TISSUE SEALING FORCEPS
A forceps includes an end effector assembly having first and second jaw members. One (or both) of the jaw members is moveable relative to the other between a spaced-apart position and an approximated position for grasping tissue therebetween. One (or both) of the jaw members includes an opposed jaw surface having an electrically-conductive tissue sealing plate disposed thereon. The electrically-conductive tissue sealing plate includes a first portion configured to conduct energy through tissue grasped between the jaw members to create a main tissue seal and a second portion including a plurality of spaced-apart fingers extending from the first portion. The second portion is configured to conduct energy through tissue grasped between the jaw members to create an auxiliary tissue seal extending from the main tissue seal for reducing stress concentrations adjacent the main tissue seal.
This application is a divisional application of U.S. application Ser. No. 15/464,447, filed Mar. 21, 2017, now U.S. Pat. No. 11,076,907, which is a continuation application of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/162,814, filed Jun. 17, 2011, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,651,877. The entire contents of each are hereby incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND Technical FieldThe present disclosure relates to surgical instruments and, more particularly, to a surgical instrument for luminal tissue sealing, e.g., bowel sealing.
Background of Related ArtElectrosurgical instruments, e.g., electrosurgical forceps, utilize both mechanical clamping action and electrical energy to affect hemostasis by heating tissue to coagulate and/or cauterize tissue. Certain surgical procedures require more than simply cauterizing tissue and rely on the unique combination of clamping pressure, precise electrosurgical energy control and gap distance (i.e., distance between opposing jaw members when closed about tissue) to “seal” tissue.
As can be appreciated, in order to create an effective tissue seal, different considerations are taken into account depending on the characteristics, e.g., composition, structure and/or function, of the tissue to be sealed. For example, in order to effectively seal the bowel, it is important to consider the stresses imparted on the seal as a result of distention of the bowel as well as peristaltic reactions within the bowel.
SUMMARYIn accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure, a forceps is provided. The forceps includes an end effector assembly having first and second jaw members. One (or both) of the jaw members is moveable relative to the other between a spaced-apart position and an approximated position for grasping tissue therebetween. One (or both) of the jaw members includes an opposed jaw surface having an electrically-conductive tissue sealing plate disposed thereon. The electrically-conductive tissue sealing plate includes a first portion configured to conduct energy through tissue grasped between the jaw members to create a main tissue seal and a second portion including a plurality of spaced-apart fingers extending from the first portion. The second portion is configured to conduct energy through tissue grasped between the jaw members to create an auxiliary tissue seal extending from the main tissue seal for reducing stress concentrations adjacent the main tissue seal.
In one embodiment, the first portion of the electrically-conductive tissue sealing plate defines a generally arcuate configuration.
In yet another embodiment, the electrically-conductive tissue sealing plate is disposed at a distal end of jaw member.
In still another embodiment, the opposed jaw surface includes an electrically-conductive main seal portion, an electrically-conductive auxiliary seal portion, and an electrically-insulative tissue grasping portion.
In still yet another embodiment, the forceps includes first and second switches. The first and second switches are selectively and independently activatable for controlling the supply of energy to the first and second portions, respectively, of the electrically-conductive tissue sealing plate.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure, a forceps is provided. The forceps includes an end effector assembly having first and second jaw members. One (or both) of the jaw members is moveable relative to the other between a spaced-apart position and an approximated position for grasping tissue therebetween. One (or both) of the jaw members includes an opposed jaw surface. The opposed jaw surface includes an electrically-conductive tissue sealing plate disposed thereon. The electrically-conductive tissue sealing plate is configured to conduct energy through tissue grasped between the jaw members to create a tissue seal. The opposed jaw surface further includes a plurality of thermal damage elements disposed thereon. The thermal damage elements are configured to conduct energy through tissue to thermally-damage tissue adjacent the tissue seal.
In one embodiment, the electrically-conductive tissue sealing plate defines a generally arcuate configuration.
In another embodiment, the electrically-conductive tissue sealing plate and the thermal damage elements are disposed toward a distal end of the jaw member.
In yet another embodiment, the thermal damage elements are spaced-apart relative to one another.
In still another embodiment, the opposed jaw surface includes an electrically-conductive tissue sealing portion, an electrically-conductive thermal damage portion, and an electrically-insulative tissue grasping portion.
In still yet another embodiment, the forceps includes first and second switches. The first and second switches are selectively and independently activatable for controlling the supply of energy to the electrically-conductive tissue sealing plate and the thermal damage elements, respectively.
In accordance with yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, a forceps is provided. The forceps includes an end effector assembly having first and second jaw members. One (or both) of the jaw members is moveable relative to the other between a spaced-apart position and an approximated position for grasping tissue therebetween. One (or both) of the jaw members includes an opposed jaw surface having an electrically-conductive tissue sealing plate disposed thereon. The electrically-conductive tissue sealing plate includes a first portion configured to conduct energy through tissue grasped between the jaw members to create a main tissue seal and a second portion configured to conduct energy through tissue grasped between the jaw members to create an auxiliary tissue seal extending from the main tissue seal for reducing stress concentrations adjacent the main tissue seal. First and second switches are operably coupled to the first and second portions, respectively, and are selectively and independently activatable for controlling the supply of energy to the first and second portions, respectively. The forceps may further be configured similarly to any of the above embodiments.
Another embodiment of a forceps provided in accordance with the present disclosure includes an end effector assembly having first and second jaw members. One (or both) of the jaw members is moveable relative to the other between a spaced-apart position and an approximated position for grasping tissue therebetween. One (or both) of the jaw members includes an opposed jaw surface including an electrically-conductive main seal portion, an electrically-conductive auxiliary seal portion, and an electrically-insulating tissue grasping portion. The main seal portion is configured to conduct energy through tissue grasped between the jaw members to create a main tissue seal. The auxiliary seal portion includes a plurality of spaced-apart components and is configured to conduct energy through tissue grasped between the jaw members to create an auxiliary tissue seal for reducing stress concentrations adjacent the main tissue seal. The tissue grasping portion is configured to grasp tissue between the jaw members. A portion of the tissue grasping portion is disposed between the spaced-apart components of the auxiliary seal portion. The forceps may further be configured similarly to any of the above embodiments.
Various embodiments of the present disclosure are described herein with reference to the drawings wherein:
Embodiments of the present disclosure are described in detail with reference to the drawing figures wherein like reference numerals identify similar or identical elements. As used herein, the term “distal” refers to the portion that is being described which is further from a user, while the term “proximal” refers to the portion that is being described which is closer to a user.
Referring now to
Turning now to
End effector assembly 100 is shown attached at a distal end 14 of shaft 12 and includes a pair of opposing jaw members 110 and 120. Jaw members 110, 120 are moveable between a spaced-apart position and an approximated position for grasping tissue therebetween. End effector assembly 100 is designed as a unilateral assembly, e.g., where jaw member 120 is fixed relative to shaft 12 and jaw member 110 is moveable about pivot 103 relative to shaft 12 and fixed jaw member 120. However, end effector assembly 100 may alternatively be configured as a bilateral assembly, e.g., where both jaw member 110 and jaw member 120 are moveable about a pivot 103 relative to one another and to shaft 12.
With continued reference to
With continued reference to
Referring now to
A ratchet 30′ may be included for selectively locking the jaw members 110 and 120 relative to one another at various positions during pivoting. Ratchet 30′ may include graduations or other visual markings that enable the user to easily and quickly ascertain and control the amount of closure force desired between the jaw members 110 and 120.
With continued reference to
Referring now to
With continued reference to
As best shown in
With continued reference to
Turning to
Jaw member 220″, as shown in
Referring now to
As shown in
The above-described main and auxiliary tissue seals “Ms” and “As,” respectively, provide a seal configuration that is particularly advantageous with respect to luminal tissue sealing, e.g., sealing of the bowel, wherein the main tissue seal “Ms” may be subject to increased pressures, e.g., during distention of the bowel and/or peristaltic reactions within the bowel. The reduction of stress concentrations, especially during these increased-pressure events, helps ensure that an effective tissue seal is created and maintained and increases the overall burst pressure of the seal.
Turning now to
With continued reference to
With continued reference to
Tissue-grasping surface 424 of jaw member 420 further includes one or more electrically-conductive thermal damage elements 520 disposed thereon and generally-positioned proximally of tissue sealing plate 500. As best shown in
Turning to
Referring now to
As shown in
From the foregoing and with reference to the various figure drawings, those skilled in the art will appreciate that certain modifications can also be made to the present disclosure without departing from the scope of the same. While several embodiments of the disclosure have been shown in the drawings, it is not intended that the disclosure be limited thereto, as it is intended that the disclosure be as broad in scope as the art will allow and that the specification be read likewise. Therefore, the above description should not be construed as limiting, but merely as exemplifications of particular embodiments. Those skilled in the art will envision other modifications within the scope and spirit of the claims appended hereto.
Claims
1-16. (canceled)
17. A forceps, comprising:
- an end effector assembly including first and second jaw members, at least one of the first or second jaw members moveable relative to the other of the first or second jaw members between a spaced-apart position and an approximated position to grasp tissue therebetween, at least one of the first or second jaw members including: an electrically-insulative tissue-grasping surface; an electrically-conductive tissue sealing plate disposed on the electrically-insulative tissue-grasping surface, the electrically-conductive tissue sealing plate having a U-shaped configuration and defining an interior area, wherein the electrically-conductive tissue sealing plate is oriented such that the interior area faces a distal end portion of the at least one of the first or second jaw members, the electrically-conductive tissue sealing plate configured to conduct energy through tissue grasped between the first and second jaw members to create a tissue seal; and a plurality of discrete thermal damage elements disposed on the electrically-insulative tissue-grasping surface and positioned within the interior area, the plurality of thermal damage elements configured to conduct energy through tissue to thermally-damage tissue adjacent the tissue seal.
18. The forceps according to claim 17, wherein the U-shaped configuration of the electrically-conductive tissue sealing plate includes an arcuate portion.
19. The forceps according to claim 17, wherein the electrically-insulative tissue-grasping surface defines a first plane and wherein the electrically-conductive tissue sealing plate defines a second plane disposed in parallel orientation relative to the first plane.
20. The forceps according to claim 19, wherein the plurality of discrete thermal damage elements define a third plane disposed in parallel orientation relative to the first plane.
21. The forceps according to claim 20, wherein the second and third planes are substantially co-planar.
22. The forceps according to claim 17, wherein each of the plurality of thermal damage elements is surrounded by the electrically-insulative tissue-grasping surface.
23. The forceps according to claim 17, wherein at least one of the plurality of thermal damage elements defines a circular configuration.
24. The forceps according to claim 17, further comprising first and second switches, the first and second switches selectively and independently activatable for controlling the supply of energy to the electrically-conductive tissue sealing plate and the plurality of thermal damage elements, respectively.
25. The forceps according to claim 17, further comprising at least one additional discrete thermal damage element disposed on the electrically-insulative tissue-grasping surface and positioned outside the interior area, the at least one additional thermal damage element configured to conduct energy through tissue to thermally-damage tissue.
26. A forceps, comprising:
- an end effector assembly including first and second jaw members, at least one of the first or second jaw members moveable relative to the other of the first or second jaw members between a spaced-apart position and an approximated position to grasp tissue therebetween, at least one of the first or second jaw members including: an electrically-insulative tissue-grasping surface; an electrically-conductive tissue sealing plate disposed on the electrically-insulative tissue-grasping surface, the electrically-conductive tissue sealing plate having a U-shaped configuration and defining an interior area, wherein the electrically-conductive tissue sealing plate is oriented such that the interior area faces a lateral side portion of the at least one of the first or second jaw members, the electrically-conductive tissue sealing plate configured to conduct energy through tissue grasped between the first and second jaw members to create a tissue seal; and a plurality of discrete thermal damage elements disposed on the electrically-insulative tissue-grasping surface and positioned within the interior area, the plurality of thermal damage elements configured to conduct energy through tissue to thermally-damage tissue adjacent the tissue seal.
27. The forceps according to claim 26, wherein the U-shaped configuration of the electrically-conductive tissue sealing plate includes an arcuate portion.
28. The forceps according to claim 26, wherein the electrically-insulative tissue-grasping surface defines a first plane and wherein the electrically-conductive tissue sealing plate defines a second plane disposed in parallel orientation relative to the first plane.
29. The forceps according to claim 28, wherein the plurality of discrete thermal damage elements define a third plane disposed in parallel orientation relative to the first plane.
30. The forceps according to claim 29, wherein the second and third planes are substantially co-planar.
31. The forceps according to claim 26, wherein each of the plurality of thermal damage elements is surrounded by the electrically-insulative tissue-grasping surface.
32. The forceps according to claim 26, wherein at least one of the plurality of thermal damage elements defines a circular configuration.
33. The forceps according to claim 26, further comprising first and second switches, the first and second switches selectively and independently activatable for controlling the supply of energy to the electrically-conductive tissue sealing plate and the plurality of thermal damage elements, respectively.
34. The forceps according to claim 26, further comprising at least one additional discrete thermal damage element disposed on the electrically-insulative tissue-grasping surface and positioned outside the interior area, the at least one additional thermal damage element configured to conduct energy through tissue to thermally-damage tissue.
Type: Application
Filed: Aug 3, 2021
Publication Date: Nov 25, 2021
Inventors: Barbara R. Tyrrell (Erie, CO), Duane E. Kerr (Loveland, CO)
Application Number: 17/392,870