Patent Application
20200222109
The present disclosure relates generally to the field of surgical instruments. In particular, the disclosure relates to endoscopic electrosurgical forceps.
Instruments such as electrosurgical forceps are commonly used in open and endoscopic surgical procedures to coagulate, cauterize and seal tissue. Such forceps typically include a pair of jaw members that can be controlled by a surgeon to grasp targeted tissue, such as, e.g., a blood vessel. The jaw members may be approximated to apply a mechanical clamping force to the tissue, and are associated with at least one electrode to permit the delivery of electrosurgical energy to the tissue. The combination of the mechanical clamping force and the electrosurgical energy has been demonstrated to join adjacent layers of tissue captured between the jaw members. When the adjacent layers of tissue include the walls of a blood vessel, sealing the tissue may result in hemostasis, which may facilitate the transection of the sealed tissue.
A bipolar electrosurgical forceps typically includes opposed electrodes disposed on clamping faces of the jaw members. The electrodes are charged to opposite electrical potentials such that an electrosurgical current may be selectively transferred through tissue grasped between the electrodes. To affect a proper seal, particularly in relatively large vessels, the pressure applied to the vessel and the gap distance established between the electrodes are controlled.
The techniques of this disclosure generally relate to a mechanical block for preventing inadvertent manual actuation of an electrosurgical instrument.
In one aspect of the present disclosure, provided is a handle assembly including a stationary handle having a first switch, a second switch, and a movable handle coupled thereto. The second switch is movable between a first position and a second position. The movable handle is movable relative to the stationary handle between a spaced position and an approximated position. In the approximated position, the movable handle actuates the first switch. A portion of the movable handle is configured to contact the second switch when the second switch is in the first position to prevent the movable handle from actuating the first switch.
In aspects, the handle assembly may further include a protuberance extending proximally from the movable handle. The protuberance is the portion of the movable handle configured to contact the second switch when the second switch is in the first position to prevent the movable handle from actuating the first switch.
In aspects, the second switch may be configured to physically block the movable handle from moving to the approximated position when the second switch is in the first position.
In some aspects, the second switch may permit movement of the movable handle to the approximated position when the second switch is in the second position.
In further aspects, the second switch may be slidable relative to the stationary handle between the first and second positions.
In other aspects, the second switch may have a stop member facing the protuberance.
In aspects, the protuberance may move along a pathway during movement of the movable handle from the spaced position to the approximated position. The stop member may be aligned with the pathway of the protuberance when the second switch is in the first position, and out of alignment with the protuberance when the second switch is in the second position.
In some aspects, the first switch may include a depressible button attached to the stationary handle. The depressible button may be configured to be in electrical communication with an electrosurgical generator.
In further aspects, the movable handle may have a button activation post extending from a proximal side thereof, such that upon movement of the movable handle to the approximated position, the button activation post depresses the depressible button.
In other aspects, during movement of the movable handle toward the approximated position, the protuberance may be configured to contact the second switch prior to the button activation post contacting the depressible button.
In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, provided is an electrosurgical forceps. The electrosurgical forceps includes an end effector movable between an open configuration and a closed configuration, a shaft having a distal end coupled to the end effector, and a handle assembly coupled to a proximal end of the shaft. The handle assembly includes a stationary handle, first and second switches and a movable handle coupled to the stationary handle, and a protuberance extending proximally from the movable handle. The first switch is configured to transmit electrosurgical energy to the end effector, and the second switch is movable between a first position and a second position. The movable handle is movable relative to the stationary handle between a spaced position and an approximated position. In the approximated position, the movable handle actuates the first switch. The protuberance is configured to contact the second switch when the second switch is in the first position to prevent the movable handle from actuating the first switch.
In aspects, the movable handle may be operable to move the end effector between the open and closed configurations.
As is traditional, the term “distal” refers herein to an end of the electrosurgical forceps or component thereof that is farther from an operator, and the term “proximal” refers herein to the end of the electrosurgical forceps or component thereof that is closer to the operator.
Objects and features of the present disclosure will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art when descriptions of various embodiments thereof are read with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:
With reference to
To mechanically control the end effector 114, the handle assembly 112 has a stationary handle 120, a movable handle 122, a trigger 126 and a rotation knob 128. The movable handle 122 is operable to move the end effector 114 between an open configuration wherein a pair of opposed upper and lower jaw members 130, 132 are disposed in spaced relation to one another, and a closed or clamping configuration wherein the jaw members 130, 132 are closer together. Approximation of the movable handle 122 with the stationary handle 120 moves the end effector 114 to the closed configuration and separation of the movable handle 122 from the stationary handle 120 moves the end effector 114 to the open configuration. The trigger 126 is operable to extend and retract a knife blade (not shown) through the end effector 114 when the end effector 114 is in the closed configuration. The rotation knob 128 rotates the elongated shaft 116 and the end effector 114 about a longitudinal axis A-A defined through the forceps 100.
To electrically control the end effector 114, the stationary handle 120 supports a first switch 137 thereon, such as, for example, a depressible button, which is operable by the user to initiate and terminate the delivery of electrosurgical energy to the end effector 114. The first switch 137 is engageable by a button activation post 138 extending from a proximal side 123 of the moveable handle 122 upon proximal movement of the moveable handle 122 to an actuated or approximated position. The first switch 137 is in electrical communication with an electrosurgical generator 141 via suitable electrical wiring (not explicitly referenced) extending from the housing 112 through a cable 143 extending between the housing 112 and the electrosurgical generator 141. The generator 141 may include devices such as the LigaSure® Vessel Sealing Generator and the ForceTriad® Generator sold by Covidien. The cable 143 may include a connector (not shown) thereon such that the forceps 100 may be selectively coupled electrically to the generator 141.
For a more detailed description of various features of the electrosurgical forceps 100, reference may be made to U.S. Pat. No. 9,655,673, the entire contents of which incorporated by reference herein.
With reference to
The stop member 142 of the second switch 136 faces the proximal side 123 of the movable handle 122 and is disposed within one or both of the housing halves 112a, 112b. The stop member 142 is a structural element (e.g., a flange) that resists being moved proximally (i.e., in the direction indicated by arrow “B” in
The protuberance 134 of the movable handle 122 extends proximally from the proximal side 123 of the movable handle 122 and is located at an upper portion of the movable handle 122 (e.g., above the activation post 138). The protuberance 134 is fabricated from a rigid material, such as a hard plastic, and may assume any suitable shape, such as, for example, a rectangle, a cone, a sheet, a cylinder, or the like. During approximation of the movable handle 122, the protuberance 134 is configured to contact the second switch 136 prior to the activation post 138 contacting the first switch 137 due to a proximal end 148 of the protuberance 134 being disposed proximally in relation to a proximal end 139 of the activation post 138. In some aspects, the spacing between the protuberance 134 and the second switch 136 may be less than the spacing between the activating post 138 and the first switch 137 due at least in part to the protuberance 134 having a greater length than the activation post 138. In other aspects, the spacing between the protuberance 134 and the second switch 136 may be less than the spacing between the activating post 138 and the first switch 137 due at least in part to the angled orientation of the movable handle 122 relative to the stationary handle 120. In other aspects, the proximal side 123 of the movable handle 122 may directly contact the first switch 137 rather than using the activation post 138.
In use, a clinician may wish to clamp and seal tissue between the jaw members 130, 132 of the end effector 114. To move the end effector 114 from the open configuration to the closed configuration, the movable handle 122 is moved generally proximally, in the direction indicated by arrow “B,” from a spaced position toward the approximated position. If the second switch 136 is in the first or blocking position, the protuberance 134 on the movable handle 122 contacts the stop member 142 of the second switch 136 prior to the movable handle 122 reaching the fully approximated position. Upon the protuberance 134 engaging the stop member 142 of the second switch 136, a further application of a clamping force on the movable handle 122 will fail to move the movable handle 122 closer to the approximated position. Since the engagement between the protuberance 134 and the stop member 142 prevents completion of the movement of the movable handle 122 to the approximated position, the activation post 138 of the movable handle 122 remains distally spaced from the first switch 137. Accordingly, so long as the second switch 136 remains in the first or blocking position, the activation post 138 fails to actuate the first switch 137 and electrosurgical energy is not transferred from the electrosurgical generator 141 to the end effector 114.
To actuate the first switch 137 and transmit electrosurgical energy to the end effector 114, the second switch 136 is moved from the first position to the second or unblocking position (e.g., via sliding the slider 140 along an axis indicated by arrow “C” in
It should be understood that various aspects disclosed herein may be combined in different combinations than the combinations specifically presented in the description and accompanying drawings. It should also be understood that, depending on the example, certain acts or events of any of the processes or methods described herein may be performed in a different sequence, may be added, merged, or left out altogether (e.g., all described acts or events may not be necessary to carry out the techniques). In addition, while certain aspects of this disclosure are described as being performed by a single module or unit for purposes of clarity, it should be understood that the techniques of this disclosure may be performed by a combination of units or modules associated with, for example, a medical device.
