Vessel sealing instrument

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9655672-B2
Application number	US-89734610-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 4, 2010
Priority date	Oct 4, 2010
Publication date	May 23, 2017
Grant date	May 23, 2017

Abstract

A bipolar electrosurgical instrument includes first and second shafts each having a jaw member extending from its distal end. Each jaw member is adapted to connect to a source of electrosurgical energy such that the jaw members are capable of selectively conducting energy through tissue held therebetween. A knife channel is configured to reciprocate a cutting mechanism therealong. An actuator selectively advances the cutting mechanism. A switch is disposed on the first shaft and is configured to be depressed between a first position and at least one subsequent position upon biasing engagement with a mechanical interface disposed on the second shaft. The first position of the switch relays information to the user corresponding to a desired pressure on tissue and the at least one subsequent position is configured to activate the source of electrosurgical energy to supply electrosurgical energy to the jaw members.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A bipolar electrosurgical instrument, comprising:
first and second shafts each having a jaw member extending from a distal end thereof and a handle disposed at a proximal end thereof for effecting movement of the jaw members relative to one another about a pivot, the jaw members movable between a first position wherein the jaw members are disposed in spaced relation relative to one another and a second position wherein the jaw members cooperate for grasping tissue therebetween, each jaw member adapted to connect to a source of electrosurgical energy such that the jaw members are capable of selectively conducting energy through tissue held therebetween to effect a tissue seal;
at least one of the jaw members including a knife channel defined along a length thereof, the knife channel configured to receive a cutting mechanism therethrough to cut tissue grasped between the jaw members;
an actuator pivotably coupled to the first shaft such that rotation of the actuator selectively reciprocates the cutting mechanism through the knife channel;
an anti-deployment link pivotably coupled to the first shaft and configured to engage the actuator within the first shaft to prevent distal translation of the cutting mechanism when the jaw members are in the first position; and
a switch disposed on the first shaft and configured to be depressed relative to the first shaft to a first position and at least one subsequent position upon biasing engagement with the second shaft, wherein the first position of the switch generates information corresponding to a grasping pressure and the at least one subsequent position of the switch is configured to activate the source of electrosurgical energy.

2. The bipolar electrosurgical instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the switch generates a first tactile response upon depression thereof to the first position and a subsequent tactile response upon depression thereof to the at least one subsequent position.

3. The bipolar electrosurgical instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the grasping pressure is in the range of about 3 kg/cm 2 to about 16 kg/cm 2 measured by at least one strain gauge disposed within the bipolar electrosurgical instrument.

4. The bipolar electrosurgical instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the grasping pressure is in the range of about 3 kg/cm 2 to about 16 kg/cm 2 determined by a sensed proximity of the first and second shafts relative to each other.

5. A bipolar electrosurgical instrument according to claim 1 , further comprising first and second electrical leads bundled in a single cable that operatively couples to one of the first or second shafts.

6. The bipolar electrosurgical instrument according to claim 5 , wherein at least one of the first or second electrical leads is disposed through the pivot and coupled to one of the first or second jaw members.

7. A bipolar electrosurgical instrument according to claim 1 , wherein each of the jaw members includes an electrically conductive sealing surface and at least one of the jaw members includes at least one non-conductive stop member disposed on the electrically conductive sealing surface configured to control the distance between opposing electrically conductive sealing surfaces when the jaw members are disposed in the second position.

8. The bipolar electrosurgical instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the grasping pressure is in the range of about 3 kg/cm 2 to about 16 kg/cm 2 .

9. A bipolar electrosurgical instrument, comprising:
first and second shafts each having a jaw member extending from a distal end thereof and a handle disposed at a proximal end thereof for effecting movement of the jaw members relative to one another about a pivot, the jaw members movable between a first position wherein the jaw members are disposed in spaced relation relative to one another and a second position wherein the jaw members cooperate for grasping tissue therebetween, each jaw member adapted to connect to a source of electrosurgical energy such that the jaw members are capable of selectively conducting energy through tissue held therebetween to effect a tissue seal;
at least one of the jaw members including a knife channel defined along a length thereof, the knife channel configured to receive a cutting mechanism therethrough to cut tissue grasped between the jaw members;
an actuator pivotably coupled to the first shaft such that rotation of the actuator selectively reciprocates the cutting mechanism through the knife channel;
an anti-deployment link pivotably coupled to the first shaft and configured to engage the actuator within the first shaft to prevent distal translation of the cutting mechanism when the jaw members are in the first position; and
a switch disposed on the first shaft and configured to be depressed relative to the first shaft to at least two positions upon biasing engagement with the second shaft, the switch generating a first tactile response upon depression to a first position of the at least two positions of the switch and a subsequent tactile response upon depression to a second position of the at least two positions of the switch, wherein the first position of the switch generates information corresponding to a grasping pressure and the second position of the switch is configured to activate the source of electrosurgical energy.

10. The bipolar electrosurgical instrument according to claim 9 , wherein the grasping pressure is in the range of about 3 kg/cm 2 to about 16 kg/cm 2 .

Assignees

• Artale Ryan C
• Roy Jeffrey M
• Moua Tony
• Butcher Dennis W
• Dickhans William J
• Joseph Daniel A
• Waaler Luke
• Perry Cynthia M
• Long Meghan Collins
• Covidien Lp

Inventors

• Artale Ryan C
• Roy Jeffrey M
• Moua Tony
• Butcher Dennis W
• Dickhans William J
• Joseph Daniel A
• Waaler Luke
• Perry Cynthia M
• Long Meghan Collins

Classifications

• A61B2018/1412

  Blade · CPC title

• A61B2018/00404

  Blood vessels other than those in or around the heart · CPC title

• A61B2018/0063

  Sealing · CPC title

• A61B18/1442 Primary

  Probes having pivoting end effectors, e.g. forceps · CPC title

• A61B2018/00309

  passive, e.g. palpable click when activating a button · CPC title