ELECTROSURGICAL INSTRUMENT WITH INTEGRAL TISSUE REMOVAL FEATURE

• US 20160175027A1
• Filed: 12/19/2014
• Published: 06/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cilag Gmbh International (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Rupp, Kip M.
• Granted Patent: US 10,117,706 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 2017/07285 characterised by its cutter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00184 Moving parts
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00601 Cutting
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0063 Sealing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0091 Handpieces of the surgical instrument or device
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00976 with scraping means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1455 having a moving blade for cutting tissue grasped by the jaws

Abstract

An apparatus for operating on tissue includes an elongate shaft extending distally from a body and an end effector at a distal end of the elongate shaft. The end effector includes a first jaw that is selectively pivotable toward and away from a second jaw to capture tissue and a firing beam. The firing beam is configured to advance relative to the first and second jaws to sever captured tissue and retract relative to the first and second jaws after the captured tissue has been severed. The apparatus further includes a debris removal element in communication with the firing beam. The debris removal element is configured to engage at least a portion of the firing beam at least during retraction of the firing beam relative to the first and second jaws to thereby remove at least some debris from the firing beam.

Claims

1. An apparatus for operating on tissue, the apparatus comprising:

(a) a body;

(b) an elongate shaft, wherein the elongate shaft extends distally from the body, and wherein the elongate shaft comprises a distal end; and

(c) an end effector, wherein the end effector is disposed at the distal end of the elongate shaft, and wherein the end effector comprises;

(i) a first jaw,

(ii) a second jaw, wherein the first jaw is selectively pivotable toward and away from the second jaw to capture tissue, and

(iii) a firing beam configured to advance relative to the first and second jaws to sever captured tissue and retract relative to the first and second jaws after the captured tissue has been severed;

(d) a debris removal element in communication with the firing beam, wherein the debris removal element is configured to engage at least a portion of the firing beam and remove at least a portion of debris from the firing beam at least during retraction of the firing beam relative to the first and second jaws.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the debris removal element is disposed on the shaft.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the debris removal element is disposed on the end effector.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the debris removal element is configured to elastically deform as the debris removal element engages the firing beam.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the debris removal element comprises a lubricious coating.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the shaft extends along a longitudinal axis, wherein the debris removal element includes a scraping edge oriented perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the firing beam includes a pair of opposing side walls, wherein the scraping edge is oriented perpendicular relative to the opposing side walls.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the firing beam includes a pair of opposing side walls, where in the scraping edge is oriented parallel relative to the opposing side walls.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the firing beam includes a distal portion, a proximal portion, and an intermediate portion therebetween, wherein the intermediate portion includes a section that includes a height dimension that is less than a height dimension of at least the proximal portion.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the firing beam further comprises a tapered portion between the intermediate portion and either one of, or both of, the proximal portion and the distal portion.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the debris removal element is configured to elastically deform when the proximal portion of the firing beam bears against the debris removal element.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein at least a portion of the debris removal element is coincident with the intermediate portion when the firing beam is in the retracted position.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the intermediate portion is spaced from the debris removal element when the firing bar is in the advanced position.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the debris removal element further comprises a pair of opposing scraping elements, wherein each of the scraping elements is configured to engage an opposing side of the firing beam.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the shaft further comprises an outer sheath and an opening extending through the outer sheath, wherein at least a portion of the debris removal element is coincident with the opening.

16. An apparatus for operating on tissue, the apparatus comprising:

(a) a body;

(b) an elongate shaft, wherein the elongate shaft extends distally from the body, and wherein the elongate shaft comprises a distal end and an inner wall; and

(c) an end effector, wherein the end effector is disposed at the distal end of the elongate shaft, and wherein the end effector comprises;

(i) a first jaw,

(ii) a second jaw, wherein the first jaw is selectively pivotable toward and away from the second jaw to capture tissue, and

(iii) a translating element configured to advance relative to the first and second jaws to sever captured tissue and to retract relative to the first and second jaws after the captured tissue has been severed;

(d) an elastically deformable member disposed between the inner wall of shaft and the translating element, wherein the elastically deformable member is configured to deform as the translating element advances, wherein the elastically deformable member is configured to scrape at least a portion of the translating element.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the elastically deformable member comprises a wedge shaped portion that is configured to act as a ramp to drive debris away from the translating element.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the elastically deformable member comprises a lubricious material.

19. A method of severing tissue using a surgical apparatus, wherein the surgical apparatus comprises a body, an elongate shaft extending distally from the body, and an end effector disposed at a distal end of the elongate shaft, wherein the end effector comprises a first jaw, a second jaw, at least one electrode, and a firing beam, wherein the apparatus further comprises a debris removal element configured to engage the firing beam, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) capturing tissue between the first jaw and the second jaw of the end effector;

(b) energizing the captured tissue with RF energy by activating the at least one electrode to thereby seal the tissue;

(c) advancing the firing beam in a distal direction through the sealed tissue to thereby sever the sealed tissue; and

(d) retracting the firing beam in a proximal direction, thereby engaging at least a portion of the firing beam with the debris removal element to remove at least some debris from the firing beam.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the shaft or the end effector further comprises an opening that is at least partially coincident with the debris removal element, wherein at least some of the removed debris travels through the opening.