Electrosurgical Instrument

• US 20130079762A1
• Filed: 09/28/2011
• Published: 03/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Tyco Healthcare Group LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Twomey, John R., Allen, James D. IV, Chojin, Edward M., Kingsley, Dylan R., Unger, Jeffrey R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,961,515 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/29
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/29 Forceps for use in minimally invasive surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/085 Forceps, scissors
• 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 2017/2932 Transmission of forces to jaw members
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2933 camming or guiding means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00595 Cauterization
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1455 having a moving blade for cutting tissue grasped by the jaws

Abstract

An electrosurgical forceps is provided with a shaft that extends from a housing of the electrosurgical forceps. An end effector assembly operably coupled to a distal end of the shaft includes a pair of first and second jaw members each having jaw housing and an electrosurgical seal plate. One or both of the first and second jaw members is movable from an open configuration, to a clamping configuration. The moveable jaw member includes an elongated channel defined in its respective jaw housing and extends along a length thereof. A drive assembly operably couples to the moveable jaw member via a drive rod that is engageable with the elongated channel to move the movable jaw member from the open configuration to the clamping configuration and to provide a closure force between the first and second jaw members when the jaw members are in the clamping configuration.

Claims

1. An electrosurgical forceps, comprising:

a housing having a shaft extending therefrom;

an end effector assembly operably coupled to a distal end of the shaft and including a pair of first and second jaw members each having a jaw housing and an electrosurgical sealing plate, at least one of the first and second jaw members movable from an open configuration for positioning tissue therebetween, to a clamping configuration for grasping tissue therebetween, the at least one moveable jaw member including an elongated channel defined in its respective jaw housing and extending along a length thereof; and

a drive assembly operably coupled to the at least one moveable jaw member via a drive rod engageable with the elongated channel to move the at least one movable jaw member from the open configuration to the clamping configuration and to provide a closure force between the first and second jaw members when the jaw members are in the clamping configuration.

2. An electrosurgical forceps according to claim 1, wherein the drive rod and the elongated channel are in horizontal registration with one another to facilitate moving the at least one movable jaw member from the open configuration to the clamping configuration.

3. An electrosurgical forceps according to claim 1, wherein the drive rod includes a generally rounded distal end to reduce a drag force thereagainst during distal translation of the drive rod within the elongated channel.

4. An electrosurgical forceps according to claim 1, wherein the drive rod is positioned above a pivot pin that couples the first and second jaw members.

5. An electrosurgical forceps according to claim 1, wherein each of the first and second jaw members is moveable from the open configuration to the clamping configuration.

6. An electrosurgical forceps according to claim 5, wherein each of the first and second jaw members includes an elongated channel defined in its respective jaw housing and extending along a length thereof and the drive rod includes a bifurcated distal end defined by a top portion and a bottom portion that engage the respective elongated channels of the first and second jaw members during distal translation thereof to close the first and second jaw members about tissue.

7. An electrosurgical forceps according to claim 6, wherein a cutting element is operably disposed between the top portion and the bottom portion of the bifurcated distal end of the drive rod, the cutting element including a generally arcuate configuration having a cutting edge extending from the top portion of the bifurcated distal end to the bottom portion of the bifurcated distal end to sever tissue subsequent to the first and second jaw members clamping tissue.

8. An electrosurgical forceps according to claim 6, wherein the elongated channels of the first and second jaw members include an open distal end that allows the top and bottom portions of the bifurcated distal end to extend therepast during a cutting motion.

9. An electrosurgical forceps, comprising:

a housing having a shaft extending therefrom;

an end effector assembly operably coupled to a distal end of the shaft and including a pair of first and second jaw members, at least one of the first and second jaw members movable from an open configuration for positioning tissue therebetween, to a clamping configuration for grasping tissue therebetween, the at least one moveable jaw member including a camming member having a generally arcuate configuration at a proximal end thereof; and

a drive assembly in operative communication with the at least one moveable jaw member via a drive rod engageable with the camming member of the at least one movable jaw member to move the at least one movable jaw member from the open configuration to the clamping configuration and to provide a closure force between the first and second jaw members when the jaw members are in the clamping configuration.

10. An electrosurgical forceps according to claim 9, wherein the at least one drive rod includes a cutting blade operably disposed at a distal end thereof.

11. An electrosurgical forceps according to claim 10, wherein the distal end of the drive rod includes a tapered configuration having a shoulder portion configured to contact the generally arcuate proximal end of the at least one moveable jaw member to move the at least one moveable jaw member from the open configuration to the clamping configuration.

12. A method for electrosurgically treating and, subsequently, severing tissue, comprising:

positioning tissue between a pair of first and second jaw members of an electrosurgical device including a drive assembly with a drive rod having a bifurcated distal end in operative communication with the first and second jaw members, the bifurcated distal end defined by a top and bottom portion having a cutting element operably disposed therebetween;

moving the bifurcated distal end to position the bifurcated distal end between the first and second jaw members to cause the first and second jaw members to move from an open configuration to a clamping configuration to grasp tissue therebetween;

transmitting electrosurgical energy to respective seal plates operably disposed on the first and second jaw members to electrosurgically treat the tissue; and

moving the bifurcated distal end to position the top and bottom portions thereof at least partially past corresponding open distal ends of the first and second jaw members to sever tissue.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein the step of transmitting electrosurgical energy includes transmitting electrosurgical energy selected from the group consisting of electrical energy, thermal energy, ultrasonic energy and mechanical energy.