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Electrosurgical instrument with an operational sequencing element

  • US 20020099372A1
  • Filed: 01/24/2001
  • Published: 07/25/2002
  • Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2001
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A surgical instrument comprising:

  • a) a handle having a proximal end, a distal end, a top and a bottom;

    b) first actuator and a second actuator operably mounted to the handle;

    c) a shaft having a distal end, a proximal end, a longitudinal axis, and having a lumen therethrough, the proximal end of the shaft mounted to the distal end of the handle;

    d) a first jaw and an opposed second jaw mounted to the distal end of the shaft, the jaws each having a distal end and a proximal end, the distal ends of the jaws being spaced apart when the first actuator is in an open position and the distal ends of the jaws being adjacent when the first actuator is in a closed position for approximating tissue in a tissue grasping region, the jaws each having a distal dissecting member;

    e) a dissecting tip extending from the distal ends of the jaws formed by the distal dissecting members when the first actuator is in said closed position;

    f) an elongated member having a distal end, a proximal end, and a longitudinal axis, said longitudinal element slidably mounted in the lumen of said shaft, and the proximal end of the elongated member mounted to the second actuator;

    g) a cutting element mounted to said the distal end of the elongated member, said cutting element comprising a first blade proximally oriented and a second blade distally oriented, such that movement of the second actuator from a central position to a proximal position causes the cutting element to move in the proximal direction wherein the first blade cuts through tissue held in the tissue grasping region between the jaws, and further such that movement of the second actuator from the proximal position to the central position causes the cutting element to move in the distal direction wherein the second blade cuts through tissue held in the tissue grasping region between the jaws, and further wherein movement of the second actuator from the central position to a distal position causes the second blade of said cutting element to extend distally from the dissecting tip to cut tissue distally adjacent to said dissecting tip; and

    , h) a sequencing element mounted in the handle and operationally engaged with the first and second actuators, wherein the sequencing element locks out movement of the second actuator between the central and proximal positions when the first actuator is in the open position.

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