Thermal cautery surgical forceps
First Claim
1. A method for sealing and dividing blood vessels or thermocauterizing tissue with surgical forceps that include a forceps body and a pair of elongate tine members mounted to and extending from the forceps body to respective opposed free end tip portions spaced from the forceps body, the method comprising:
- electrically connecting power source leads 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;
moving the tine members in a resilient compressible manner between a normally open position wherein the tine members are disposed in an aligned and spaced-apart relationship and a squeezed closed position wherein the tip portions of the tine members are disposed in a confronting abutting relationship;
activating the heater elements to heat the flat gripping and heating surfaces thereof to a tissue cauterizing or blood vessel sealing temperature;
supplying a high initial current to the heater element for rapid heat and then supplying a reduced current to said heater element for maintenance of the heat; and
squeezing together the tine members 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.
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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. The forceps instrument can incorporate a battery and control electronics. The thermal-forceps is of a self-contained wireless, handheld disposable design. The forceps handpiece can be connected to an external power source. The forceps can incorporate a 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. The forceps can include a rechargeable power supply, variable control of the heater temperature, as well as a, digital display of the tip temperature.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. A method for sealing and dividing blood vessels or thermocauterizing tissue with surgical forceps that include a forceps body and a pair of elongate tine members mounted to and extending from the forceps body to respective opposed free end tip portions spaced from the forceps body, the method comprising:
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electrically connecting power source leads 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; moving the tine members in a resilient compressible manner between a normally open position wherein the tine members are disposed in an aligned and spaced-apart relationship and a squeezed closed position wherein the tip portions of the tine members are disposed in a confronting abutting relationship; activating the heater elements to heat the flat gripping and heating surfaces thereof to a tissue cauterizing or blood vessel sealing temperature; supplying a high initial current to the heater element for rapid heat and then supplying a reduced current to said heater element for maintenance of the heat; and squeezing together the tine members 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. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification