Electrosurgical instrument with closing tube for conducting RF energy and moving jaws
First Claim
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1. A bipolar electrosurgical instrument comprising:
- a handle, said handle having a proximal end, a distal end, a top surface and an interior cavity;
a first conductor and a second conductor mounted to said handle;
a shaft having a distal end, a proximal end, a longitudinal axis extending therebetween, said proximal end of said shaft mounted to said handle;
a closing tube slidably mounted to said shaft, said closing tube having a proximal end, a distal end, a longitudinal axis, and a lumen therethrough;
a pair of opposed arms extending distally from the distal end of said closing tube, said arms spaced laterally apart;
a first electrode surface on one of said arms, said electrode surface in electrical contact with said first conductor, said electrode surface having a first polarity;
a first or lower jaw member mounted in the distal end of said closing tube, said first or lower jaw having a proximal end and a distal end an outer surface and an inner surface, said proximal end of said first or lower jaw mounted to the distal end of the shaft;
an opposed second or upper jaw member mounted in the distal end of the closing tube, said second or upper jaw having a proximal end and a distal end, an outer surface and an inner surface, said second or upper jaw moveable relative to said lower jaw from a closed position to an open position;
an elongated member slidably mounted in said shaft, said member having a proximal end and a distal end, said proximal end movable in said jaws mounted in one of said upper and lower arms, said elongated element having a second electrode surface positioned substantially parallel to and laterally offset from said first electrode surface, said second electrode electrically connected to said second conductor and having a second electrical polarity that is opposite of said first electrical polarity, so that bipolar electrosurgical energy may be conducted through tissue located between said first electrode surface and said second electrode surface;
a first actuator mounted in the handle, said first actuator connected to the proximal end of the closing tube, wherein movement of the first actuator causes the sliding tube to move longitudinally; and
, a second actuator mounted in the handle, the second actuator connected to the proximal end of the elongated member, wherein movement of the second actuator causes the elongated member to move longitudinally.
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Abstract
A bipolar electrosurgical instrument useful in harvesting blood vessels such as veins and arteries. The instrument has a pair of jaws and a central cutting element displaceable distally and proximally to dissect tissue contained between the jaws. The instrument has offset electodes.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A bipolar electrosurgical instrument comprising:
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a handle, said handle having a proximal end, a distal end, a top surface and an interior cavity;
a first conductor and a second conductor mounted to said handle;
a shaft having a distal end, a proximal end, a longitudinal axis extending therebetween, said proximal end of said shaft mounted to said handle;
a closing tube slidably mounted to said shaft, said closing tube having a proximal end, a distal end, a longitudinal axis, and a lumen therethrough;
a pair of opposed arms extending distally from the distal end of said closing tube, said arms spaced laterally apart;
a first electrode surface on one of said arms, said electrode surface in electrical contact with said first conductor, said electrode surface having a first polarity;
a first or lower jaw member mounted in the distal end of said closing tube, said first or lower jaw having a proximal end and a distal end an outer surface and an inner surface, said proximal end of said first or lower jaw mounted to the distal end of the shaft;
an opposed second or upper jaw member mounted in the distal end of the closing tube, said second or upper jaw having a proximal end and a distal end, an outer surface and an inner surface, said second or upper jaw moveable relative to said lower jaw from a closed position to an open position;
an elongated member slidably mounted in said shaft, said member having a proximal end and a distal end, said proximal end movable in said jaws mounted in one of said upper and lower arms, said elongated element having a second electrode surface positioned substantially parallel to and laterally offset from said first electrode surface, said second electrode electrically connected to said second conductor and having a second electrical polarity that is opposite of said first electrical polarity, so that bipolar electrosurgical energy may be conducted through tissue located between said first electrode surface and said second electrode surface;
a first actuator mounted in the handle, said first actuator connected to the proximal end of the closing tube, wherein movement of the first actuator causes the sliding tube to move longitudinally; and
,a second actuator mounted in the handle, the second actuator connected to the proximal end of the elongated member, wherein movement of the second actuator causes the elongated member to move longitudinally. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. The combination of an electrosurgical generator and a bipolar electrosurgical instrument, said combination comprising:
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I. A bipolar electrosurgical instrument, said instrument comprising;
a handle, said handle having a proximal end, a distal end, a top surface and an interior cavity;
a first conductor and a second conductor mounted to said handle;
a shaft having a distal end, a proximal end, a longitudinal axis extending therebetween, said proximal end of said shaft mounted to said handle;
a closing tube slidably mounted to said shaft, said closing tube comprising a proximal end, a distal end, a longitudinal axis, and a lumen therethrough;
a pair of opposed arms extending distally from the distal end of said closing tube, said arms spaced laterally apart;
a first electrode surface on one of said arms, said electrode surface in electrical contact with the first conductor, said electrode surface having a first polarity;
a first or lower jaw member mounted in the distal end of said closing tube, said first or lower jaw having a proximal end and a distal end an outer surface and an inner surface, said proximal end of said first or lower jaw mounted to the distal end of the shaft;
an opposing second or upper jaw member mounted in the distal end of the closing tube, said second or upper jaw having proximal end and a distal end, an outer surface and an inner surface, said second or upper jaw moveable relative to said lower jaw from a closed position to an open position;
an elongated member slidably mounted in said shaft, said member having a proximal end and a distal end, said proximal end movable in said jaw members and electrically isolated from said closing tube, said elongated member having a second electrode surface positioned substantially parallel to and laterally offset from said first electrode surface, said second electrode surface electrically connected to said second conductor and having a second electrical polarity that is opposite of said first electrical polarity, so that bipolar electrosurgical energy may be conducted through tissue located between said first electrode surface and said second electrode surface;
a first actuator mounted in the handle, said first actuator connected to the proximal end of the closing tube, wherein movement of the first actuator causes the sliding tube to move longitudinally; and
,a second actuator mounted in the handle, the second actuator connected to the proximal end of the elongated member, wherein movement of the second actuator causes the elongated member to move longitudinally; and
,II. a bipolar surgical generator, said generator comprising a first output having a first polarity and a second output having a second polarity, wherein said first and second conductors are electrically connected to said first and second outputs.
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18. A method of coagulating tissue, said method comprising the steps of:
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providing a bipolar electrosurgical surgical instrument, said bipolar electrosurgical instrument comprising;
a handle, said handle having a proximal end, a distal end, a top surface and an interior cavity;
a first conductor and a second conductor mounted to said handle;
a shaft having a distal end, a proximal end, a longitudinal axis extending therebetween, said proximal end of said shaft mounted to said handle;
a closing tube slidably mounted to said shaft, said closing tube having a proximal end, a distal end, a longitudinal axis, and a lumen therethrough;
a pair of opposed arms extending distally from the distal end of said closing tube, said arms spaced laterally apart;
a first electrode surface on one of said arms, said electrode surface in electrical contact with said first conductor, said electrode surface having a first polarity;
a first or lower jaw mounted to the distal end of said closing tube, said first or lower jaw having a proximal end and a distal end an outer surface and an inner surface, said proximal end of said first or lower jaw mounted to the distal end of the shaft;
an opposed second or upper jaw member mounted in the distal end of the closing tube, said second or upper jaw having a proximal end and a distal end, an outer surface and an inner surface, said second or upper jaw moveable relative to said lower jaw from a closed position to an open position;
an elongated member slidably mounted in said shaft, said member having a proximal end and a distal end, said proximal end movable in said jaws mounted in one of said upper and lower arms, said longitudinal element having a second electrode surface positioned substantially parallel to and laterally offset from said first electrode surface, said second electrode electrically connected to said second conductor and having a second electrical polarity that is opposite of said first electrical polarity, so that bipolar electrosurgical energy may be conducted through tissue located between said first electrode surface and said second electrode surface;
a first actuator mounted in the handle, said first actuator connected to the proximal end of the closing tube, wherein movement of the first actuator causes the sliding tube to move longitudinally; and
,a second actuator mounted in the handle, the second actuator connected to the proximal end of the elongated member, wherein movement of the second actuator causes the elongated member to move longitudinally, electrically connecting said first and second conductors to a bipolar surgical generator;
engaging tissue between said jaw members such that said tissue is between the inner surfaces of said first and second jaw members;
closing said jaw members about said tissue such that said tissue is engaged by the inner surfaces of said jaw members; and
,causing a sufficient amount of electrically energy from said generator to move across the tissue between the first and second electrode surfaces effective to coagulate the tissue. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification