ELECTROSURGICAL CUTTING AND SEALING INSTRUMENT

• US 20120022530A1
• Filed: 07/23/2010
• Published: 01/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cilag Gmbh International (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Woodruff, Scott A., Weizman, Patrick A., Payne, Gwendolyn P., Korvick, Donna L., Norvell, David K.
• Granted Patent: US 9,011,437 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/45
• 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 2018/00196 reciprocating lengthwise
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00607 Coagulation and cutting with the same instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0063 Sealing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00702 Power or energy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00791 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00875 Resistance or impedance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1455 having a moving blade for cutting tissue grasped by the jaws
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/065 for measuring contact or contact pressure

Abstract

A surgical instrument for supplying energy to tissue can comprise a jaw member comprising an electrode, wherein the electrode is configured to supply energy from a power source to captured tissue. The surgical instrument comprises a tissue-cutting element to transect the captured tissue. The surgical instrument may have a indicator to provide feedback signals during the operational stroke. The feedback signals assist in regulating the rate of distal translation of the tissue-cutting element.

Claims

1. An electrosurgical instrument, comprising:

a handle comprising an indicator, the indicator configured to provide a serial series of feedback signals during an operational stroke;

an elongate shaft extending distally from the handle;

an end effector coupled to the distal end of the elongate shaft, comprising;

a first jaw member;

a second jaw member, wherein the first jaw member is movable relative to the second jaw member between an open and a closed position;

a tissue-cutting element configured to translate with respect to the first jaw and the second jaw;

an electrode; and

a sensor;

an axially moveable cutting member configured to open and close the jaws, the tissue-cutting element positioned at a distal end of the axially movable member; and

a trigger coupled to the axially moveable cutting member.

2. The electrosurgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the feedback signal is a visual feedback signal.

3. The electrosurgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the feedback signal is an audio feedback signal.

4. The electrosurgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the feedback signal is a vibrating feedback signal.

5. The electrosurgical instrument of claim 1, further comprising:

a feedback controller, wherein the sensor is a tissue impedance sensor configured to supply a signal to the feedback controller, and wherein the feedback controller is electrically coupled to the indicator.

6. The electrosurgical instrument of claim 5, wherein the serial series of feedback signals is at least partially dependent on the signal from the tissue impedance sensor.

7. The electrosurgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the trigger is a ratcheting trigger configured to ratchet between a plurality of positions.

8. The electrosurgical instrument of claim 7, wherein the axially moveable cutting member is configured to move the first jaw between the open and closed position.

9. The electrosurgical instrument of claim 8, wherein the ratcheting trigger is configured to move between a first ratchet position and a second ratchet position and move the first jaw from the open position to the closed position.

10. An electrosurgical instrument, comprising:

a handle;

an elongate shaft extending distally from the handle;

an indicator configured to provide a sequence of feedback signals during the operational stroke;

an end effector coupled to the distal end of the elongate shaft, comprising;

a first jaw member;

a second jaw member, wherein the first jaw member is movable relative to the second jaw member between an open and a closed position;

a tissue-cutting element configured to translate with respect to the first jaw and the second jaw;

an electrode; and

an impedance sensor;

an axially moveable cutting member configured to close the jaws during the operational stroke, the tissue-cutting element positioned at a distal end of the axially movable member; and

a ratcheting trigger coupled to the axially moveable cutting member, wherein the ratcheting trigger is movable between a plurality of discrete positions during an operational stroke.

11. The electrosurgical instrument of claim 10, wherein the ratcheting trigger comprises a first detent and a second detent, wherein the plurality of discrete positions comprises a first position and a second position, and wherein the first detent corresponds with the first position and the second detent corresponds to the second position.

12. The electrosurgical instrument of claim 11, wherein the jaw member is configured to move from the open to the closed position when the ratcheting trigger moves from the first position to the second position.

13. The electrosurgical instrument of claim 11, further comprising a third, fourth, and fifth detent, wherein the plurality of discrete positions comprises a third, fourth, and fifth position, and wherein the third detent corresponds with the third position, the fourth detent corresponds to the fourth position, and the fifth detent corresponds to the fifth position.

14. The electrosurgical instrument of claim 10, wherein the impedance sensor is configured to output a signal, wherein the sequence of visual feedback signals during the operational stroke is determined by the signal.

15. The electrosurgical instrument of claim 14, wherein the indicator is a visual indicator, wherein the sequence of feedback signals is a sequence of visual feedback signals, wherein the sequence of visual feedback signals comprises a first signal and a second signal, wherein the second signal is configured to visually signal after the first signal visually signals.

16. The electrosurgical instrument of claim 15, wherein the second signal is configured to visually signal when the impedance sensor senses an impedance at a defined level.

17. An electrosurgical instrument, comprising:

a handle;

an elongate shaft extending distally from the handle;

an end effector coupled to the distal end of the elongate shaft, comprising;

a first jaw member;

a second jaw member, wherein the first jaw member is movable relative to the second jaw member between an open and a closed position to clamp tissue in the closed position;

a tissue-cutting element configured to translate with respect to the first jaw and the second jaw; and

an electrode;

an axially moveable member configured to distally translate during the operational stroke to close the jaws, the tissue-cutting element positioned at a distal end of the axially movable member;

a ratcheting trigger coupled to the axially moveable cutting member, wherein the ratcheting trigger is movable between a plurality of discrete positions during an operational stroke; and

an indicator configured to verify an independence level in a section of the clamped tissue during the operational stroke.

18. The electrosurgical instrument of claim 17, wherein the indicator comprises a plurality of indicators, wherein each indicator is configured to verify an independence level in the clamped tissue during the operational stroke.

19. The electrosurgical instrument of claim 18, wherein the plurality of indicators comprise a plurality of light emitting diodes.

20. The electrosurgical instrument of claim 19, further comprising a first, second, and third detent, wherein the plurality of discrete positions comprises a first, second, and third position, and wherein the first detent corresponds with the first position, the second detent corresponds to the second position, and the third detent corresponds to the third position.