Electrosurgical systems and techniques for sealing tissue

• US 20020115997A1
• Filed: 02/19/2002
• Published: 08/22/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: SurgRx, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Shadduck, John H., Truckai, Csaba
• Granted Patent: US 6,656,177 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/51
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1445 at the distal end of a shaft, e.g. forceps or scissors at the end of a rigid rod
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00601 Cutting
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0063 Sealing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00702 Power or energy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00791 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00875 Resistance or impedance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1412 Blade
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1455 having a moving blade for cutting tissue grasped by the jaws

Abstract

An electrosurgical instrument and technique for creating thermal seal or welds transected margins of engaged tissue. The working end provides very elongate jaws particularly suited for resecting tissue, such as in a lung resection. The jaw assembly carries a bi-polar electrode arrangement that provides for Rf current flow to targeted tissue described as a subfascial-to-fascial (or medial-to-surface) bi-polar approach. The working end of the device carries an openable and closable jaw assembly with paired first and second jaws for engaging tissue. The paired jaws have an axial channel for receiving a sliding (blade) member for transecting the captured tissue. The paired jaws carry electrode surfaces having a common polarity so that Rf current will not flow d between the jaws which engage the surface or fascial tissue layers. Further, the transecting member had flange-type surface portions that extend over a substantial longitudinal length of the jaws to maintain very high compression on captured tissue even when the jaws have a very small cross section and hence may be somewhat flexible.

Claims

1. A jaw assembly of a surgical instrument, comprising:

an instrument working end carrying first and second jaws actuatable between a first open position and a second closed position, the jaws in the closed position defining a longitudinal axis and wherein the jaws further define exterior faces and interior jaw faces having a longitudinal dimension;

an axially extending member that is actuatable from a first retracted position to a second extended position in an axial channel defined by said first and second jaws;

wherein said axially extending member defines first cam surface portions that engage cooperating second cam surface portion 5 of said jaws, said first cam surface portions extending over a substantial longitudinal length of said axially extending member to actuate the jaws toward the closed position and prevent flexing apart of said jaws.

2. The jaw assembly of claim 1 wherein the longitudinal dimension of said firs cam surface portions is at leas 10 per cent of longitudinal dimension of said cooperating second cam surface portions of said jaws.

3. The jaw assembly of claim 1 wherein the longitudinal dimension of said first cam surface portions is at least 25 per cent of longitudinal dimension of said cooperating second cam surface portions of said jaws.

4. The jaw assembly of claim 1 wherein the longitudinal dimension of said first cam surface portions is at least 50 per cent of longitudinal dimension of said cooperating second cam surface portions of said jaws.

5. The jaw assembly of claim 1 farther comprising at least one electrode carried in an interior face of at least one of said jaws.

6. The jaw assembly of claim 1 wherein a distal portion of the axially extending member carries a cutting element for transecting tissue.

7. The jaw assembly of claim 6 wherein the cute element is selected from the class consisting of cutting electrodes and cutting blades.

8. The jaw assembly of claim 1 further comprising at least one electrode carried in said axially extending member that cooperates with at least one electrode carried is an interior face of a jaw.

9. The jaw assembly of claim 1 wherein said first cam surface portions of said axially extending member are carried in a plurality of spaced apart flanges.

10. The jaw assembly of claim 7 wherein said plurality of first cam surface portions define, longitudinal spaces therebetween, said spaces having a longitudinal dimension that is less that about 50 per cent of the length of the jaws.

11. The jaw assembly of claim 7 wherein said plurality of first cam surface portions define longitudinal spaces therebetween, said spaces having a longitudinal dimension that is less that about 25 per cent of the length of the jaws.

13. The jaw assembly of claim 12 wherein said first surfaces in the second position extend substantially over the entire second spices of the jaws.

14. The jaw assembly of claim 12 wherein at least one first polarity electrode is carried in an engagement surface of a jaw and at least one second polarity electrode carried in an engagement surface of the extension member.

15. The jaw assembly of claim 14 further comprising an electrical source coupled to said first and second polarity electrodes th:

at define said opposing first and second polarities.

16. The jaw assembly of claim 12 wherein said first surfaces in the second position extend about laterally-outward second surfaces of said jaws.

17. The jaw assembly of claim 12 wherein a portion of said first surfaces are of a conductive material coupled to an electrical source.

18. The jaw assembly of claim 12 wherein a portion of said first surfaces comprise a conductor defining a first polarity and spaced apart portions of said extension member carry a conductor defining a second polarity.

19. The jaw assembly of claim 12 wherein inward portions of said first surfaces comprise a conductor defining a first polarity and laterally outward portions of said extension member carry a conductor defining a second polarity.

12. A jaw assembly of a surgical instrument, comprising:

an instrument working end carrying paired openable and closeable jaws, the jaws in the closed position defining a longitudinal axis;

an extension member that is slidable from a fast retracted position to a second extended position in a longitudinal channel within said paired jaws;

said extension member having first surfaces that engage cooperating second surfaces of said paired jaws over a substantial longitudinal length of the jaws to move the jaws toward the closed position and maintain the jaws with a selected gap therebetween with the extension member in the second position.