned antennas, conductive pads (passive or active), or multi-axis gravity-aligned pickup elements and implements DDS-based carrier generation, step-up transformer, current/voltage sensing and digitally tuned capacitors in embodiments.
Not explicitly described in patent
Claims Coverage
Overview: one independent claim is present and four main inventive features are extracted from the independent claim.
Differential amplifier providing rf drive to blade
A differential amplifier circuit configured to provide an RF signal having a voltage and a current to the blade at a certain frequency and waveform.
Output monitor feedback circuit monitoring amplifier output
An output monitor feedback circuit that monitors frequency and amplitude data from the differential amplifier circuit associated with the RF signal.
Return monitor feedback circuit monitoring tissue return
A return monitor feedback circuit that monitors frequency and amplitude data from the tissue associated with the RF signal.
Microprocessor adjusting rf parameters based on monitor data
A microprocessor that receives the frequency and amplitude data from the output monitor and from the return monitor and adjusts at least one of the voltage, frequency and waveform of the RF signal provided by the differential amplifier.
The independent claim centers on closed-loop control of an RF-driven blade using output and tissue return monitoring combined with microprocessor adjustment of voltage, frequency and waveform to control cutting and coagulation.
Stated Advantages
Enabling cordlessness and improved maneuverability.
Tissue-identification and safety features that can halt operation on non-desired tissue.
Selection and optimization of operating frequency to maximize power transfer and control (including measuring tissue resonant frequency).
Documented Applications
Surgical cutting and coagulation.
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