Thermal cautery surgical forceps
First Claim
1. A thermocautery surgical forceps comprising:
- a surgical forceps body including a pair of elongate tine members extending from the forceps body to respective free end tip portions spaced from the forceps body, the tine members being mounted to the forceps body in a manner providing resilient compressible movement of the tine members between a normally open position wherein the tines are disposed in aligned, parallel, spaced-apart relationship and a squeezed closed position wherein the tip portions of the tine members are disposed in confronting abutting relationship;
said tip portions of the tine members comprising respective ceramic heater elements having opposed flat gripping and heating surfaces defined on inner facing surfaces of resdective portions, the heater elements connected to power source leads; and
the tine members capable of being squeezed together toward their squeezed closed position to grippingly, squeezably engage tissue to be cauterized between the flat gripping and heating surfaces of said ceramic heater elements with the flat gripping and heating surfaces applying substantially uniform pressure and heat to the tissue gripped between the flat gripping and heating surfaces.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A portable, thermal cauterizing forceps device for use in surgery. The device incorporates a pair of ceramic heater elements mounted within the tips of the tines of a forceps. The forceps is used to grasp tissue or blood vessels and apply heat to effect cauterization. In the case of the first embodiment of the invention, the forceps instrument incorporates a battery and control electronics. The thermal-forceps is of a self-contained wireless, handheld disposable design. In a second embodiment of the invention, the forceps handpiece is connected to an external power source. Both embodiments of the forceps incorporate set of rapidly heating ceramic heater elements that may be composed of silicon nitride. An LED provides the operator feedback as to the operating level of the heaters and/or battery reserve. Enhancements to the second embodiment include a rechargeable power supply, variable control of the heater temperature, as well as a, digital display of the tip temperature.
293 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A thermocautery surgical forceps comprising:
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a surgical forceps body including a pair of elongate tine members extending from the forceps body to respective free end tip portions spaced from the forceps body, the tine members being mounted to the forceps body in a manner providing resilient compressible movement of the tine members between a normally open position wherein the tines are disposed in aligned, parallel, spaced-apart relationship and a squeezed closed position wherein the tip portions of the tine members are disposed in confronting abutting relationship;
said tip portions of the tine members comprising respective ceramic heater elements having opposed flat gripping and heating surfaces defined on inner facing surfaces of resdective portions, the heater elements connected to power source leads; and
the tine members capable of being squeezed together toward their squeezed closed position to grippingly, squeezably engage tissue to be cauterized between the flat gripping and heating surfaces of said ceramic heater elements with the flat gripping and heating surfaces applying substantially uniform pressure and heat to the tissue gripped between the flat gripping and heating surfaces. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method for thermocauterizing tissue, comprising the steps of:
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squeezably grippingly engaging tissue to be cauterized between tip portions of a thermocautery surgical forceps including a pair of spaced and opposed tine members each having tip portions, each tip portion including a ceramic heater element with a flat gripping and heating surface; and
activating the ceramic heater elements to heat the flat gripping and heating surfaces thereof to tissue cauterizing temperature and thereby applying substantially uniform pressure and heat to a tissue gripped between the gripping and heating surfaces. - View Dependent Claims (8)
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9. A thermocautery forceps kit comprising:
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a surgical forceps body including a pair of elongate tine members extending from the forceps body to respective free end tip portions spaced from the forceps body, the tine members being mounted to the forceps body in a manner providing resilient compressible movement of the tine members between a normally open position wherein the tines are disposed in aligned, parallel, spaced-apart relationship and a squeezed closed position wherein the tip portions of the tine members are disposed in confronting abutting relationship;
said tip portions of the tine members comprising respective ceramic heater elements having opposed flat gripping and heating surfaces defined on inner facing surfaces of respective tip portions, the heater elements connected to power source leads;
the tine members capable of being squeezed together toward their squeezed closed position to grippingly, squeezably engage tissue to be cauterized between the flat gripping and heating surfaces of said ceramic heater elements with the flat gripping and heating surfaces applying substantially uniform pressure and heat to the tissue gripped between the flat gripping and heating surfaces; and
the thermocautery forceps kit further comprising a heat-resistant holster assembly for holding the forceps body. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A thermocautery surgical forceps comprising:
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a surgical forceps body including a pair of elongate tine members extending from the forceps body to respective free end tip portions spaced from the forceps body, the tine members being mounted to the forceps body in a manner providing resilient compressible movement of the tine members between a normally open position wherein the tines are disposed in aligned, parallel, spaced-apart relationship and a squeezed closed position wherein the tip portions of the tine members are disposed in confronting abutting relationship;
said tip portions of the tine members comprising respective ceramic heater elements having opposed flat gripping and heating surfaces applying substantially uniform pressure and heat to the tissue gripped between the flat gripping and heating surfaces; and
the forceps connected to power source leads. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification