Electrosurgical Forceps with Slow Closure Sealing Plates and Method of Sealing Tissue

• US 20090131934A1
• Filed: 01/26/2009
• Published: 05/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien AG (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Covidien Limited (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Odom, Darren, Hammill, Curt D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,382,754 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 2018/0063 Sealing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/034 abutting on parts of the device itself

Abstract

Electrosurgical bipolar forceps for sealing tissue is disclosed. The forceps includes a shaft member having an end effector assembly disposed at a distal end thereof. The end effector assembly includes jaw members movable from a first position in spaced relation relative to one another to at least one subsequent position wherein the jaw members cooperate to grasp tissue therebetween. Each of the jaw members includes a sealing plate that communicates electrosurgical energy through tissue held therebetween. One or more of the sealing plates includes one or more biasing members, the sealing plate is configured to slowly flex to accommodate pressure applied to the tissue until a specified closure pressure is obtained based upon at least one of tissue type and tissue thickness.

Claims

1. Electrosurgical bipolar forceps for sealing tissue, comprising:

at least one shaft member having an end effector assembly disposed at a distal end thereof, the end effector assembly including jaw members movable from a first position in spaced relation relative to one another to at least one subsequent position wherein the jaw members cooperate to grasp tissue therebetween;

at least one sealing plate associated with each jaw member, the sealing plates configured to communicate electrosurgical energy through tissue held therebetween; and

at least one of the sealing plates supported by at least one biasing member, the at least one sealing plate configured to flex to accommodate pressure applied to the tissue until a specified closure pressure is obtained based upon at least one of tissue type and tissue thickness.

2. The electrosurgical bipolar forceps for sealing tissue as in claim 1, wherein each of the jaw members further comprises an insulator that supports a respective sealing plate, wherein the at least one biasing member is mounted between the insulator and the sealing plate of at least one jaw member.

3. The electrosurgical bipolar forceps for sealing tissue as in claim 1, wherein the specified closing pressure applied to the tissue is from about 3 kg/cm2 to about 16 kg/cm2.

4. The electrosurgical bipolar forceps for sealing tissue as in claim 1, further comprising:

a knife channel defined along a length of at least one of the jaw members, the knife channel dimensioned to reciprocate a cutting mechanism therealong; and

an actuator operatively coupled to the at least one shaft member that selectively advances the cutting mechanism from a first position wherein the cutting mechanism is disposed proximal to tissue held between the jaw members to at least one subsequent position wherein the cutting mechanism is disposed distal to tissue held between the jaw members.

5. A method for sealing tissue, comprising:

providing electrosurgical bipolar forceps having an end effector assembly attached at a distal end thereof, the end effector assembly including jaw members, each of the jaw members including a sealing plate;

actuating the jaw members to grasp tissue between the sealing plates;

conducting energy to the sealing plates through the tissue grasped therebetween; and

adjusting a gap distance between the sealing plates at a predetermined rate to effect a tissue seal.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising:

determining at least one pre-surgical tissue parameter; and

transmitting data pertaining to the at least one pre-surgical parameter to at least one controller coupled to the sealing plates.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising:

determining the gap distance and the predetermined rate as a function of the at least one pre-surgical parameter; and

adjusting the gap distance between the sealing plates at a predetermined rate to effect a tissue seal based on the at least one pre-surgical parameter.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein the at least one pre-surgical parameter is chosen from a group consisting as tissue type, tissue thickness, tissue compliance, and tissue impedance.

9. The method according to claim 6, wherein the at least one controller includes at least one mechanism that adjusts the gap distance between the sealing plates, the at least one mechanism selected from a group consisting of gearing mechanisms, camming mechanisms, pneumatic mechanisms, hydraulic mechanisms, electromechanical actuators, ferroelectric actuators, piezo-electric actuators, piezo-ceramic actuators, magnetostrictors, and rotational actuators.

10. A method for sealing tissue, comprising:

determining at least one pre-surgical tissue parameter of tissue held between jaw members of an electrosurgical forceps, wherein each of jaw members includes at least one sealing plate;

providing data pertaining to the at least one pre-surgical parameter to at least one controller coupled to at least one of the sealing plates;

determining a predetermined rate of closure of the sealing plates as a function of the at least one pre-surgical parameter;

actuating the jaw members to grasp tissue between the sealing plates;

conducting energy to the sealing plate through the tissue grasped therebetween; and

adjusting a gap distance between the sealing plates at a predetermined rate to effect a tissue seal.

11. A method according to claim 10, further comprising the steps of:

determining a desired gap distance between the sealing plates as a function of the at least one pre-surgical parameter; and

adjusting the gap distance between the sealing plates at a predetermined rate to effect a tissue seal based on the at least one pre-surgical parameter.