Ultrasonic surgical instruments
First Claim
1. A surgical instrument, comprising:
- a handpiece housing;
an acoustic assembly supported within said handpiece housing, wherein said acoustic assembly is configured to produce vibrations;
a waveguide comprising a proximal end and a distal end, wherein said proximal end is mounted to said acoustic assembly such that vibrations produced by said acoustic assembly are transmitted to said waveguide, wherein said distal end comprises a blade, and wherein said blade comprises a widest portion and a first width defined across said widest portion;
a clamp movable between an open position and a closed position relative to said waveguide, wherein said clamp comprises;
a distal end; and
an electrode comprising;
a body portion;
a first sidewall projecting from said body portion; and
a second sidewall projecting from said body portion, wherein said body portion extends between said first and second sidewalls to said distal end of said clamp, and wherein said body portion comprises a second width between said first sidewall and said second sidewall, and wherein said second width is greater than said first width;
a first conductor in electrical communication with said waveguide; and
a second conductor in electrical communication with said electrode of said clamp, wherein said first conductor and said second conductor are configured to be placed in electrical communication with a power source such that current can flow between said waveguide and said electrode of said clamp through tissue in contact with said waveguide and said electrode of said clamp.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In one general aspect, various embodiments are directed to a surgical instrument that can supply mechanical energy and electrical energy to an end effector of the surgical instrument. The surgical instrument may be operated in a first operating mode in which a transducer of the surgical instrument produces mechanical energy, or vibrations, that are transmitted to the end effector and a second operating mode in which electrical energy, or current, can flow through the end effector to perform electrosurgery. In another general aspect, the surgical instrument may comprise a clamp, or jaw, which can be moved into a closed position to hold tissue against a waveguide, or blade, of the end effector. In the second operating mode of the surgical instrument, current can flow from a power source, through the waveguide, and return to the power source through a path comprising the jaw.
1126 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A surgical instrument, comprising:
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a handpiece housing; an acoustic assembly supported within said handpiece housing, wherein said acoustic assembly is configured to produce vibrations; a waveguide comprising a proximal end and a distal end, wherein said proximal end is mounted to said acoustic assembly such that vibrations produced by said acoustic assembly are transmitted to said waveguide, wherein said distal end comprises a blade, and wherein said blade comprises a widest portion and a first width defined across said widest portion; a clamp movable between an open position and a closed position relative to said waveguide, wherein said clamp comprises; a distal end; and an electrode comprising; a body portion; a first sidewall projecting from said body portion; and a second sidewall projecting from said body portion, wherein said body portion extends between said first and second sidewalls to said distal end of said clamp, and wherein said body portion comprises a second width between said first sidewall and said second sidewall, and wherein said second width is greater than said first width; a first conductor in electrical communication with said waveguide; and a second conductor in electrical communication with said electrode of said clamp, wherein said first conductor and said second conductor are configured to be placed in electrical communication with a power source such that current can flow between said waveguide and said electrode of said clamp through tissue in contact with said waveguide and said electrode of said clamp. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A surgical instrument, comprising:
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a handpiece housing; an acoustic assembly supported within said handpiece housing, wherein said acoustic assembly is configured to produce vibrations; a waveguide comprising a proximal end and a distal end, wherein said proximal end is mounted to said acoustic assembly such that vibrations produced by said acoustic assembly are transmitted to said waveguide, wherein said waveguide further comprises a waveguide tissue-contacting surface, wherein said distal end comprises a blade, and wherein said blade comprises a widest portion and a first width measured across said widest portion; and a clamp movable between an open position and a closed position relative to said waveguide, wherein said clamp comprises; a distal end; a clamp tissue-contacting surface, wherein said clamp tissue-contacting surface is positioned at least one of against or adjacent to said waveguide tissue-contacting surface when said clamp is in said closed position; and an electrode, wherein said electrode comprises; a first sidewall extending beyond said clamp tissue-contacting surface, wherein said first sidewall also extends beyond said waveguide tissue-contacting surface when said clamp is in said closed position; a second sidewall extending beyond said clamp tissue-contacting surface, wherein said second sidewall also extends beyond said waveguide tissue-contacting surface when said clamp is in said closed position; and a body portion extending between said first and second sidewalls to said distal end of said clamp, wherein said body portion comprises a second width measured between said first sidewall and said second sidewall, and wherein said second width is greater than said first width. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification