Vessel Sealing Forceps With Disposable Electrodes
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A removable electrode assembly for use in combination with a forceps having opposing end effectors and a handle for effecting movement of the end effectors relative to one another. The electrode assembly includes a housing which is removably engageable with the forceps and a pair of electrodes which are attachable to a distal end of the housing. The electrodes are removably engageable with the end effectors of the forceps such that the electrodes reside in opposing relation relative to one another. The electrode assembly also includes a cover plate which is removably attachable to the housing and at least one stop member for controlling the distance between the opposing electrodes. The stop member is selectively engageable with the electrodes.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1-8. -8. (canceled)
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9. A bipolar electrosurgical instrument for sealing tissue, comprising:
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first and second end effectors, each end effector having an inner surface and an outer surface; first and second handle members disposed proximal of respective first and second end effectors, at least one of the handle members movable from a first position wherein the first and second end effectors are disposed in spaced relation to one another to a second position wherein the end effectors are closer relative to one another such that the end effectors are adapted to grasp tissue therebetween for application of electrosurgical energy, the at least one handle member including at least one gripping portion to be gripped by a user to move the at least one handle member between the first position and the second position; a first electrode disposed on the first end effector and a second electrode disposed on the second end effector, the first and second electrodes residing in substantially opposing relation to one another and each electrode having a tissue contacting surface to engage tissue between the tissue contacting surfaces to enable the application of electrosurgical energy to the tissue grasped therebetween to effect sealing; a connector adapted to electrically connect the first and second electrodes to a source for supplying electrosurgical energy to each of the electrodes such that one of the electrodes has a first electrical potential and the other electrode has a second electrical potential such that the substantially opposing electrodes are capable of conducting bipolar energy through tissue grasped therebetween; and at least one stop member associated with at least one of the end effectors and adapted to maintain a gap distance between the first and second tissue contacting surfaces when the at least one handle member is moved to the second position, the gap distance being at least 0.001 inches. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification