Surgical instrument with auto-regulating heater and method of using same
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An instrument for use in surgery comprising:
- a shaft having a proximal end and a distal end;
a working end connected to the distal end of the shaft for manipulating and coagulating tissue, the working end having a working surface for contacting tissue and a cross-section extending perpendicularly to the working surface, the working end integrally formed of a heating element, the working surface maintained at an auto-regulated temperature by conducting a current throughout the entire cross-section of the working end, the heating element comprising a material having a skin depth extending substantially throughout the cross-section of the working end responsive to the temperature of the heating element and that decreases as the temperature of the heating element falls below the auto-regulated temperature;
first and second electrode leads connected to the proximal end of the shaft; and
means connecting the first and second electrode leads to the working end.
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Abstract
An instrument for use in surgery is provided. The instrument has a heating element with a working surface for providing hemostasis at an auto-regulated temperature. The working surface may include a tapered edge for providing thermally-enhanced cutting and a non-stick coating for operating the instrument at low auto-regulation temperatures. A process for making the instrument is also provided. Additionally, a method of performing surgery on a patient'"'"'s tissue is also provided.
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Citations
33 Claims
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1. An instrument for use in surgery comprising:
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a shaft having a proximal end and a distal end; a working end connected to the distal end of the shaft for manipulating and coagulating tissue, the working end having a working surface for contacting tissue and a cross-section extending perpendicularly to the working surface, the working end integrally formed of a heating element, the working surface maintained at an auto-regulated temperature by conducting a current throughout the entire cross-section of the working end, the heating element comprising a material having a skin depth extending substantially throughout the cross-section of the working end responsive to the temperature of the heating element and that decreases as the temperature of the heating element falls below the auto-regulated temperature; first and second electrode leads connected to the proximal end of the shaft; and means connecting the first and second electrode leads to the working end. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A working end for use in a surgical instrument comprising:
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a substrate integrally formed of a heating element and having both a high-temperature working surface region for manipulating and coagulating tissue, and a low-temperature region for disposing the heating element adjacent a distal end of a shaft, the high-temperature working surface region having a working surface and a cross-section extending perpendicularly to the working surface, the working surface maintained at an auto-regulated temperature by conducting a current throughout the entire cross-section, the substrate comprising a material having a skin depth extending throughout the cross-section of the high-temperature working surface region responsive to the temperature of the high-temperature working surface region and that decreases as the temperature of the high-temperature working surface region falls below the auto-regulated temperature; and an overlayer disposed on the low-temperature region of the substrate, the overlayer having a low thermal conductance for reducing the conduction of heat from the high-temperature working surface region to the low-temperature region of the substrate. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. An instrument for use in surgery comprising:
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a shaft having a proximal end and a distal end; a working end connected to the distal end of the shaft for manipulating and hemostatically cutting tissue, the working end having a working surface for contacting tissue and a cross-section extending perpendicularly to the working surface, the working end integrally formed of a heating element, the working surface maintained at an auto-regulated temperature by conducting a current throughout the entire cross-section of the working end, the working surface including an atraumatic edge that becomes capable of cutting tissue when heated to a temperature in the range of the auto-regulated temperature, the heating element comprising a material having a skin depth extending substantially throughout the cross-section of the working end responsive to the temperature of the heating element and that decreases as the temperature of the heating element falls below the auto-regulated temperature; first and second electrode leads connected to the proximal end of the shaft; and means connecting the first and second electrode leads to the working end. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A working end for use in a surgical instrument comprising:
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a substrate integrally formed of a heating element and having both a high-temperature working surface region for manipulating and hemostatically cutting tissue, and a low-temperature region for disposing the heating element adjacent a distal end of a shaft, the high-temperature working surface region having a working surface and a cross-section extending perpendicularly to the working surface, the working surface maintained at an auto-regulated temperature by conducting a current throughout the entire cross-section, the working surface including an atraumatic edge that becomes capable of cutting tissue when heated to a temperature in the range of the auto-regulated temperature, the substrate comprising a material having a skin depth extending throughout the cross-section of the high-temperature working region responsive to the temperature of the high-temperature working surface region and that decreases as the temperature of the high-temperature working surface region falls below the auto-regulated temperature; and a metallic overlayer disposed on the low-temperature region of the substrate and electrically coupled thereto, the metallic overlayer having a low thermal conductance for reducing the conduction of heat from the high-temperature working surface region to the low-temperature region of the substrate. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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Specification