POWER MODE
SLPPLY CONTRO Figure 2. 8m sec. system clock
Svstem Timinq
Figure 3a. RF gate control
A typical ESU uses, as a carrier, radio Figure 3b. Sample and hold delay
frequencies in the range from 250kHz to 4MHZ Figure 3c. Sample and hold control
and one of many specialized envelopes
produced from the function generator. Our
79 CH 2666~/88/0000-0079-$1.0001988 IEEE
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Shown in figure 4 is the altered duty cycle Results of our Study
with the RF generator being controlled by the The testing of our system produced promising
timing circuit discussed above. Note the 98%
duty cycle. results that indicate that such a system
deserves further development. Tests were
first done by adding a large amplitude lMHz
sinusoid with a simulated ECG signal. This
was a valid first test in that the RF cutting
signal is an additive noise to the patient
being operated on. Figure 6 shows the input
to our sampling unit and figure 7 shows the
"cleaned" ECG. Such tests were done with a
simulated heart rate varying from 30 beats
per minute to 180 BPM. All results were good
except for the loss of a QRS peak during the
180 BPM test due to sampling. This is not a
Figure 4 . The altered RF duty cycle great concern because most of the pertinent
information is preserved and the heart rate
-
The -
ECG SamDlinq Unit of a person under anesthesia is usually
lower.
Our ECG sampling unit is shown in block
diagram form in figure 5 . Up to now, the
system timing used has been developed with
the understanding that a study into the
optimal times is still ongoing. As shown in
the block diagram, the distorted ECG signal
is the input to the sample and hold via an
isolation buffer and the step wise
electrocardiogram signal is put through a
three pole active lowpass filter with gain
and then output to the viewing device. The
cutoff frequency of the filter of 310 Hz was Figure 6. A simulated distorted ECG
chosen to smooth out the sampled ECG signal
yet taking into account the fundamental
sampling frequency and the spectrum of the
ECG signal itself.
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Further test plans include using the system
during electro-surgery which will hopefully
provide information to better our system.
Conclusion
Throughout our development, the ability to
gate the RF cutting signal has been assumed.
Most commercially available ESU's do not
provide access to the internal operation of
the RF generator or amplifier. All of our
studies were made with a function generator
with the capability to be gated and used as
the input to an RF amplifier. It has been
suggested that the manufacturers of electro-
surgical units provide a quiet period in the
duty cycle of the cutting signal which may be
synchronized with a vital sign sampling
system such as the one presented here.
References
[1] Chu, A.M., Webster, J.G., Hua, P. and Au,
T., IIMinimizing Interference Caused by
Electrosurgical Units", XLV ICMBE and VI1
ICMP, ESPOO, Finland, 1985.
[2] Cook, A.M. , and Webster, J.G. , "Thera-
peutic Medical Devices**,Prentice Hall,
Engle Cliffs, NJ, 1982.
[3] Yelderman, M., Widrow, B., cioffi, J.M.,
Hesler, E, and Leddy, J.A. , "ECG Enhance-
ment by Adaptive Cancellation of Electro-
surgical Interference**,IEEE Trans.
Biomed. Eng., Vol. BME-30 #7, 1983.
[4] Gerhard, G.C. , *ISurgical Electro-
technology: Quo Vadis" , IEEE Trans.
Biomed. Eng., vol. BME-31 #12, 1984.
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