Apparatus, System, and Method for Performing an Electrosurgical Procedure

• US 20110082457A1
• Filed: 10/06/2009
• Published: 04/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Tyco Healthcare Group LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Kerr, Duane E., Nau, William H. JR., Young, Terrence R., Townsend, Jeffrey R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,292,886 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/48
• 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 2018/00077 high, i.e. electrically conducting
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00148 with metal
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00589 Coagulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00595 Cauterization
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00601 Cutting
• 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 includes a shaft extending from a housing and includes an end effector assembly at its distal end. The end effector assembly has a pair of jaw members movable between an open position and a closed position. A knife assembly includes a cutter having a generally circular cross-section. The cutter is configured to cut tissue when the jaw members are in the closed position. One or more electrically conductive tissue sealing plates are disposed on each of the jaw members. The tissue sealing plates are adapted to connect to an electrosurgical energy source configured to deliver electrosurgical energy to tissue held between the jaw members to effect a tissue seal. An actuator is operably coupled to the knife assembly and is configured to selectively reciprocate the cutter relative to the jaw members.

Claims

1. A bipolar forceps, comprising:

a housing having a shaft that extends therefrom including an end effector assembly at a distal end thereof, the end effector assembly having a pair of jaw members movable between an open position wherein the jaw members are disposed in spaced relation relative to each other and a closed position wherein the jaw members cooperate to grasp tissue therebetween;

a knife assembly including a cutter having a generally circular cross-section and configured to cut the tissue when the jaw members are in the closed position;

at least one electrically conductive tissue sealing plate disposed on each of the jaw members, the electrically conductive tissue sealing plates adapted to connect to an electrosurgical energy source configured to deliver electrosurgical energy to tissue held between the jaw members to effect a tissue seal; and

an actuator operably coupled to the knife assembly and configured to selectively reciprocate the cutter relative to the jaw members.

2. A bipolar forceps according to claim 1, further comprising:

a knife channel disposed through at least one of the jaw members, wherein the cutter is configured to reciprocate within the knife channel when the jaw members are in the closed position to divide tissue grasped therebetween.

3. A bipolar forceps according to claim 2, wherein each jaw member includes a knife channel disposed therethrough configured to substantially align with each other such that the cutter is configured to reciprocate within the knife channels when the jaw members are in the closed position to divide the tissue grasped therebetween.

4. A bipolar forceps according to claim 2, wherein the knife channel is spirally defined through the jaw members to define a substantially helical shape.

5. A bipolar forceps according to claim 4, wherein the cutter is configured to snake through the knife channel upon advancement therethrough.

6. A bipolar forceps according to claim 1, wherein a distal tip of the cutter is angled with respect to a longitudinal axis of the cutter.

7. A bipolar forceps according to claim 1, wherein the cutter includes a tapered distal end extending to a sharpened tip.

8. A bipolar forceps according to claim 1, wherein the cutter includes a blunt distal tip.

9. A bipolar forceps according to claim 1, wherein the cutter is selected from the group consisting of a wire, a tube, a hypodermic needle, and a cable.

10. A bipolar forceps according to claim 1, wherein the cutter is configured to substantially align the jaw members in the closed position upon advancement through the knife channel.

11. A bipolar forceps according to claim 1, wherein the actuator is in electromechanical cooperation with the source of electrosurgical energy, the actuator allowing a user to selectively supply electrosurgical energy to the cutter to electrosurgically divide the tissue.

12. A bipolar forceps according to claim 1, further comprising a trigger disposed within the housing and in electromechanical cooperation with the source of electrosurgical energy, the trigger allowing a user to selectively supply bipolar energy to each of the jaw members to effect a tissue seal.

13. A bipolar forceps, comprising:

a housing having a shaft that extends therefrom including an end effector assembly at a distal end thereof, the end effector assembly having a pair of jaw members movable between an open position wherein the jaw members are disposed in spaced relation relative to each other and a closed position wherein the jaw members cooperate to grasp tissue therebetween;

a knife assembly including a cutter having a generally circular cross-section and configured to cut tissue along the tissue seal when the jaw members are in the closed position;

at least one electrically conductive tissue sealing plate disposed on each of the jaw members, the electrically conductive tissue sealing plates adapted to connect to an electrosurgical energy source configured to deliver electrosurgical energy to tissue held between the jaw members to effect a tissue seal;

a knife channel spirally disposed through at least one of the jaw members to define a substantially helical shape, wherein the cutter is configured to reciprocate within the knife channel when the jaw members are in the closed position to divide tissue grasped therebetween; and

an actuator operably coupled to the knife assembly and configured to selectively reciprocate the cutter through the knife channel to divide tissue.

14. A bipolar forceps according to claim 13, wherein each jaw member includes a knife channel spirally disposed therethrough configured to substantially align with each other to define a substantially helical shape such that the cutter is configured to snake through the substantially helical shape when the jaw members are in the closed position to divide tissue grasped therebetween.

15. A bipolar forceps according to claim 13, wherein the actuator comprises at least one of a trigger and a movable handle operably coupled to the housing.

16. A bipolar forceps according to claim 13, wherein the knife assembly is operably coupled to the electrosurgical energy source such that the cutter is configured to be selectively energized to electrosurgically divide tissue.

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

providing an electrosurgical apparatus, including;

a housing having a shaft that extends therefrom including an end effector assembly at a distal end thereof, the end effector assembly having a pair of jaw members movable between an open position wherein the jaw members are disposed in spaced relation relative to each other and a closed position wherein the jaw members cooperate to grasp tissue therebetween;

a knife assembly including a cutter having a generally circular cross-section and configured to cut tissue along the tissue seal when the jaw members are in the closed position;

at least one electrically conductive tissue sealing plate disposed on each of the jaw members, the electrically conductive tissue sealing plates adapted to connect to an electrosurgical energy source configured to deliver electrosurgical energy to tissue held between the jaw members to effect a tissue seal;

a knife channel spirally disposed through at least one of the jaw members to define a substantially helical shape, wherein the cutter is configured to reciprocate within the knife channel when the jaw members are in the closed position to divide tissue grasped therebetween; and

an actuator operably coupled to the knife assembly and configured to selectively reciprocate the cutter relative to the jaw members to divide tissue;

delivering electrosurgical energy from the electrosurgical energy source to the electrically conductive tissue sealing plates to achieve a desired tissue effect; and

actuating the cutter to selectively separate at least a portion of the effected tissue from the rest of the effected tissue.

18. A method according to claim 17, further comprising the step of:

snaking the cutter through the knife channel when the jaw members are in the closed position.

19. A method according to claim 17, further comprising the step of

selectively energizing the cutter to electrosurgically divide tissue.

20. A method of manufacturing a jaw member of an electrosurgical apparatus, comprising the steps of:

drilling a channel through the longitudinal thickness of a substantially cylindrical workpiece;

making a longitudinal cut through a portion of the workpiece to substantially bisect the channel along at least a portion of the length thereof; and

making a cross-sectional cut through a portion of the workpiece to intersect the longitudinal cut to facilitate removal of a section defined by the intersecting cuts from the workpiece.