SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS AND METHODS FOR PERFORMING TONSILLECTOMY AND ADENOIDECTOMY PROCEDURES

• US 20160038220A1
• Filed: 06/12/2015
• Published: 02/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2014
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: TWOMEY, JOHN R.
• Application Number:
  US14/738,107
• Publication Number:
  US 20160038220A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/26 Tonsillotomes, with or without means for stopping bleeding
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1442 Probes having pivoting end effectors, e.g. forceps
• 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 18/1447 wherein sliding surfaces cause opening/closing of the end effectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2926 Details of heads or jaws
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2944 Translation of jaw members
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00327 Ear, nose or throat
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1457 having opposing blades cutting tissue grasped by the jaws, i.e. combined scissors and pliers

Abstract

A surgical instrument includes an end effector assembly having first and second jaw members each including a tissue-treating plate. The jaw members are movable between a spaced-apart position and an approximated position for grasping tissue between the tissue-treating plates thereof. One or both of the jaw members includes a bifurcated body having first and second jaw components. Each jaw component includes a tissue-treating plate portion disposed thereon. One or both of the jaw components is rotatable relative to the other between an aligned orientation, wherein the tissue-treating plate portions are substantially co-planar, and an angled orientation, wherein the tissue-treating plate portions are angled relative to one another. Rotation of the jaw component(s) from the aligned orientation to the angled orientation effects cutting of tissue grasped between the tissue-treating plates of the jaw members.

Claims

1. A surgical instrument, comprising:

an end effector assembly including first and second jaw members, each jaw member including a tissue-treating plate disposed thereon, the first and second jaw members movable between a spaced-apart position and an approximated position for grasping tissue between the tissue-treating plates, at least one of the first and second jaw members including;

a bifurcated body having first and second jaw components, each of the first and second jaw components including a tissue-treating plate portion disposed thereon, the tissue-treating plate portions cooperating to define the tissue-treating plate of the jaw member, at least one of the first and second jaw components rotatable relative to the other between an aligned orientation, wherein the tissue-treating plate portions are substantially co-planar relative to one another, and an angled orientation, wherein the tissue-treating plate portions are angled relative to one another, wherein rotation of the at least one of the first and second jaw components from the aligned orientation to the angled orientation effects cutting of tissue grasped between the tissue-treating plates of the first and second jaw members.

2. The surgical instrument according to claim 1, wherein the tissue-treating plates define serrated configurations to facilitate grasping and cutting of tissue.

3. The surgical instrument according to claim 1, further including an actuation assembly operably coupled to the end effector assembly, the actuation assembly including an actuation member movable between a first position and a second position to rotate the at least one of the first and second jaw components between the aligned orientation and the angled orientation.

4. The surgical instrument according to claim 3, wherein the actuation assembly includes a trigger coupled to the actuation member, the trigger selectively actuatable for moving the actuation member between the first position and the second position.

5. The surgical instrument according to claim 1, further including at least one biasing member interdisposed between the first and second jaw components and configured to bias the at least one of the first and second jaw components towards the aligned orientation.

6. The surgical instrument according to claim 1, wherein the tissue-treating plates are adapted to connect to a source of energy for conducting energy through tissue grasped therebetween to treat tissue.

7. A surgical instrument, comprising:

an end effector assembly including first and second jaw members movable between a spaced-apart position, a first approximated position for grasping tissue therebetween, and a second approximated position,

the first jaw member including;

a body having first and second spaced-apart tissue-treating plate portions disposed thereon and an insulative member extending from the body between the first and second tissue-treating plate portions,

the second jaw member including;

a bifurcated body having first and second jaw components, each of the first and second jaw components including a tissue-treating plate portion disposed thereon, the first and second jaw components movable relative to one another and the first jaw member between a first position, wherein the tissue-treating plate portions of the first and second jaw components are respectively aligned with the first and second tissue-treating plate portions of the first jaw member, and a second position, wherein the tissue-treating plate portions of the first and second jaw components are offset relative to the first and second tissue-treating plate portions of the first jaw member,

wherein movement of the first and second jaw members from the first approximated position to the second approximated position moves the insulative member between the first and second jaw components to urge the first and second jaw components from the first position to the second position to cut tissue grasped between the first and second jaw members.

8. The surgical instrument according to claim 7, wherein the tissue-treating plate portions define serrated configurations to facilitate grasping and cutting of tissue.

9. The surgical instrument according to claim 7, further including at least one biasing member interdisposed between the first and second jaw components and configured to bias the first and second jaw components towards the first position.

10. The surgical instrument according to claim 7, wherein the first and second tissue-treating plate portions of the first jaw member and the tissue-treating plate portions of the second jaw member are adapted to connect to a source of energy for conducting energy through tissue grasped therebetween to treat tissue.

11. The surgical instrument according to claim 7, further including a handle assembly operably coupled to the end effector assembly, the handle assembly including a movable handle movable between an initial position, a first actuated position, and a second actuated position for moving the first and second jaw members between the spaced-apart position, the first approximated position, and the second approximated position, respectively.

12. A surgical instrument, comprising:

an end effector assembly including first and second jaw members, each jaw member including a jaw body having a tissue-treating plate disposed thereon, the first and second jaw members movable between a spaced-apart position and a first approximated position for grasping tissue between the tissue-treating plates, the first and second jaw members further movable from the first approximated position to a second approximated position, wherein moving the first and second jaw members from the first approximated position to the second approximated position transitioning the jaw members from an aligned orientation, wherein the tissue-treating plates are aligned with one another, to an offset orientation, wherein the tissue-treating plates are offset relative to one another, and wherein transitioning the jaw members from the aligned orientation to the offset orientation cuts tissue grasped between the tissue-treating plates.

13. The surgical instrument according to claim 12, wherein the tissue-treating plates define serrated configurations to facilitate grasping and cutting of tissue.

14. The surgical instrument according to claim 12, further including at least one biasing member configured to bias the first and second jaw members towards the aligned orientation.

15. The surgical instrument according to claim 12, wherein the tissue-treating plates are adapted to connect to a source of energy for conducting energy through tissue grasped therebetween to treat tissue.

16. The surgical instrument according to claim 12, wherein each of the first and second jaw members further includes a proximal flange, the proximal flanges of the first and second jaw members pivotably coupled to one another for movement of the first and second jaw members between the spaced-apart position, the first approximated position, and the second approximated position.

17. The surgical instrument according to claim 16, wherein a protrusion extends from each of the proximal flanges, the protrusions operably positioned relative to one another such that, upon movement of the first and second jaw members from the first approximated position to the second approximated position, the protrusions contact one another and urge the proximal flanges apart from one another, thereby urging the jaw members from the aligned orientation to the offset orientation.

18. A surgical instrument, comprising:

an end effector assembly including first and second jaw members each defining a bifurcated body having first and second jaw components, the first and second jaw components of each of the jaw members including a tissue-treating plate portion disposed thereon,

wherein the jaw components of the first jaw member and the jaw components of the second jaw member are movable relative to one another between a spaced-apart position and an approximated position for grasping tissue between the tissue-treating plate portions of the first jaw components and between the tissue-treating plate portions of the second jaw components, and

wherein the first jaw components of the jaw members and the second jaw components of the jaw members are movable relative to one another between an un-actuated position, wherein the first and second jaw components of each jaw member are disposed in close proximity to one another, and an actuated position, wherein the first and second jaw components of each jaw member are spaced further-apart from one another, to separate tissue grasped between the first jaw components from tissue grasped between the second jaw components.

19. The surgical instrument according to claim 18, wherein the tissue-treating plate portions define serrated configurations to facilitate grasping and cutting of tissue.

20. The surgical instrument according to claim 18, wherein the tissue-treating plate portions are adapted to connect to a source of energy for conducting energy through tissue grasped therebetween to treat tissue.