Curved clamp arm for use with ultrasonic surgical instruments

• US 9,439,670 B2
• Filed: 03/17/2014
• Issued: 09/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Witt, David A., Baxter, Chester O. III
• Primary Examiner(s): Woo, Julian W
• Application Number:
  US14/215,661
• Publication Number:
  US 20140200601A1
• Time in Patent Office: 911 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/320092 with additional movable means for clamping or cutting tissue, e.g. with a pivoting jaw
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2829 with a removable cover
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320093 additional movable means performing cutting operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320094 additional movable means performing clamping operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320095 with sealing or cauterizing means

Abstract

The present invention relates to ultrasonic surgical clamping instruments and, more particularly, to a curved clamp arm for use with ultrasonic surgical instruments that have an ultrasonically actuated blade that, in one case, is ultrasonically actuated to have motion in substantially a single plane. The curved clamp arm opens and closes with respect to the blade and also has a plane of curvature that is parallel to the plane of motion of the blade when the clamp arm is in the closed position, and not parallel to the plane of motion of the blade when the clamp arm is in the open position.

Claims

1. A curved clamp arm configured for use with an ultrasonic surgical instrument that comprises an ultrasonic transmission member having a proximal end and a distal end and an ultrasonically actuated blade attached to the distal end of the transmission member, wherein the blade comprises an ultrasonically actuated motion in a first plane, and the curved clamp arm has an open position in which at least a portion of the curved clamp arm is spaced from the blade and a closed position in which the curved clamp arm is adjacent to the blade, the curved clamp arm comprising:

a) a plane of curvature substantially parallel to the first plane of motion of the blade when the curved clamp arm is in the closed position, and wherein the plane of curvature is not parallel to the first plane of motion of the blade when the curved clamp arm is in the open position,

wherein the motion of the curved clamp arm from the open position to the closed position occurs in a plane substantially perpendicular to the first plane of motion of the blade.

2. The curved clamp arm of claim 1 further comprising a tissue pad having a tissue engaging surface and a curved clamp arm engaging surface, and the curved clamp arm having means for engaging the curved clamp arm engaging surface.

3. A curved clamp arm configured for use with an ultrasonic surgical instrument that comprises an ultrasonic transmission member having a proximal end and a distal end and an ultrasonically actuated blade attached to the distal end of the transmission member, wherein the blade comprises a curved treatment portion defining a plane of asymmetry and having an ultrasonically actuated motion in a first plane substantially perpendicular to the plane of asymmetry, and the curved clamp arm has an open position in which at least a portion of the curved clamp arm is spaced from the blade and a closed position in which the curved clamp arm is adjacent to the blade, the curved clamp arm comprising:

a) a plane of curvature substantially perpendicular to the plane of asymmetry of the curved treatment portion when the curved clamp arm is in the closed position, and wherein the plane of curvature is substantially perpendicular to the plane of asymmetry of the curved treatment portion when the curved clamp arm is in the open position,

wherein the motion of the clamp arm from the open position to the closed position occurs in a plane substantially perpendicular to the first plane of motion of the blade.

4. The curved clamp arm of claim 3 further comprising a tissue pad having a tissue engaging surface and a curved clamp arm engaging surface, and the curved clamp arm having means for engaging the curved clamp arm engaging surface.

5. A curved clamp arm configured for use with an ultrasonic surgical instrument that comprises an ultrasonic transmission member having a proximal end and a distal end and an ultrasonically actuated blade attached to the distal end of the transmission member, wherein the blade comprises a curved treatment portion defining a plane of asymmetry and having an ultrasonically actuated motion in substantially a single plane substantially perpendicular to the plane of asymmetry, and the curved clamp arm has an open position in which at least a portion of the curved clamp arm is spaced from the blade and a closed position in which the curved clamp arm is adjacent to the blade, the curved clamp arm comprising:

a) a plane of curvature substantially perpendicular to the plane of asymmetry of the curved treatment portion and substantially parallel to the single plane of motion of the blade when the curved clamp arm is in the closed position, and wherein the plane of curvature is perpendicular to the plane of asymmetry of the curved treatment portion and not parallel to the single plane of motion of the blade when the curved clamp arm is in the open position,

wherein the motion of the curved clamp arm from the open position to the closed position occurs in a plane substantially perpendicular to the single plane of motion of the blade.

6. The curved clamp arm of claim 5 further comprising a tissue pad having a tissue engaging surface and a curved clamp arm engaging surface, and the curved clamp arm having means for engaging the curved clamp arm engaging surface.

7. A curved clamp arm configured for use with an ultrasonic surgical instrument that comprises an ultrasonic transmission member having a proximal end and a distal end and defines a longitudinal axis and an ultrasonically actuated blade attached to the distal end of the transmission member, wherein the blade comprises a treatment portion that curves away from the longitudinal axis, defines a plane of blade curvature and has an ultrasonically actuated motion in a first plane, and the curved clamp arm has an open position in which at least a portion of the curved clamp arm is spaced from the blade and a closed position in which the curved clamp arm is adjacent to the blade, the curved clamp arm comprising:

a) a plane of curvature substantially parallel to the plane of blade curvature of the curved treatment portion when the curved clamp arm is in the closed position, and wherein the plane of curvature is not parallel to the plane of blade curvature when the curved clamp arm is in the open position,

wherein the motion of the curved clamp arm from the open position to the closed position occurs in a plane substantially perpendicular to the first plane of motion of the blade.

8. The curved clamp arm of claim 7 further comprising a tissue pad having a tissue engaging surface and a curved clamp arm engaging surface, and the curved clamp arm having means for engaging the curved clamp arm engaging surface.