Electrosurgical instrument with minimally invasive jaws
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A surgical instrument comprising:
- a) a handle having a proximal end and a distal end;
b) a shaft having a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis, said proximal end of said shaft mounted to the distal end of said handle;
c) an exterior closing tube having a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis, said closing tube slidably mounted coaxially to said shaft;
d) a lower jaw extending distally from the distal end of the closing tube, said lower jaw having a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis, said proximal end of said lower jaw attached to said distal end of said shaft;
e) a clamping element opposing said lower jaw, said clamping element substantially proximate to said lower jaw and biased away from said lower jaw, wherein said closing tube is at least slidably disposed over said clamping element, wherein said closing tube is movable relative to said lower jaw and said clamping element between an open and a closed position to open and close the clamping element relative to the lower jaw; and
f) an actuator mounted to said handle for moving said closing tube between said open and closed positions, wherein the proximal end of said closing tube is attached to said actuator.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A surgical instrument useful in harvesting blood vessels such as veins and arteries and for manipulating and grasping tissue. The instrument has a pair of jaws and a closing tube to open and close the jaws.
515 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A surgical instrument comprising:
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a) a handle having a proximal end and a distal end;
b) a shaft having a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis, said proximal end of said shaft mounted to the distal end of said handle;
c) an exterior closing tube having a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis, said closing tube slidably mounted coaxially to said shaft;
d) a lower jaw extending distally from the distal end of the closing tube, said lower jaw having a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis, said proximal end of said lower jaw attached to said distal end of said shaft;
e) a clamping element opposing said lower jaw, said clamping element substantially proximate to said lower jaw and biased away from said lower jaw, wherein said closing tube is at least slidably disposed over said clamping element, wherein said closing tube is movable relative to said lower jaw and said clamping element between an open and a closed position to open and close the clamping element relative to the lower jaw; and
f) an actuator mounted to said handle for moving said closing tube between said open and closed positions, wherein the proximal end of said closing tube is attached to said actuator. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of grasping tissue comprising:
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I. providing an instrument comprising;
a handle having a proximal end and a distal end;
an exterior shaft having a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis, said proximal end of said shaft mounted to the distal end of said handle;
a closing tube having a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis, said closing tube slidably mounted coaxially to said shaft;
a lower jaw extending distally from the distal end of the closing tube, said lower jaw having a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis, said proximal end of said lower jaw attached to said distal end of said shaft;
a clamping element opposing said lower jaw, said clamping element substantially proximate to said lower jaw and biased away from said lower jaw, wherein said closing tube is at least slidably disposed over said clamping element, wherein said closing tube is movable relative to said lower jaw and said clamping element between an open and a closed position to open and close the clamping element relative to the lower jaw;
an actuator mounted to said handle for moving said closing tube between said open and closed positions, wherein the proximal end of said closing tube is attached to said actuator;
II. moving said closing tube to an open position;
III. positioning tissue between said clamping element and said lower jaw; and
IV. moving said closing tube to a closed position and clamping tissue in a tissue-grasping region. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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17. A surgical instrument comprising:
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a) a handle having a proximal end and a distal end;
b) a shaft having a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis, said proximal end of said shaft mounted to the distal end of said handle;
c) a closing tube having a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis, said closing tube slidably mounted coaxially to said shaft;
d) a lower jaw extending from the distal end of the closing tube, said lower jaw having a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis, said proximal end of said lower jaw attached to said distal end of said shaft;
e) a clamping element opposing said lower jaw, said clamping element substantially proximate to said lower jaw and biased away from said lower jaw, wherein said closing tube is slidably disposed over said lower jaw and said clamping element, wherein said closing tube is movable relative to said lower jaw and said clamping element between an open and a closed position;
f) an actuator mounted to said handle for moving said closing tube between said open and closed positions, wherein the proximal end of said closing tube is attached to said actuator; and
g) a cutting means for ligating and/or transecting the tissue while it is clamped between the clamping element and the lower jaw.
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18. A method of grasping tissue comprising:
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I. providing an instrument comprising;
a handle having a proximal end and a distal end;
a shaft having a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis, said proximal end of said shaft mounted to the distal end of said handle;
a closing tube having a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis, said closing tube slidably mounted coaxially to said shaft;
a lower jaw extending from the distal end of the closing tube, said lower jaw having a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis, said proximal end of said lower jaw attached to said distal end of said shaft;
a clamping element opposing said lower jaw, said clamping element substantially proximate to said lower jaw and biased away from said lower jaw, wherein said closing tube is slidably disposed over said lower jaw and said clamping element, wherein said closing tube is movable relative to said lower jaw and said clamping element between an open and a closed position;
an actuator mounted to said handle for moving said closing tube between said open and closed positions, wherein the proximal end of said closing tube is attached to said actuator;
II. moving said closing tube to an open position;
III. positioning tissue between said clamping element and said lower jaw;
IV. moving said closing tube to a closed position and clamping tissue in a tissue-grasping region; and
V. ligating and/or transecting the tissue while it is clamped between the clamping element and the lower jaw in the tissue-grasping region.
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19. A surgical instrument comprising:
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a) a handle having a proximal end and a distal end;
b) a shaft having a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis, said proximal end of said shaft mounted to the distal end of said handle;
c) a closing tube having a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis, said closing tube slidably mounted coaxially to said shaft;
d) a lower jaw extending from the distal end of the closing tube, said lower jaw having a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis, said proximal end of said lower jaw attached to said distal end of said shaft;
e) a clamping element opposing said lower jaw, said clamping element substantially proximate to said lower jaw and biased away from said lower jaw, wherein said closing tube is slidably disposed over said lower jaw and said clamping element, wherein said closing tube is movable relative to said lower jaw and said clamping element between an open and a closed position; and
f) an actuator mounted to said handle for moving said closing tube between said open and closed positions, wherein the proximal end of said closing tube is attached to said actuator;
wherein said closing tube further comprises a window near said distal end of said closing tube, said window being aligned with said longitudinal slot of said clamping element when said closing tube is in said closed position, whereby a portion of tissue clamped between said clamping element and said lower jaw is viewable through said window.
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20. A surgical instrument comprising:
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a) a handle having a proximal end and a distal end;
b) a shaft having a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis, said proximal end of said shaft mounted to the distal end of said handle;
c) a closing tube having a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis, said closing tube slidably mounted coaxially to said shaft;
d) a lower jaw extending from the distal end of the closing tube, said lower jaw having a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis, said proximal end of said lower jaw attached to said distal end of said shaft;
e) a clamping element opposing said lower jaw, said clamping element substantially proximate to said lower jaw and biased away from said lower jaw, wherein said closing tube is slidably disposed over said lower jaw and said clamping element, wherein said closing tube is movable relative to said lower jaw and said clamping element between an open and a closed position; and
f) an actuator mounted to said handle for moving said closing tube between said open and closed positions, wherein the proximal end of said closing tube is attached to said actuator;
wherein said clamping element has an unconstrained configuration in said open position for capturing tissue and a clip tip on a distal end of the clamping element curls away from the lower jaw and projects slightly upward to aid the operator in sliding the clamping element over tissue.
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Specification