Vessel sealing with fine dissection function

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11406407-B2
Application number	US-202016926694-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 11, 2020
Priority date	Apr 24, 2015
Publication date	Aug 9, 2022
Grant date	Aug 9, 2022

Abstract

An electrosurgical forceps includes a first elongated shaft member including a first handle member and a first jaw member having a first tissue contacting surface, and a second elongated shaft member including a second handle member and a second jaw member having a second tissue contacting surface. At least one of the first and second handle members is movable relative to the other between an open position, a first approximated position where the first and second tissue contacting surfaces are diametrically opposed to one another, and a second approximated position where the first and second tissue contacting surfaces are laterally offset from one another. A handle connector assembly is selectively engageable with the second handle member and is configured to selectively communicate electrosurgical energy between the first and second tissue contacting surfaces when the first and second handle members are disposed in the first approximated position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electrosurgical forceps, comprising:
a first elongated shaft member including a proximal end portion having a first handle member and a distal end portion including a first jaw member having a first tissue contacting surface;
a second elongated shaft member including a proximal end having a second handle member and a distal end portion including a second jaw member having a second tissue contacting surface;
at least one of the first or second handle members movable relative to the other between an open position, a first approximated position where the first and second tissue contacting surfaces are diametrically opposed to one other, and a second approximated position where the first and second tissue contacting surfaces are laterally offset from one other; and
a handle connector assembly including a housing selectively engageable with an inner surface of the second handle member, the handle connector assembly configured to communicate electrosurgical energy between the first and second tissue contacting surfaces when the first and second handle members are disposed in the first approximated position,
wherein the first handle member includes a connector pin extending towards the second handle member, the connector pin being spaced from the handle connector assembly when the first and second handle members are disposed in the open position, the connector pin configured to extend through a proximal portion of an opening defined in the housing and into contact with a movable first connector member disposed within the housing to close an electrical circuit when the first and second handle members move to the first approximated position, and
wherein the connector pin is disposed in an intermediate portion of the opening in the housing, which is distal to, and laterally offset from, the proximal portion of the opening, when the first and second handle members are moved to the second approximated position.

2. The forceps according to claim 1 , wherein the first handle member includes a bump stopper disposed on an inner surface of the first handle member and extending towards the second handle member, wherein the bump stopper is spaced from the handle connector assembly when the first and second handle members are disposed in the open position, the bump stopper configured to engage a switch disposed on the housing of the handle connector assembly when the first and second handle members move to the first approximated position.

3. The forceps according to claim 1 , wherein the first handle member includes a spring connector extending towards the second handle member, wherein the spring connector is spaced from the handle connector assembly when the first and second handle members are disposed in the open position, the spring connector configured to extend through the opening defined in the housing and into a proximal portion of a channel disposed within the housing when the first and second handle members are moved to the first approximated position.

4. The forceps according to claim 3 , wherein the spring connector is disposed within a distal portion of the channel disposed within the housing of the handle connector assembly when the first and second handle members are moved to the second approximated position.

5. The forceps according to claim 1 , wherein the first shaft member includes a body portion including a pivot pin and the second shaft member includes a split body portion including first and second legs defining opposed oblong openings, wherein the body portion of the first shaft member is disposed within a slot defined between the first and second legs of the split body portion and the pivot pin extends into the oblong openings.

6. The forceps according to claim 5 , wherein when the first and second handle members are in the first approximated position, the pivot pin is disposed in a proximal portion of the oblong openings.

7. The forceps according to claim 6 , wherein when the first and second handle members are in the second approximated position, the pivot pin is disposed in a distal portion of the oblong openings.

8. The forceps according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second tissue contacting surfaces define complementary stepped surfaces.

9. The forceps according to claim 8 , wherein the first and second tissue contacting surfaces each include a base surface laterally disposed relative to a raised surface, the base and raised surfaces connected by an intermediate wall that forms a shear edge at an intersection with the raised surface.

10. The forceps according to claim 9 , wherein when the first and second handle members are in the first approximated position, the base and raised surfaces of the first tissue contacting surface are aligned with the raised and base surfaces of the second tissue contacting surface, respectively, and when the first and second handle members are disposed in the second approximated position, the raised surfaces of the first and second tissue contacting surfaces are aligned with each other.

11. An electrosurgical forceps, comprising:
a first elongated shaft member including a proximal end portion having a first handle member including a spring connector and a distal end portion including a first jaw member having a first tissue contacting surface;
a second elongated shaft member including a proximal end having a second handle member and a distal end portion including a second jaw member having a second tissue contacting surface;
at least one of the first or second handle members movable relative to the other between an open position, a first approximated position where the first and second tissue contacting surfaces are diametrically opposed to one other, and a second approximated position where the first and second tissue contacting surfaces are laterally offset from one other; and
a handle connector assembly including a housing removably attachable to the second handle member, the handle connector assembly configured to communicate electrosurgical energy between the first and second tissue contacting surfaces when the first and second handle members are disposed in the first approximated position, the housing including a U-shaped channel defined therein configured to receive the spring connector of the first handle member, the spring connector configured to ride within the U-shaped channel upon approximation of the first and second handle members.

12. The forceps according to claim 11 , wherein the spring connector includes an elongated body extending towards the second handle member in vertical registration with a proximal portion of the U-shaped channel.

13. The forceps according to claim 12 , wherein the elongated body of the spring connector includes a first end secured to the first handle member and a second end defining an opening for receiving a pin securely therethrough.

14. The forceps according to claim 11 , wherein the spring connector is spaced from the handle connector assembly when the first and second handle members are disposed in the open position and the spring connector moves through a proximal portion of the U-shaped channel of the housing when the first and second handle members are moved from the open position to the first approximated position.

15. The forceps according to claim 14 , wherein the spring connector moves through a distal portion of the U-shaped channel of the housing when the first and second handle members are moved from the first approximated position to the second approximated position.

16. An electrosurgical forceps, comprising:
a first elongated shaft member including a proximal end portion having

Assignees

• Covidien Lp

Inventors

• Ding Weijiang
• Lu Weisheng
• Ahamed Syed Sarfraz

Classifications

• A61B34/30

  Surgical robots · CPC title

• A61B2018/00178

  Electrical connectors · CPC title

• A61B2018/1432

  curved · CPC title

• A61B2018/00345

  Vascular system · CPC title

• A61B2018/0063

  Sealing · CPC title