SURGICAL CUTTING AND FASTENING INSTRUMENT HAVING RF ELECTRODES

• US 20160008023A1
• Filed: 09/23/2015
• Published: 01/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cilag Gmbh International (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Yates, David C., Huitema, Thomas W., Shelton, Frederick E. IV
• Granted Patent: US 10,238,387 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/068 Surgical staplers , e.g. containing multiple staples or clampsstaplers containing only one staple A61B17/10; magazines or containers for staples A61B17/105; for performing anastomosis A61B17/115; staplers in general B25C5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0686 having a forming anvil staying below the tissue during stapling
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/072 for applying a row of staples in a single action , e.g. the staples being applied simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/07207 the staples being applied sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/105 Wound clamp magazines for packaging sharps A61B50/3001
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/115 Staplers for performing anastomosis in a single operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/320016 Endoscopic cutting instruments, e.g. arthroscopes, resectoscopes A61B10/0233, A61B17/29, A61B17/3207 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3205 Excision instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/14 Probes or electrodes 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 2017/00017 Electrical control of surgical instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00022 Sensing or detecting at the treatment site
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00398 using powered actuators, e.g. stepper motors, solenoids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00734 battery operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07214 Stapler heads
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0063 Sealing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00875 Resistance or impedance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/124 switching the output to different electrodes, e.g. sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1455 having a moving blade for cutting tissue grasped by the jaws
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0807 Indication means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/98 : using electromagnetic means, e.g. transponders

Abstract

A surgical cutting and fastening instrument. The instrument comprises a handle and an end effector connected to the handle. The end effector comprises upper and lower opposing jaw members, wherein the upper jaw member comprises a plurality of co-linear, separately actuatable, RF electrodes.

Claims

1. A surgical cutting and fastening instrument comprising:

a handle;

an end effector connected to the handle comprising upper and lower opposing jaw members, wherein the upper jaw member comprises a plurality of co-linear, separately actuatable, RF electrodes.

2. The surgical cutting and fastening instrument of claim 1, wherein the handle is connected to the end effector by a shaft.

3. The surgical cutting and fastening instrument of claim 1, wherein the handle is connected to the end effector by a flexible cable.

4. The surgical cutting and fastening instrument of claim 1, further comprising:

a RF source;

a multiplexer having an input connected to the RF source and having a number of outputs, each output connected to one of the RF electrodes; and

a controller connected to the multiplexer for controlling the multiplexer so that the RF electrodes are activated according to a sequence.

5. The surgical cutting and fastening instrument of claim 1, wherein the upper jaw member comprises a plurality of insulators, each insulator insulating one of the RF electrodes from a metallic portion of the upper jaw member.

6. The surgical cutting and fastening instrument of claim 5, wherein the insulators comprise a ceramic material.

7. The surgical cutting and fastening instrument of claim 6, wherein the ceramic material insulators are sputter coated onto the upper jaw member.

8. The surgical cutting and fastening instrument of claim 7, wherein the RF electrodes are sputter coated onto the ceramic material insulators.

9. The surgical cutting and fastening instrument of claim 8, wherein the RF electrodes comprise silver.

10. The surgical cutting and fastening instrument of claim 1, wherein the lower jaw member comprises a staple cartridge.

11. The surgical cutting and fastening instrument of claim 10, wherein the lower jaw member further comprises a first thin electrically insulator layer on an upper surface of the staple cartridge.

12. The surgical cutting and fastening instrument of claim 11, wherein the lower jaw further comprises a second thin layer on top of the first thin electrically insulator layer, wherein the second thin layer has a greater conductivity that the first layer.

13. The surgical cutting and fastening instrument of claim 2, wherein the shaft comprises a drive train, and the handle comprises:

a motor connected to the drive train;

a DC power source connected to the motor; and

a RF generator connected to the plurality of RF electrodes.

14. The surgical cutting and fastening instrument of claim 13, further comprising a multiplexer connected between the RF generator and the plurality of RF electrodes.

15. The surgical cutting and fastening instrument of claim 13, wherein the DC power source comprises one or more battery cells.

16. The surgical cutting and fastening instrument of claim 13, wherein the handle further comprises a power regulator connected between the DC power source and the motor.