Handpiece and blade configurations for ultrasonic surgical instrument

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11103270-B2
Application number	US-201715830312-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 4, 2017
Priority date	Nov 26, 2013
Publication date	Aug 31, 2021
Grant date	Aug 31, 2021

Abstract

A surgical apparatus comprises a body, an ultrasonic transducer, a shaft, and an end effector. The ultrasonic transducer is operable to convert electrical power into ultrasonic vibrations. The body comprises a pivotal trigger. The shaft couples the end effector and the body together. The end effector comprises a clamp arm and an ultrasonic blade in acoustic communication with the ultrasonic transducer. The ultrasonic blade is operable to deliver ultrasonic vibrations to tissue. Pivotal movement of the trigger causes movement of the clamp arm. The trigger includes a compliant feature configured to limit the amount of force delivered to tissue by the clamp arm. The flexible feature may comprise a flexible band, living hinge, a series of living hinges, or a flexible tab.

First claim

We claim:

1. A surgical instrument for operating on tissue, comprising:
(a) a shaft assembly including an acoustic waveguide configured to connect to an ultrasonic transducer and communicate an ultrasonic vibration therealong, wherein the shaft assembly longitudinally extends along a central axis; and
(b) an end effector extending distally from the shaft assembly and including:
(i) a clamp arm configured to pivot in a pivot plane, and
(ii) an ultrasonic blade operatively connected to the acoustic waveguide and extending along the pivot plane such that the clamp arm is configured to pivot toward the ultrasonic blade, wherein the ultrasonic blade includes:
(A) a blade body projecting distally from the shaft assembly and longitudinally extending along a blade axis, wherein the blade body includes:
(I) a proximal blade portion,
(II) a distal blade portion, and
(III) an intermediate blade portion positioned between the proximal and distal blade portions, wherein the blade body extends distally downward in a downward direction away from the clamp arm and below the central axis along the pivot plane from the proximal blade portion to the intermediate blade portion,

(B) a compression surface extending distally along the blade body and facing toward the clamp arm such that the compression surface at least partially surrounds the blade axis,
(C) a scoring surface extending distally along the blade body and facing away from the clamp arm such that the scoring surface at least partially surrounds the blade axis,
(D) a first scallop extending distally through the blade body along the scoring surface to define a first scoring edge that distally extends along the blade body opposite from the compression surface, wherein the first scoring edge is configured to cut tissue, and
(E) a second scallop extending distally through the blade body along the scoring surface to define a second scoring edge that distally extends along the blade body opposite from the compression surface, wherein the second scoring edge is configured to cut tissue,
wherein the compression surface is convex about the blade axis laterally between the first and second scallops,
wherein the scoring surface is convex about the blade axis laterally between the first and second scallops, and
wherein at least a portion of the compression surface is below the central axis in the downward direction.

2. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the first scoring edge is a first interior scoring edge and the first scallop further defines a first exterior scoring edge that distally extends along the blade body opposite from the compression surface, wherein the first interior scoring edge is positioned laterally inward toward the pivot plane relative to the first exterior scoring edge.

3. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the ultrasonic blade further includes a distal face along the blade body, wherein the first scallop extends through the distal face of the ultrasonic blade.

4. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the pivot plane bisects the blade body into a first lateral body portion and a second lateral body portion, wherein the first scallop extends through the first lateral body portion, and wherein the second scallop extends through the second lateral body portion.

5. The surgical instrument of claim 4 , wherein the first scoring edge is a first interior scoring edge and the first scallop further defines a first exterior scoring edge that distally extends along the blade body opposite from the compression surface, wherein the first interior scoring edge is positioned laterally inward toward the pivot plane relative to the first exterior scoring edge along the first lateral body portion, wherein the second scoring edge is a second interior scoring edge and the second scallop further defines a second exterior scoring edge that distally extends along the blade body opposite from the compression surface, wherein the second interior scoring edge is positioned laterally inward toward the pivot plane relative to the second exterior scoring edge along the second lateral body portion.

6. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the ultrasonic blade further includes a distal face along the blade body, wherein the first and second scallops extend through the distal face of the ultrasonic blade.

7. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the clamp arm further includes a clamp pad facing toward the compression surface of the ultrasonic blade, wherein the ultrasonic blade defines a lateral blade width perpendicular to the pivot plane, wherein the clamp pad defines a lateral pad width perpendicular to the pivot plane, and wherein the lateral blade width is greater than the lateral pad width.

8. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the blade body is curved in the pivot plane.

9. The surgical instrument of claim 8 , wherein the blade body is curved downward and upward in the pivot plane.

10. The surgical instrument of claim 9 , wherein the blade body extends distally upward along the pivot plane from the intermediate blade portion to the distal blade portion.

11. The surgical instrument of claim 10 , wherein the compression surface curves distally downward along the pivot plane from the proximal blade portion through the central axis to the intermediate blade portion, and wherein the compression surface curves distally upward along the pivot plane from the intermediate blade portion through the central axis to the distal blade portion.

12. The surgical instrument of claim 10 , wherein the clamp arm includes a proximal arm portion, a distal arm portion, and an intermediate arm portion positioned therebetween, wherein the clamp arm curves distally downward along the pivot plane from the proximal arm portion to the intermediate arm portion, and wherein the clamp arm curves distally upward along the pivot plane from the intermediate arm portion to the distal arm portion.

13. The surgical instrument of claim 11 , wherein the scoring surface curves distally downward along the pivot plane from the proximal blade portion to the intermediate blade portion, and wherein the scoring surface curves distally upward along the pivot plane from the intermediate blade portion to the distal blade portion.

14. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the first scallop extends distally through the distal blade portion of the blade body such that the first scoring edge extends distally upward therealong.

15. The surgical instrument of claim 14 , wherein the second scallop extends distally through the distal blade portion of the blade body such that the second scoring edge extends distally upward therealong, and wherein the central axis is laterally between the first and second scallops.

16. A surgical instrument for operating on tissue, comprising:
(a) a shaft assembly longitudinally extending along a central axis and including an acoustic waveguide configured to connect to an ultrasonic transducer and communicate an ultrasonic vibration therealong; and
(b) an end effector extending distally from the shaft assembly and including:
(i) a clamp arm configured to pivot in a pivot plane, and
(ii) an ultrasonic blade operatively connected to the acoustic waveguide and extending along the pivot plane such that the clamp arm is configured to pivot toward the ultrasonic blade, wherein the ultrasonic blade includes a compression surface facing toward the clamp arm, and wherein the ultrasonic blade is curved downward and upward in the pivot plane such that at least a portion of the compression surface is above the central axis and at least another

Assignees

• Ethicon Llc
• Cilag Gmbh Int

Inventors

• Faller Craig N
• Asher Ryan M
• Schulte John B
• Byrum Randal T
• Vasquez Jose D
• Gallmeyer Thomas C
• Boyd Benjamin M
• Marcotte Amy L
• Gee Jacob S
• Batross Jonathan T
• Messerly Jeffrey D

Classifications

• A61B17/29

  Forceps for use in minimally invasive surgery · CPC title

• A61B2017/320071

  with articulating means for working tip · CPC title

• A61B2017/320078

  Tissue manipulating surface · CPC title

• A61B2017/320095

  with sealing or cauterizing means · CPC title

• A61B2017/292

  connection of actuating rod to handle, e.g. ball end in recess · CPC title