Electrosurgical tissue sealer and cutter
First Claim
1. A surgical instrument, comprising:
- an end effector including a pair of jaw members having opposing tissue clamping surfaces, at least one of the jaw members configured to move with respect to the other jaw member from an open configuration for receiving tissue and a closed configuration for clamping tissue between the opposing tissue clamping surfaces, at least one jaw member including an elongated cam slot defined therein and extending longitudinally therealong over a substantial length of the tissue clamping surfaces;
a plurality of electrically isolated and independently activatable electrodes supported by at least one of the tissue clamping surfaces of one of the jaw members, each of the plurality of electrically insulated electrodes longitudinally spaced along at least one respective tissue clamping surface and configured to selectively deliver electrosurgical energy to tissue;
a reciprocating member selectively extendable through the elongated cam slot to a distal end thereof to cam the jaw members to the closed configuration, each of the plurality of electrodes activatable at a longitudinal sealing position as the reciprocating member extends through the elongated cam slot; and
an interruption mechanism configured to interrupt advancement of the reciprocating member at sequential longitudinal sealing positions along the elongated cam slot to allow selective application of electrosurgical energy.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A surgical instrument comprises an end effector including a pair of jaw members configured to move with respect to one another between an open configuration and a closed configuration for clamping tissue. At least one jaw member includes an elongate cam slot extending in a longitudinal direction over a substantial a length a tissue clamping surface of the at least one jaw member. A plurality of electrically isolated, and longitudinally spaced electrodes is supported by the tissue clamping surface and is configured to deliver electrosurgical energy to tissue. A reciprocating member engages the elongate cam slot and is extendable to a sealing position with respect to each of the electrodes to define a predetermined gap distance between a particular electrode and an opposing tissue clamping surface.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A surgical instrument, comprising:
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an end effector including a pair of jaw members having opposing tissue clamping surfaces, at least one of the jaw members configured to move with respect to the other jaw member from an open configuration for receiving tissue and a closed configuration for clamping tissue between the opposing tissue clamping surfaces, at least one jaw member including an elongated cam slot defined therein and extending longitudinally therealong over a substantial length of the tissue clamping surfaces; a plurality of electrically isolated and independently activatable electrodes supported by at least one of the tissue clamping surfaces of one of the jaw members, each of the plurality of electrically insulated electrodes longitudinally spaced along at least one respective tissue clamping surface and configured to selectively deliver electrosurgical energy to tissue; a reciprocating member selectively extendable through the elongated cam slot to a distal end thereof to cam the jaw members to the closed configuration, each of the plurality of electrodes activatable at a longitudinal sealing position as the reciprocating member extends through the elongated cam slot; and an interruption mechanism configured to interrupt advancement of the reciprocating member at sequential longitudinal sealing positions along the elongated cam slot to allow selective application of electrosurgical energy. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for electrosurgically treating tissue, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing an instrument including a plurality of electrically isolated and independently activatable electrodes spaced longitudinally along at least one of a pair of opposing tissue clamping surfaces of a pair of jaw members having an elongated cam slot defined therein, the instrument also including a reciprocating member selectively extendable through the elongated cam slot to a distal end thereof to cam the jaw members to a closed configuration, each of the plurality of electrically isolated electrodes activatable at a longitudinal sealing position as the reciprocating member extends through the elongated cam slot; positioning tissue between the opposing tissue clamping surfaces such that at least a first pair of electrically isolated electrodes of the plurality of electrically isolated electrodes contacts the tissue; advancing the reciprocating member through the elongated cam slot to clamp proximate the pair of electrically isolated electrodes; selectively activating the pair of electrically isolated electrodes to treat tissue and create a tissue seal; and advancing the reciprocating member to the next pair of electrically isolated electrodes. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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Specification