Ultrasonic clamp coagulator apparatus having improved clamp mechanism
First Claim
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1. An ultrasonic clamp coagulator apparatus comprising:
- a housing;
an outer tubular sheath having a proximal end joined to said housing, and a distal end, said tubular sheath defining a longitudinal axis;
an inner actuating member reciprocably positioned within said outer tubular sheath;
an ultrasonic waveguide positioned within said outer tubular sheath and having an end-effector extending distally of said distal end of said outer tubular sheath, anda clamp arm pivotally mounted on said distal end of said outer tubular sheath for pivotal movement with respect to said end-effector for clamping tissue between said clamp arm and said end effector, said clamp arm being pivoted about a pivot axis offset from said longitudinal axis;
said clamp arm including connecting means spaced from said pivot axis in a direction toward said end-effector for operatively interconnecting said clamp arm to said actuating member so that reciprocable movement of said actuating member pivots said clamp arm.
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Abstract
An ultrasonic surgical clamp coagulator apparatus is configured to effect cutting, coagulation, and clamping of tissue by cooperation of a clamping mechanism of the apparatus with an associated ultrasonic end-effector. Selective, indexed rotational positioning of the clamping mechanism and end-effector is achieved by the provision of a detent mechanism incorporated into the clamp drive mechanism of the apparatus. An improved clamping mechanism permits the desired clamping force to be applied to tissue positioned against the end-effector in an instrument having a desirably small cross-section.
1302 Citations
11 Claims
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1. An ultrasonic clamp coagulator apparatus comprising:
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a housing; an outer tubular sheath having a proximal end joined to said housing, and a distal end, said tubular sheath defining a longitudinal axis; an inner actuating member reciprocably positioned within said outer tubular sheath; an ultrasonic waveguide positioned within said outer tubular sheath and having an end-effector extending distally of said distal end of said outer tubular sheath, and a clamp arm pivotally mounted on said distal end of said outer tubular sheath for pivotal movement with respect to said end-effector for clamping tissue between said clamp arm and said end effector, said clamp arm being pivoted about a pivot axis offset from said longitudinal axis; said clamp arm including connecting means spaced from said pivot axis in a direction toward said end-effector for operatively interconnecting said clamp arm to said actuating member so that reciprocable movement of said actuating member pivots said clamp arm. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. An ultrasonic clamp coagulator apparatus comprising:
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an outer tubular sheath having a proximal end rotatably joined to said housing, and a distal end, said tubular sheath defining a longitudinal axis about which said outer tubular sheath is rotatable; an inner tubular actuating member reciprocably positioned within said outer tubular sheath; an ultrasonic waveguide positioned within said inner tubular actuating member and having an end effector extending distally of said distal end of said outer tubular sheath, and a clamp arm pivotally mounted on said distal end of said outer tubular sheath for pivotal movement with respect to said end-effector for clamping tissue between said clamp arm and said end effector, said clamp arm being pivoted about a pivot axis offset from said longitudinal axis; said clamp arm including a pair of lever portions extending from said pivot axis on respective opposite sides of said end-effector, each said lever portion being operatively connected to said actuating member so that reciprocable movement of said actuating member pivots said clamp arm. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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Specification