End Effector Assembly for Electrosurgical Device

• US 20090209960A1
• Filed: 01/28/2009
• Published: 08/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Tyco Healthcare Group LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Chojin, Edward M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,382,792 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/51
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1206 Generators therefor
• 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 2018/00345 Vascular system
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00404 Blood vessels other than those in or around the heart
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00601 Cutting
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00619 Welding
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0063 Sealing
• 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

A bipolar forceps is provided and includes a housing having a shaft that extends therefrom which defines a longitudinal axis therethrough. The housing including a drive assembly disposed therein and is operable to reciprocate an actuation tube within the shaft. The bipolar forceps includes an end effector assembly operatively connected to a distal end of the shaft and has a pair of first and second jaw members. The first and second jaw members are pivotable about a living hinge and are adapted to connect to an electrosurgical energy source. Each of the jaw members includes a cam slot defined at a proximal end thereof. One or more of the jaw members is operatively connected to a distal end the actuation tube via a cam pin such that distal reciprocation of the actuation tube cams each of the jaw members towards one another about the respective living hinge to grasp tissue.

Claims

1. A bipolar forceps, comprising:

a housing having a shaft that extends therefrom that defines a longitudinal axis therethrough, the housing including a drive assembly disposed therein, the drive assembly operable to reciprocate an actuation tube within the shaft; and

an end effector assembly operatively connected to a distal end of the shaft having a pair of first and second jaw members, each of the first and second jaw members being pivotable about a living hinge, each of the jaw members including a cam slot defined at a proximal end thereof;

wherein at least one of the jaw members is operatively connected to a distal end of the actuation tube via a cam pin such that distal reciprocation of the actuation tube cams each of the jaw members towards one another about the living hinge.

2. The bipolar forceps according to claim 1, wherein the jaw members are electrically isolated from each other via a non-conductive spacer disposed at a proximal end therebetween.

3. The bipolar forceps according to claim 2, wherein the spacer provides a gap distance from about 0.001 inches to about 0.006 inches between jaw members when closed.

4. The bipolar forceps according to claim 2, wherein the spacer provides a gap distance that is greater than 0.006 inches between jaw members when closed.

5. The bipolar forceps according to claim 1, wherein the cam slot of at least one jaw member is overmolded on the at least one jaw member.

6. The bipolar forceps according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the cam slots of one of the jaw members is arcuate.

7. The bipolar forceps according to claim 1, wherein the drive assembly includes an actuation rod coupled to the actuation tube to actuate the jaw members.

8. The bipolar forceps according to claim 1, wherein each jaw member includes an outer insulative housing that is overmolded to capture a sealing plate for engaging tissue, the outer insulative housing configured to include the cam slot at a proximal end thereof.

9. The bipolar forceps according to claim 1, wherein each jaw member includes an outer insulative housing and a sealing plate that are integrally formed together for engaging tissue, the outer insulative housing configured to include the cam slot at a proximal end thereof.

10. A bipolar forceps, comprising:

a housing having a shaft that extends therefrom that defines a longitudinal axis therethrough, the shaft including cam pins located at a distal end thereof and at least one groove, the housing including a drive assembly disposed therein operable to reciprocate an actuation rod within the shaft; and

an end effector assembly operatively connected to a distal end of the shaft having a pair of first and second jaw members, each of the first and second jaw members being pivotable about a living hinge, each of the jaw members including a cam slot defined at a proximal end thereof and at least one support member operatively connected to the at least one groove;

wherein at least one of the jaw members is operatively connected to a distal end the actuation rod such that distal reciprocation of the actuation rod cams each of the jaw members towards one another about the living hinge.

11. The bipolar forceps according to claim 10, wherein the jaw members are electrically isolated from each other via a non-conductive spacer disposed at a proximal end therebetween.

12. The bipolar forceps according to claim 11, wherein the spacer provides a gap distance from about 0.001 inches to about 0.006 inches between jaw members when closed.

13. The bipolar forceps according to claim 11, wherein the spacer provides a gap distance that is greater than 0.006 inches between jaw members when closed.

14. The bipolar forceps according to claim 10, wherein the cam slot of at least one jaw member is over molded on the at least jaw member.

15. The bipolar forceps according to claim 10, wherein at least one of the cam slots of one of the jaw members is arcuate.

16. The bipolar forceps according to claim 10, wherein the drive assembly includes an actuation tube coupled to the actuation rod to actuate the jaw members.

17. The bipolar forceps according to claim 10, wherein each jaw member includes an outer insulative housing that is overmolded to capture a sealing plate for engaging tissue, the outer insulative housing configured to include the cam slot at a proximal end thereof.

18. The bipolar forceps according to claim 10, wherein each jaw member includes an outer insulative housing and a sealing plate that are integrally formed together for engaging tissue, the outer insulative housing configured to include the cam slot at a proximal end thereof.

19. A method for performing an electrosurgical procedure, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a bipolar forceps including;

a housing having a shaft that extends therefrom, the housing including a drive assembly disposed therein operable to reciprocate an actuation tube within the shaft to actuate a pair of first and second jaw members about a living hinge, each of the jaw members including a cam slot defined at a proximal end thereof at least one of the jaw members operatively connected to a distal end the actuation tube via a cam pin;

positioning tissue between the pair of first and second jaw members;

actuating the drive assembly to move the actuation tube causing the cam pin to cam the first and second jaw members to pivot about the living hinge towards each other such that tissue is grasped therebetween; and

applying electrosurgical energy to the jaw members such that a tissue seal may be effected therebetween.