Flexible endoscopic catheter with ligasure

• US 20070078459A1
• Filed: 09/29/2006
• Published: 04/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien AG (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Sherwood Services AG
• Inventors: Sartor, Joe, Johnson, Kristin, Arts, Gene, Frazier, Randel
• Granted Patent: US 7,819,872 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/51
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/29 Forceps for use in minimally invasive surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/32 Surgical cutting instruments A61B18/042 takes precedence; suture cutters A61B17/0467; instruments for ligaturing or cutting A61B17/128; instruments for rupturing the amniotic membrane A61B17/4208; specially adapted knives for eye surgery A61F9/0133
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/320016 Endoscopic cutting instruments, e.g. arthroscopes, resectoscopes A61B10/0233, A61B17/29, A61B17/3207 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/32056 Surgical snare instruments for removing or smashing calculi A61B2017/2212; tonsillotomes A61B17/26
• 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 2017/00353 one mechanical instrument performing multiple functions, e.g. cutting and grasping channel for multiple instruments A61B2017/3445; instrument channel A61B2017/22072; replaceable heads A61B2017/2931; suction A61M1/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2905 flexible
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2927 the angular position of the head being adjustable with respect to the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1407 Loop

Abstract

An endoscopic forceps is disclosed including an end effector assembly having two jaw members movable from a first position in spaced relation relative to one another to at least a second position closer to one another for grasping tissue therebetween. Each of the jaw members is connectable to an electrosurgical energy source for conducting energy through tissue held therebetween. The jaw members are biased to the first position. The end effector assembly of the endoscopic forceps further includes a wire snare having a proximal end connectable to an electrosurgical energy source and a distal end translatably extending out of one of the jaw members and operatively associated with the other of the jaw members. In use, withdrawal of the proximal end of the wire snare results in movement of the jaw members from the first position to a second position and clamping of the tissue between the jaws.

Claims

1. An endoscopic forceps for vessel sealing, comprising:

a housing;

a shaft extending from the housing and including a distal end configured and adapted to support an end effector assembly;

an end effector assembly operatively supported on the distal end of the shaft, the end effector assembly including;

a pair of jaw members movable from a first position in spaced relation relative to one another to at least a second position closer to one another for grasping tissue therebetween, each of the jaw members adapted to connect to an electrosurgical energy source such that the pair of jaw members are capable of conducting energy through tissue held therebetween to affect a tissue seal;

an outer sleeve translatably disposed about the shaft, wherein the sleeve has a first position in which the sleeve does not cover the pair of jaw members, and a plurality of second positions in which the sleeve covers at least a portion of the pair of jaw members to approximate the pair of jaw members at least partially toward one another; and

a linkage operatively connected to at least one of the pair of jaw members for pivoting the pair of jaw members about a common pivot axis; and

a movable handle operatively associated with the housing, wherein actuation of the movable handle relative to the housing results in movement of the outer sleeve relative the pair of jaw members to actuate the end effector assembly between the first and any of the second positions.

2. The endoscopic forceps according to claim 1, wherein the pair of jaw members are biased to the first position.

3. The endoscopic forceps according to claim 2, wherein the pair of jaw members operate unilaterally.

4. The endoscopic forceps according to claim 2, wherein the pair of jaw members operate bilaterally.

5. The endoscopic forceps according to claim 4, wherein the end effector assembly includes at least one stop member disposed on an inner facing surface of at least one of the pair of jaw members.

6. The endoscopic forceps according to claim 5, wherein the end effector assembly delivers a working pressure of from about 3 kg/cm² to about 16 kg/cm².

7. The endoscopic forceps according to claim 5, wherein the end effector assembly delivers a working pressure of from about 7 kg/cm² to about 13 kg/cm².

8. The endoscopic forceps according to claim 4, wherein the pair of jaw members are pivotable to a substantially orthogonal orientation relative to a longitudinal axis of the shaft.

9. The endoscopic forceps according to claim 8, wherein the linkage actuates the pair of jaw members from the first position to any of the second positions.

10. The endoscopic forceps according to claim 9, wherein the linkage is operatively connected to one of the pair of jaw members.

11. The endoscopic forceps according to claim 10, wherein the shaft and outer sleeve are at least partially flexible.

12. An endoscopic forceps for vessel sealing, comprising:

a housing;

a shaft extending from the housing and including a distal end configured and adapted to support an end effector assembly; and

an end effector assembly operatively supported on the distal end of the shaft, the end effector assembly including;

a pair of jaw members movable from a first position in spaced relation relative to one another to at least a second position closer to one another for grasping tissue therebetween, each of the jaw members is adapted to connect to an electrosurgical energy source such that the pair of jaw members are capable of conducting energy through tissue held therebetween to affect a tissue seal, wherein the pair of jaw members are biased to the first position; and

a wire snare having a proximal end connectable to an electrosurgical energy source and a distal end translatably extending out of one of the pair of jaw members and operatively associated with the other of the pair of jaw members, wherein withdrawal of the proximal end of the wire snare results in movement of the pair of jaw members from the first position to a second position and a cinching of the wire snare.

13. The endoscopic forceps according to claim 12, wherein the pair of jaw members operate unilaterally.

14. The endoscopic forceps according to claim 13, wherein the pair of jaw members operate bilaterally.

15. The endoscopic forceps according to claim 13, wherein the distal end of the wire snare translatably extends through the other of the pair of jaw members and is secured to itself.

16. The endoscopic forceps according to claim 15, wherein the wire snare is fabricated from a shape-memory alloy.

17. The endoscopic forceps according to claim 16, wherein at least a portion of the shaft is flexible.

18. The endoscopic forceps according to claim 17, wherein a distal most end of the shaft is rigid.

19. The endoscopic forceps according to claim 12, wherein the end effector assembly further includes:

a scissor blade operatively supported on a distal end of the shaft and movable from a first position in which the scissor blade is substantially aligned with one of said pair of jaw members and a plurality of second positions in which the scissor blade is out of alignment with the one of said pair of jaw members and extends across to the other of the pair of jaw members thereby severing tissue grasped between the pair of jaw members.

20. The endoscopic forceps according to claim 19, wherein the end effector assembly further includes:

a scissor blade linkage operatively connected to the scissor blade, wherein movement of the scissor linkage results in actuation of the scissor blade between the first position and any number of second positions.

21. An endoscopic forceps for vessel sealing, comprising:

a housing;

a shaft extending from the housing and including a distal end configured and adapted to support an end effector assembly;

an end effector assembly operatively supported on the distal end of the shaft, the end effector assembly including;

a cutting blade supported on the distal end of the shaft, the cutting blade including a cutting edge extending in a distal direction;

a movable jaw member translatably supported on the shaft, the movable jaw member including a tissue contacting portion extending across a longitudinal axis of the shaft; and

an anvil member slidably supported on the movable jaw member between the tissue contacting portion of the movable jaw member and the cutting blade, the anvil member defining a blade slot formed therein for selectively receiving the cutting blade therethrough; and

a movable handle operatively associated with the housing, wherein actuation of the movable handle relative to the housing results in movement of the movable jaw member relative to the shaft.

22. The endoscopic forceps according to claim 21, wherein the end effector assembly further includes a biasing member disposed between the anvil member and the cutting blade for maintaining the anvil member biased a distance away from the cutting blade such that the cutting blade does not extend through the anvil member.

23. The endoscopic forceps according to claim 22, wherein the end effector assembly includes:

a first position wherein the tissue contacting portion of the movable jaw member is spaced a distance from the anvil member for receiving a target tissue therein, and the anvil member is spaced a distance from the cutting blade such that the cutting blade does not extend through the blade slot formed therein;

a second position wherein the tissue contacting portion of the movable jaw member is approximated toward the anvil member to grasp the tissue therebetween, and the anvil member is spaced a distance from the cutting blade such that the cutting blade does not extend through the blade slot formed therein; and

a third position wherein the tissue contacting portion of the movable jaw member is approximated toward the anvil member to grasp the tissue therebetween, and the anvil member is approximated toward the cutting blade such that the cutting edge of the cutting blade extends through the blade slot formed therein severs the tissue extending thereacross.