Surgical instruments incorporating ultrasonic and electrosurgical functionality

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11478267-B2
Application number	US-201916238600-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 3, 2019
Priority date	Jan 17, 2018
Publication date	Oct 25, 2022
Grant date	Oct 25, 2022

Abstract

A surgical instrument end effector assembly includes a first jaw member defining an insulative tissue-contacting surface and first and second electrically-conductive tissue-contacting surfaces, and a second jaw member positioned including an ultrasonic blade body and defining at least one electrically-conductive tissue-contacting surface. The first jaw member is movable relative to the second jaw member between a spaced-apart position and an approximated position to grasp tissue therebetween. The second jaw member is movable relative to the first jaw member between a first configuration, to facilitate transmission of ultrasonic energy to tissue grasped between the first and second jaw members, and a second configuration, to facilitate conduction of electrosurgical energy through tissue grasped between the first and second jaw members.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An end effector assembly of a surgical instrument, comprising:
a first jaw member defining an insulative tissue-contacting surface and first and second electrically-conductive tissue-contacting surfaces disposed on either side of the insulative tissue-contacting surface, the first and second electrically-conductive tissue-contacting surfaces adapted to connect to a source of electrosurgical energy; and
a second jaw member positioned to oppose the first jaw member, the second jaw member including an ultrasonic blade body adapted to receive ultrasonic energy from an ultrasonic waveguide and defining at least one electrically-conductive tissue-contacting surface adapted to connect to a source of electrosurgical energy,
wherein the first jaw member is movable relative to the second jaw member between a spaced-apart position and an approximated position to grasp tissue therebetween, and
wherein the second jaw member is movable relative to the first jaw member between a first configuration, wherein the ultrasonic blade body of the second jaw member is positioned to oppose the insulative tissue-contacting surface of the first jaw member to facilitate transmission of ultrasonic energy to tissue grasped therebetween, and a second configuration, wherein the at least one electrically-conductive tissue-contacting surface of the second jaw member is positioned to oppose at least one of the first or second electrically-conductive tissue-contacting surfaces of the first jaw member to facilitate conduction of electrosurgical energy therebetween and through tissue grasped between the first and second jaw members, wherein the second jaw member defines a relatively short side and a relatively long side, and wherein the relatively short side of the second jaw member defines a width substantially the same as a width defined by the insulative tissue-contacting surface of the first jaw member.

2. The end effector assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the second jaw member is rotatable 90 degrees relative to the first jaw member between the first and second configurations.

3. The end effector assembly according to claim 2 , wherein the at least one electrically-conductive tissue-contacting surface of the second jaw member includes at least one stop member disposed thereon.

4. The end effector assembly according to claim 1 , wherein, in the first configuration, the relatively short side opposes the first jaw member and, wherein, in the second configuration, the relatively long side opposes the first jaw member.

5. The end effector assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one electrically-conductive tissue-contacting surface of the second jaw member is defined on the ultrasonic blade body.

6. A surgical instrument, comprising:
a housing;
a shaft extending distally from the housing;
an ultrasonic waveguide extending through the shaft; and
an end effector assembly supported at a distal end portion of the shaft, the end effector assembly including:
a first jaw member defining an insulative tissue-contacting surface and first and second electrically-conductive tissue-contacting surfaces disposed on either side of the insulative tissue-contacting surface, the first and second electrically-conductive tissue-contacting surfaces adapted to connect to a source of electrosurgical energy; and
a second jaw member positioned to oppose the first jaw member, the second jaw member including an ultrasonic blade body acoustically coupled to the ultrasonic waveguide and defining at least one electrically-conductive tissue-contacting surface adapted to connect to the source of electrosurgical energy,

wherein the first jaw member is movable relative to the second jaw member between a spaced-apart position and an approximated position to grasp tissue therebetween, and
wherein the second jaw member is movable relative to the first jaw member between a first configuration, wherein the ultrasonic blade body of the second jaw member is positioned to oppose the insulative tissue-contacting surface of the first jaw member to facilitate transmission of ultrasonic energy to tissue grasped therebetween, and a second configuration, wherein the at least one electrically-conductive tissue-contacting surface of the second jaw member is positioned to oppose at least one of the first or second electrically-conductive tissue-contacting surfaces of the first jaw member to facilitate conduction of electrosurgical energy therebetween and through tissue grasped between the first and second jaw members, wherein the second jaw member defines a relatively short side and a relatively long side, and wherein the relatively short side of the second jaw member defines a width substantially the same as a width defined by the insulative tissue-contacting surface of the first jaw member.

7. The surgical instrument according to claim 6 , further comprising a trigger operably associated with the housing and coupled to the first jaw member, the trigger selectively actuatable to move the first jaw member relative to the second jaw member between the spaced-apart position and the approximated position.

8. The surgical instrument according to claim 6 , further comprising an actuator operably associated with the housing and coupled to the second jaw member, the actuator selectively actuatable to move the second jaw member relative to the first jaw member between the first configuration and the second configuration.

9. The surgical instrument according to claim 6 , further comprising an activation button disposed on the housing, the activation button selectively activatable to supply at least one of electrosurgical energy or ultrasonic energy to the end effector assembly.

10. The surgical instrument according to claim 6 , wherein the second jaw member is rotatable 90 degrees relative to the first jaw member between the first and second configurations.

11. The surgical instrument according to claim 10 , wherein, in the first configuration, the relatively short side opposes the first jaw member and, wherein, in the second configuration, the relatively long side opposes the first jaw member.

12. An end effector assembly of a surgical instrument, comprising:
a first jaw member defining an insulative tissue-contacting surface and first and second electrically-conductive tissue-contacting surfaces disposed on either side of the insulative tissue-contacting surface, the first and second electrically-conductive tissue-contacting surfaces adapted to connect to a source of electrosurgical energy; and
a second jaw member positioned to oppose the first jaw member, the second jaw member defining a relatively short side and a relatively long side, wherein the relatively short side of the second jaw member defines a width substantially the same as a width defined by the insulative tissue-contacting surface of the first jaw member,
wherein the first jaw member is movable relative to the second jaw member between a spaced-apart position and an approximated position to grasp tissue therebetween, and
wherein the second jaw member is movable relative to the first jaw member between a first configuration in which the relatively short side opposes the first jaw member to facilitate transmission of ultrasonic energy to tissue grasped therebetween, and a second configuration in which the relatively long side opposes the first jaw member to facilitate conduction of electrosurgical energy to tissue grasped therebetween.

13. The end effector assembly according to claim 12 , wherein the second jaw member is rotatable 90 degrees relative to the first jaw member between the first and second configurations.

14. Th

Assignees

• Covidien Lp

Inventors

• Meiser Thomas W
• Ross Anthony B
• Stoddard Robert B
• Sharp Robert M
• Thompson James E

Classifications

• A61B2018/00202

  rotating · CPC title

• A61B2090/034

  abutting on parts of the device itself · CPC title

• A61B2017/320094

  additional movable means performing clamping operation · CPC title

• A61B2017/320098

  with transverse or torsional motion · CPC title

• A61B2017/320095

  with sealing or cauterizing means · CPC title