Surgical forceps including thermal spread control
First Claim
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1. A surgical instrument, comprising:
- at least one electrically-conductive plate adapted to connect to a source of energy for supplying energy to tissue to treat tissue;
a temperature sensing element; and
a thermal spread control assembly coupled to the temperature sensing element, the thermal spread control assembly configured to determine a flow rate of heat energy across the temperature sensing element and to at least one of;
control the energy applied to the at least one electrically-conductive plate and control active cooling of the temperature sensing element, in accordance with the determined flow rate of heat energy.
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Abstract
A surgical instrument includes one or more electrically-conductive plates adapted to connect to a source of energy for supplying energy to tissue to treat tissue, a temperature sensing element, and a thermal spread control assembly coupled to the temperature sensing element. The thermal spread control assembly is configured to determine a flow rate of heat energy across the temperature sensing element and to control the energy applied to the electrically-conductive plate and/or control active cooling of the temperature sensing element in accordance with the determined flow rate of heat energy.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A surgical instrument, comprising:
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at least one electrically-conductive plate adapted to connect to a source of energy for supplying energy to tissue to treat tissue; a temperature sensing element; and a thermal spread control assembly coupled to the temperature sensing element, the thermal spread control assembly configured to determine a flow rate of heat energy across the temperature sensing element and to at least one of;
control the energy applied to the at least one electrically-conductive plate and control active cooling of the temperature sensing element, in accordance with the determined flow rate of heat energy. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of treating tissue, comprising:
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applying energy to tissue; determining a flow rate of heat energy across a temperature sensing element; and controlling at least one of the energy applied to tissue and active cooling of tissue based upon the flow rate of heat energy. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification