ECG SAMPLING UNIT FOR ELeCPROSURGICAL ENVIRONMENTS
G.T. Jankauskas, J.R. LaCourse, S.M. Selikowitz
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Biomedical Engineering Center
Kingsbury Hall
University of New Hampshire
Durham. NH 03824
Abstract
Electrocardiographic (ECG) monitoring during
electro-surgery may become greatly distorted
from the interference of the radio frequency
signals generated by the electrosurgical unit
(ESU). The device presented here is an
attempt at a solid state solution to this
problem. Our ECG sampling unit was developed
from the suggestion of Chu et al. [ l ] that we
control the RF function generator used to
drive an RF power amplifier for the cutting
signal for the wand, in such a way that a
sample of the ECG is taken while the
generator is off yet not altering the cutting
signal a significant amount.
Introduction
POWER MODE
SLPPLY CONTRO
Figure 1. Block diagram of a typical solid-
state ESU.
Svstem Timinq
A typical ESU uses, as a carrier, radio
frequencies in the range from 250kHz to 4MHZ
and one of many specialized envelopes
produced from the function generator. Our
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approach is to gate this function generator
off for approximately 1 1 O p seconds every am
seconds of operation. These numbers where
chosen by Chu et al. to give optimal sample
time with an ESU duty cycle of 98% instead of
100%. During the 1 1 O p seconds that the
function generator is off, the sampling of
the ECG takes place. During the first 100p
seconds of RF "quiet" time, the system waits
for any extraneous noise to be reduced. It
is assumed that this time is adequate.
During the last lop seconds of "quite1Itime,
the system tracks the clean ECG and holds the
sample until the next sample is taken. At
the end of the 'lquietIt time the function
generator is then returned to its own
control. Figure 2. shows the 8m second
system clock, Figure 3a. is the 110p second
gating off of the RF generator, Figure 3b. is
the 1 O O p second delay signal for lop second
track and hold in figure 3c. All signals are
5V TTL level.
Figure 2. 8m sec. system clock
Figure 3a. RF gate control
Figure 3b. Sample and hold delay
Figure 3c. Sample and hold control
CH 2666~/88/0000-0079-$1.0001988 IEEE
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.

ECG SAMPLING UNIT

Figure 7. The distorted ECG after processing

The other test done prior to publication was
the simulated ECG unit placed in close
proximity to an RF amplifier to again
simulate the additive noise. Results of
these tests were again promising and shown in.
figure 8 .
ESU
GATF
n
Figure 5 . Block diagram of the ECG Sampling
Unit

connections are the ECG in, the ECG out, and

the RF generator gating signal. Once the
appropriate connections have been made and Figure 8 . The ECG in a simulated ESU
the Power switch has been turned on, the environment before and after processing
system is operational.

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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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