Thermal cautery surgical forceps

• US 8,128,623 B2
• Filed: 10/12/2009
• Issued: 03/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Garrett D. Herzon
• Original Assignee: Garrett D. Herzon
• Inventors: Herzon, Garrett D
• Primary Examiner(s): ROANE, AARON F
• Application Number:
  US12/577,531
• Publication Number:
  US 20100030205A1
• Time in Patent Office: 876 Days
• Field of Search: 606 41- 50, 607/96, 607 98-102
• US Class Current: 606/49
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/04 by heating by applying electromagnetic radiation A61B18/18; hyperthermia using electric or magnetic fields, radiation or ultrasound A61N
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/08 by means of electrically-heated probes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/085 Forceps, scissors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/10 Power sources therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00734 battery operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00404 Blood vessels other than those in or around the heart
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00595 Cauterization

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.

Claims

1. A thermocautery surgical forceps, comprising:

a surgical forceps body including a pair of elongate tine members extending from the forceps body to respective opposed 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 tine members are disposed in an aligned, parallel, and spaced-apart relationship and a squeezed closed position wherein the tip portions of the tine members are disposed in a confronting abutting relationship;

power source leads configured to be electrically connectable to a power supply, at least one of said tip portions of the tine members comprising a heater element connected to the power source leads and said heater element having a flat, gripping and heating surface defined on an inner facing surface of said at least one of said tip portions; and

a circuit board configured to supply a high initial current to the heater element for rapid heat and to supply a reduced current to said heater element for maintenance of the heat,

the tine members being further configured to be squeezed together toward the squeezed closed position to grippingly, squeezably, engage tissue to be cauterized or a blood vessel to be sealed between the flat gripping and heating surface of said heater element and the opposed tip portion.

2. The thermocautery surgical forceps as defined in claim 1, further comprising

an indicator configured to indicate an operative state of said heater element,

wherein said circuit board is further configured to measure a battery power reserve or supply voltage and an internal resistance and a temperature of said heater element and to actuate said indicator to indicate whether the battery power reserve or supply voltage and the internal resistance and the temperature of said heater element falls within predetermined operational limits.

3. The thermocautery surgical forceps as defined in claim 1, further comprising

a switch operationally electrically connected to the heater element and the power source leads and configured to automatically turn the heater element on to heat the flat, gripping and heating surface to an elevated tissue cauterizing or blood vessel sealing temperature as the tine members are moved from the normally open position to the squeezed closed position.

4. The thermocautery surgical forceps as defined in claim 1, which is sterilized and intended for one time disposable use.

5. The thermocautery surgical forceps as defined in claim 1, further comprising a rechargeable battery connected to said power source leads.

6. The thermocautery surgical forceps as defined in claim 1, further comprising a replaceable battery connected to said power source leads.

7. The thermocautery surgical forceps as defined in claim 1, further comprising an external power supply connected to said power source leads.

8. The thermocautery surgical forceps according to claim 1, wherein said flat, gripping and heating surface comprises a non-stick heating surface.

9. The thermocautery surgical forceps as defined in claim 1, further comprising a heat-resistant holster assembly configured to receive and hold the forceps body.

10. The thermocautery surgical forceps as defined in claim 1, further comprising a battery connected to said power source leads.

11. The thermocautery surgical forceps as defined in claim 1, further comprising a 110 v AC power supply connected to said power source leads.

12. The thermocautery surgical forceps as defined in claim 1, further comprising

a battery;

and

a voltage stepper coupled to said battery and said power source leads.

13. The thermocautery surgical forceps as defined in claim 1, wherein the indicator comprises a piezoelectric speaker.

14. The thermocautery surgical forceps as defined in claim 1, wherein the circuit board is further configured to vary the initial resistance of the heater circuit to obtain heat rapidly.

15. The thermocautery surgical forceps as defined in claim 1, further comprising a neoprene spacer, wherein each of said tine members of said pair of elongate tine members are fastened to opposite sides of said neoprene spacer for a spring effect.

16. In a thermocautery device, the improvement comprising:

a pair of elongate tine members having respective opposed free end tip portions, the tine members providing resilient compressible movement of the tine members between a normally open position wherein the tine members are disposed in a spaced-apart relationship and a squeezed closed position wherein the tip portions of the tine members are disposed in a confronting abutting relationship;

power source leads configured to be electrically connectable to a power supply,

at least one of said tip portions of the tine members comprising a heater element connected to the power source leads and said heater element having a flat, gripping surface; and

a circuit board configured to supply a high initial current to the heater element for rapid heat and to supply a reduced current to said heater element for maintenance of the heat.

17. The thermocautery device of claim 16, further comprising

an indicator configured to indicate an operative state of said heater element,

wherein said circuit board is further configured to measure a battery power reserve or supply voltage and an internal resistance and a temperature of said heater element and to actuate said indicator to indicate whether the battery power reserve or supply voltage and the internal resistance and the temperature of said heater element falls within predetermined operational limits.

18. The thermocautery device of claim 16, further comprising

a switch operationally electrically connected to the heater element and the power source leads and configured to automatically turn the heater element on to heat the flat, gripping and heating surface to an elevated tissue cauterizing or blood vessel sealing temperature as at least one tine of said pair of tine members is moved from the normally open position to the squeezed closed position.

19. The thermocautery device of claim 16, wherein said flat, gripping inner face surface comprises a non-stick heating surface.