Abstract: A surgical instrument has an end effector mounted on the end of an elongate shaft extending from a handle. The end-effector grasps, cuts, and seals and/or coagulates tissue, and one of the operations is controlled by a trigger mechanism. The trigger mechanism has an actuator, drive shaft and flanged component for transferring movement of the actuator to the drive shaft whose movement controls the end effector. The actuator has a collar portion arranged to receive and retain the component. The component is free to rotate within the collar and has a keyhole-shaped arrangement, with a wider upper portion, and narrower lower portion to provide a sliding fit to the component main body. The component can be inserted into the wider upper portion, and then the main body of the component lowered into the narrower lower portion, with the flange of the component helping the component to be retained therein axially.

Abstract: A surgical instrument having an end effector mounted on the end of an elongate shaft extending from a handle. The end-effector is capable of different operations, including grasping, cutting, and sealing and/or coagulating tissue, and one of the operations is controlled by a trigger mechanism contained within the handle. In some embodiments, the end effector includes a blade assembly, the trigger mechanism being arranged to drive the blade assembly longitudinally within the elongate shaft. Specifically, the trigger mechanism is formed of a three pivot slider-crank mechanism, wherein one of the pivot points includes a component to which the proximal end of the blade assembly is connected. In this respect, the proximal end of the blade assembly has a distinctive profile corresponding to the internal profile of the component such that the blade can be easily connected to the component without the need for any further features and subsequently retained therein.

Abstract: A bipolar surgical instrument comprises a body, first and second opposed jaws located at the distal end of a shaft, the first jaw being movable with respect to the second jaw between an open position in which the first and second jaws are spaced apart from one another, and a closed position in which the first and second jaws are adjacent one another. The first and second elongate jaw members have respective first and second electrodes. A controller is operable to detect a short circuit between the first and second electrodes when in use.

Abstract: A bipolar surgical instrument comprises a body, first and second opposed jaws located at the distal end of a shaft, the first jaw being movable with respect to the second jaw between an open position in which the first and second jaws are spaced apart from one another, and a closed position in which the first and second jaws are adjacent one another. The first and second elongate jaw members have respective first and second electrodes. A controller is operable to determine a starting voltage for application to the jaws.

Abstract: A bipolar surgical instrument (1) comprises a body (2), first and second opposed jaws (18, 20) located at the distal end of a shaft (10), the first jaw (18) being movable with respect to the second jaw (20) between an open position in which the first and second jaws (18, 20) are spaced apart from one another, and a closed position in which the first and second jaws (18, 20) are adjacent one another. The first and second elongate jaw members (18, 20) have respective first and second electrodes. A controller is operable to determine a mode of operation depending upon a measurement of impedance between the first and second jaws.

Abstract: A bipolar surgical instrument comprises a body, first and second opposed jaws located at the distal end of a shaft, the first jaw being movable with respect to the second jaw between an open position in which the first and second jaws are spaced apart from one another, and a closed position in which the first and second jaws are adjacent one another. The first and second elongate jaw members have respective first and second electrodes. A controller is operable to determine a boiling point for tissue between the jaws using a measure of impedance therebetween.

Abstract: A bipolar surgical instrument comprises a body first and second opposed jaws located at the distal end of a shaft, the first jaw being movable with respect to the second jaw between an open position in which the first and second jaws are spaced apart from one another, and a closed position in which the first and second jaws are adjacent one another. The first and second elongate jaw members have respective first and second electrodes. A controller is operable to determine a boiling point for tissue between the jaws using a measure of impedance therebetween.

Abstract: A surgical tissue bag (7) for use in the removal of tissue from a surgical site comprises an elongate handle (8) having a proximal portion (15) and a distal portion (14), and a pouch (9) disposed at the end of the handle. The pouch (9) comprises a flexible ring (10) and a bag portion (11) depending from the ring and forming an enclosure to contain tissue and other fluid material. The handle (8) includes an offset portion (13) such that the distal portion (14) is offset from the proximal portion (15) by a discrete amount. The proximal portion of the handle forms a longitudinal axis, and the ring (10) forms a plane at an angle to the longitudinal axis. The bag portion (11) is shaped such that it defines a bag longitudinal axis, the bag longitudinal axis being non-orthogonal to the plane of the ring (10).

Abstract: An end effector for an electrosurgical instrument includes a pair of opposing first and second jaw members (2), (3), movable between an open position in which the jaw members are disposed in a spaced relation relative to one another, and a closed position in which the jaw members cooperate to grasp tissue therebetween. One or more spring members (15), (16), (17), (18), (19) are connected between the first and second jaw members (2), (3), such that moving the jaw members from their open position to their closed position causes the one or more spring members to compress. The one or more spring members have a fully compressed condition such that when in their fully compressed condition they form stop members to maintain the first and second jaw members (2), (3), at a predetermined spacing one from the other when in their closed position.

Abstract: An end effector for an electrosurgical instrument includes a pair of opposing first and second jaw members (2), (3), movable between an open position in which the jaw members are disposed in a spaced relation relative to one another, and a closed position in which sealing surfaces of the jaw members cooperate to grasp tissue therebetween. A first sealing electrode (9) is located on the first jaw member (2), while a second sealing electrode (10) is located on the second jaw member (3). One or both of the sealing surfaces are provided with electrically conductive stop members (12), the one or more stop members maintaining a predetermined spacing between the first and second sealing electrodes when the jaw members are in their closed position. One or more insulating members (14), (17), (19) are present to prevent the conductive stop members from causing an electrical short between the first and second sealing electrodes when the jaw members are in their closed position.

Abstract: An electrosurgical instrument is provided for the treatment of tissue, the instrument (3) comprising an instrument shaft (14) having a longitudinal axis, a suction lumen (16) extending at least partially along the instrument shaft, and a chisel electrode (21) at the distal end of the shaft. The chisel electrode (21) includes a body portion (22) at a first angle with respect to the longitudinal axis, and a hook portion (23) extending from the body portion at a second angle to the longitudinal axis. The chisel electrode (21) also includes a plurality of apertures (35, 36, 37, 38, 40) providing a suction lumen through the electrode, there being at least one aperture (35, 36, 37, 38, 42) in the body portion (22), and at least one aperture (40, 45) in the hook portion (23).

Abstract: A surgical shaving instrument (1) comprises a main body (2), a hollow elongate shaft (4) extending from the main body (2). The elongate shaft (4) defines an elongate inner open volume through the shaft. A tip portion (18) extends from the distal end region of the elongate shaft (4). A driveshaft extends through the elongate shaft (4) from the main body (2) to the distal end region of the elongate shaft (4). A cutter head (12) is attached to the driveshaft and located in the tip portion (10), the cutter head (12) extends at least partially out of the tip portion (18). The tip portion (18) is of an electrically insulating ceramic material, and has an outer surface. An electrically conductive electrode is located on at least part of that outer surface.

Abstract: A surgical shaving instrument (1) comprises a main body (2), a hollow elongate shaft (4) extending from the main body (2). The elongate shaft (4) defines an elongate inner open volume through the shaft. A tip portion (18) extends from the distal end region of the elongate shaft (4). A driveshaft extends through the elongate shaft (4) from the main body (2) to the distal end region of the elongate shaft (4). A cutter head (12) is attached to the driveshaft and located in the tip portion (10), the cutter head (12) extends at least partially out of the tip portion (18). The aperture of the tip portion (18) is defined by an inner edge, and a portion of the inner edge defines a fixed shaver blade (40) for the instrument, the fixed shaver blade (40) having a cutting angle which is substantially constant along the inner edge.

Abstract: A method of operating an electrosurgical apparatus for coagulating tissue comprises inserting the electrosurgical instrument (1) into an endoscope (7), and activating a source to supply ionisable gas to the electrosurgical instrument (1) at a flow rate of less than a predetermined threshold flow rate while the electrosurgical instrument is being inserted into the endoscope (7). Once the electrosurgical instrument has been fully inserted into the endoscope (7), the source is activated to supply ionisable gas to the electrosurgical instrument at a flow rate of greater than the predetermined threshold flow rate. Finally, high frequency energy is supplied from an electrosurgical generator (5) to the electrosurgical instrument (1), in order to ionise the ionisable gas flowing to the electrosurgical instrument.

Abstract: A surgical device comprises an elongate shaft (12) which extends from a proximal end region to a distal end region thereof, the shaft (12) defining a first lumen (14) for receiving an elongate camera device therein, a second lumen (16) for receiving a tissue manipulation device therein, and a third lumen (18) for receiving a tissue retrieval device therein, the first, second and third lumens (14, 16, 18) extending from the proximal end region to the distal end region of the elongate shaft, and having respective open ends at the distal end region of the elongate shaft. The surgical device further comprises an elongate camera device which extends along the first lumen, a tissue manipulation device which extends along the second lumen, and a tissue retrieval device which extends along the third lumen.

Abstract: A surgical device comprises an elongate shaft (12) which extends from a proximal end region to a distal end region thereof, the shaft (12) defining a first lumen (14) for receiving an elongate camera device therein, a second lumen (16) for receiving a tissue manipulation device therein, and a third lumen (18) for receiving a tissue retrieval device therein, the first, second and third lumens (14, 16, 18) extending from the proximal end region to the distal end region of the elongate shaft, and having respective open ends at the distal end region of the elongate shaft. The surgical device further comprises an elongate camera device which extends along the first lumen, a tissue manipulation device which extends along the second lumen, and a tissue retrieval device which extends along the third lumen.

Abstract: A bipolar surgical instrument (1) comprises a body (2), first and second opposed jaws (18, 20) located at the distal end of a shaft (10), the first jaw (18) being movable with respect to the second jaw (20) between an open position in which the first and second jaws (18, 20) are spaced apart from one another, and a closed position in which the first and second jaws (18, 20) are adjacent one another. The first and second elongate jaw members (18, 20) have respective first and second electrodes. A power cable having a pair of electrically conductive elements, is provided to connect a source of radio frequency electromagnetic energy to the first and second electrodes. A capacitive element is located in the instrument, and is connected in series between a first one of the pair of electrically conductive elements of the cable and the first electrode.

Abstract: A method of removing an appendix (9) includes the steps of accessing the abdomen of a patient, insufflating the abdominal cavity, and sealing and cutting the appendicular artery and vein. A sheath is introduced into the abdominal cavity and placed over the appendix, while the appendix is still attached to the colon. The sheath is secured the sheath in place over the appendix using a securing device to secure the sheath with respect to the proximal end of the appendix, and then the proximal end of the appendix is ligated. The appendix is dissected from the colon, and the sheath containing the appendix is removed from the abdomen of the patient. The procedure can be a NOTES procedure, using a natural orifice, or laparoscopic using one or more incisions created in the abdomen. The ligation and dissection can be performed within the abdomen, or after the appendix is pulled through one of the incisions, such that the ligation and/or dissection is carried out outside the abdomen.

Abstract: An end effector assembly (12) for an electrosurgical instrument comprises a pair of opposing first and second jaw members (13, 14), at least one of the jaw members being movable relative to the other between a first open position in which the jaw members are disposed in a spaced relation relative to one another, and a second closed position in which the jaw members cooperate to grasp tissue therebetween. The first jaw member (13) includes a first tissue-contacting surface (17) and the second jaw member includes a second tissue-contacting surface (19). The first tissue-contacting surface (17) comprises a plurality of ridges (23) extending parallel to one another in a first longitudinal direction, and the second tissue-contacting surface (19) comprises a plurality of ridges (24) extending parallel to one another in a second longitudinal direction, the first longitudinal direction being different from the second longitudinal direction.

Abstract: An electrosurgical instrument includes a handle including an actuating mechanism movable between a first position and a second position, and a pair of opposing first and second jaw members. A first sealing electrode is located on an inner surface of the first jaw member, and a second sealing electrode is located on an inner surface of the second jaw member. A plurality of stop members are longitudinally disposed on one or both of the inner surfaces of the jaw members, and at least two of the plurality of stop members are of different heights such that the first and second jaw members flex when moved to their closed position such that the distance between the first and second sealing electrodes is non-uniform.