Bipolar tissue grasping apparatus and tissue welding method
First Claim
1. Tissue grasping apparatus comprising:
- first and second elongated grasping jaws, each jaw including a tissue contacting surface in face-to-face relation with the tissue contacting surface of the other jaw;
said grasping jaws being relatively movable for grasping tissue between said tissue contacting surfaces;
the tissue contacting surfaces of said jaws comprising an insulating material;
at least two electrode surfaces carried adjacent said tissue contacting surfaces of each said jaw and disposed to engage said tissue when grasped, the two electrode surfaces on said first law being in face-to-face relation with the two electrode surfaces on said second jaw, and the facing electrode surfaces being of like polarity, said electrode surfaces being connectable to a power source for providing an electrical current between said electrode surfaces;
whereby, when tissue is grasped between said tissue contacting surfaces electrical current may be caused to flow between said electrode surfaces and through the tissue grasped between said tissue contacting surfaces.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A bipolar electrosurgical instrument having a pair of relatively moveable jaws, each of which includes a tissue contacting surface. The tissue contacting surfaces of the jaws are in face-to-face relation with one another, and adjacent each of the tissue contacting surfaces are first and second spaced-apart electrodes that are adapted for connection to the opposite terminals of a bipolar RF generator so as to generator a current flow therebetween. The first and second electrodes of one jaw are in opposed relation, respectively, with the first and second electrodes of the other jaw. The tissue contacting surfaces are disposed between the electrodes on each jaw, and the first opposed electrodes of each jaw are connectable to one terminal of the bipolar RF generator, while the second opposed electrodes of each jaw are connectable to the other terminal of the bipolar RF generator.
621 Citations
29 Claims
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1. Tissue grasping apparatus comprising:
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first and second elongated grasping jaws, each jaw including a tissue contacting surface in face-to-face relation with the tissue contacting surface of the other jaw; said grasping jaws being relatively movable for grasping tissue between said tissue contacting surfaces; the tissue contacting surfaces of said jaws comprising an insulating material; at least two electrode surfaces carried adjacent said tissue contacting surfaces of each said jaw and disposed to engage said tissue when grasped, the two electrode surfaces on said first law being in face-to-face relation with the two electrode surfaces on said second jaw, and the facing electrode surfaces being of like polarity, said electrode surfaces being connectable to a power source for providing an electrical current between said electrode surfaces; whereby, when tissue is grasped between said tissue contacting surfaces electrical current may be caused to flow between said electrode surfaces and through the tissue grasped between said tissue contacting surfaces. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. Tissue grasping apparatus comprising:
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two grasping jaws, each jaw including an insulating tissue contacting surface; said grasping jaws being relatively movable for grasping tissue between said tissue contacting surfaces; said jaws further comprising two spaced-apart electrode surfaces adjacent said insulating tissue contacting surface, said jaws being in generally face-to-face relationship to provide a first face-to-face electrode surface pair, face-to-face insulating surfaces, and a second face-to-face electrode surface pair; said electrode surfaces being connectable to a power source for providing an electrical current between said one and said other electrode surface pairs, the electrode surfaces comprising a particular face-to-face electrode surface pair being of like polarity; and whereby, when tissue is grasped between said tissue contacting surfaces electrical current may be caused to flow between said one and other electrode surface pairs and through the tissue grasped between said insulating surfaces. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of promoting coagulation in tissue, comprising:
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providing a pair of grasping jaws, each jaw including an insulating tissue contacting surface in face-to-face relation with the tissue contacting surface of the other jaw, said jaws further comprising two spaced-apart electrode surfaces adjacent said insulating tissue contacting surface, said jaws providing first face-to-face electrode surface pair, face-to-face insulating surfaces, and a second face-to-face electrode surface pair, said electrode surfaces being connectable to a power source for providing an electrical current between said first and said second electrode surface pairs, the electrode surfaces comprising a particular electrode surface pair being of like polarity; closing said jaws on tissue to be coagulated, with said tissue contacting surfaces in contact with said tissue; connecting said electrode surfaces to a current source to create a current flow between said first and said second electrode surface pairs and through tissue located between said tissue contacting surfaces to promote coagulation of tissue grasped between said tissue contacting surfaces. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. Bipolar electrosurgical apparatus comprising a pair of jaws that are relatively movable toward and away from one another, each of said jaws including a non-conductive tissue contacting surface, said tissue contacting surfaces of said jaws being face-to-face relation with one another for contacting tissue located between said jaws as they move toward one another,
each of said jaws including: -
first and second spaced apart electrodes adjacent each of said tissue contacting surfaces for connection to different terminals of an RF generator to generate electrical current flow therebetween, said first and second electrodes of one jaw being in opposed relation, respectively, with first and second electrodes of the other jaw; and said first electrodes of each jaw being connectable to one terminal of an RF generator and said second electrodes of each jaw being connectable to another terminal of an RF generator. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A bipolar electrosurgical apparatus comprising a pair of facing jaws that are relatively movable toward and away from one another:
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each of said jaws including a generally flat stick-resistant tissue contacting surface having a length defined by proximal and distal ends and a width defined by sides, said tissue contacting surface of each of said jaws being substantially identical in shape and in opposed relation to one another for contacting tissue located between said jaws as the jaws move toward one another; first and second electrodes for connection to different terminals of an RF generator to generate electrical current flow therebetween; one of said first and second electrodes being located on one or the other of said jaws on one side of said tissue contacting surface and the other of said electrodes being located on one or the other of said jaws on the other side of said tissue contacting surface; and whereby current flowing between said electrodes flows through tissue located between said tissue contacting surfaces. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29)
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Specification