Electrosurgical working end with replaceable cartridges

• US 7,041,102 B2
• Filed: 05/22/2003
• Issued: 05/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: SurgRx, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Shadduck, John H., Truckai, Csaba, Baker, James A., Gran, Gabor
• Primary Examiner(s): Gibson, Roy D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ROANE, AARON F
• Application Number:
  US10/443,974
• Publication Number:
  US 20030220637A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,083 Days
• Field of Search: 606 41- 52
• US Class Current: 606/51
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1442 Probes having pivoting end effectors, e.g. forceps
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00077 high, i.e. electrically conducting
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00083 low, i.e. electrically insulating
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00148 with metal
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0063 Sealing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00809 measured thermochromatically

Abstract

An electrosurgical medical device and method for creating thermal welds in engaged tissue that carries the electrosurgical components in a disposable cartridge. The instrument also can carry a blade member in a disposable cartridge, thus making the instrument system inexpensive to use. In another embodiment, the electrical leads of the cartridge have a surface coating of a thermochromic material to provide the physician with a visual indicator of operational parameters when applying energy to tissue.

Claims

1. A bipolar electrosurgical instrument, the instrument comprising:

a working end having first and second openable-closeable jaws having first and second respective tissue-engaging surfaces for engaging tissue and first and second respective support structures;

the first tissue-engaging surface comprising a portion of the first support structure and a polymeric body, the first support structure configured as a first polarity electrode and at least partially surrounding the polymeric body. the polymeric body having a transverse cross section comprising a significant fractional area of a transverse cross section of the first jaw, the polymeric body having a non-linear positively sloped temperature resistance profile in a selected tissue treatment range; and

the second tissue-engaging surface comprising a second polarity electrode.

2. The bipolar electrosurgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the second tissue-engaging surface further comprises a portion of the second support structure.

3. The bipolar electrosurgical instrument of claim 2, wherein the second tissue-engaging surface further comprises another polymeric body, the other polymeric body extending inwardly from the second tissue-engaging surface and having a transverse cross section comprising a significant fractional area of a transverse cross section of the second jaw, the other polymeric body having a non-linear positively sloped temperature resistance profile in a selected tissue treatment range.

4. The bipolar electrosurgical instrument of claim 3, wherein the second support structure at least partially surrounds the other polymeric body.

5. The bipolar electrosurgical instrument of claim 3, wherein the second support structure is configured as a first polarity electrode.

6. A bipolar electrosurgicul instrument, the instrument comprising:

a working end having first and second openable-closeable jaws comprising first and second respective tissue-engaging surfaces for engaging tissue and first and second respective support structures, the first tissue-engaging surface comprising a first polarity electrode, the second tissue-engaging surface comprising a second polarity electrode; and

a polymeric body extending inwardly from the second tissue-engaging surface and partially surrounded by the second support structure, the polymeric body having a transverse cross section comprising a significant fractional area of a transverse cross section of the second jaw, the second jaw transverse cross section comprising a support structure cross section and the polymeric body cross section, the polymeric body having a non-linear positively sloped temperature resistance profile defining a temperature treatment range for welding tissue.

7. The bipolar electrosurgical instrument of claim 6, wherein the first tissue-engaging surface further comprises a second polarity electrode.

8. The bipolar electrosurgical instrument of claim 6, further comprising:

another polymeric body extending inwardly from the first tissue-engaging surface, the another polymeric body having a transverse cross section comprising a significant fractional area of a transverse cross section of the first jaw, the first jaw transverse cross section comprising a support structure cross section and the another polymeric body cross section, the other polymeric body having a non-linear positively sloped temperature resistance profile defining a temperature treatment range for welding tissue.