Patent Application
20190223939
The present disclosure relates to surgical instruments and, more particularly, to jaw members of energy-based surgical instruments and energy-based surgical instruments incorporating the same.
Many energy-based surgical instruments employ an end effector including one or more jaw members configured to facilitate clamping, manipulating, and/or applying energy to tissue to treat tissue.
Ultrasonic surgical instruments, for example, utilize ultrasonic energy in the form of ultrasonic vibrations to coagulate, cauterize, fuse, seal, cut, desiccate, fulgurate, or otherwise treat tissue. The ultrasonic energy is typically produced by a generator and transducer and is transmitted along a waveguide to an end effector of the ultrasonic surgical instrument. The end effector may include a blade that receives the ultrasonic energy from the waveguide for application to tissue and a jaw member configured to clamp tissue between the blade and the jaw member to facilitate treatment thereof.
As vibrations induced in the blade and thermal energy generated by the blade may be transferred to the jaw member, jaw members have been developed that include a jaw liner engaged to a structural body of the jaw member. While inhibiting vibrations and thermal energy from being transferred to the structural body, there is a need to ensure tissue is securely clamped and maintained in position between the blade and jaw member during tissue treatment.
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. Further, to the extent consistent, any of the aspects described herein may be used in conjunction with any or all of the other aspects described herein.
Provided in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure is a jaw member for a surgical instrument including a structural body and a jaw liner. The structural body includes a proximal flange portion and an elongated distal portion extending distally from the proximal flange portion. The elongated distal portion includes a base and first and second sidewalls extending from either side of the base along at least a portion of a length of the elongated distal portion. The jaw liner is engaged with the base of the elongated distal portion and defines a tissue-contacting surface. The first and second sidewalls extend beyond the tissue-contacting surface of the jaw liner and are configured to facilitate gripping tissue between the structural body and an opposed structure.
In aspects, the sidewalls each define a plurality of gipping teeth.
In aspects, the plurality of gripping teeth have substantially similar heights or different heights.
In aspects, the plurality of gripping teeth are substantially equally spaced or differently spaced along the sidewalls.
In aspects, the gripping teeth only extend along a distal portion of the elongated distal portion of the structural body, only extend along a proximal portion of the elongated distal portion of the structural body, or extend along substantially the entire length of the elongated distal portion of the structural body.
A surgical instrument provided in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure includes an energy-delivering component and a jaw member positioned to oppose the energy-delivering component and movable relative thereto between an open position and a closed position for clamping tissue between the jaw member and the energy-delivering component. The jaw member may be configured similarly to any of the above aspects or as otherwise detailed herein.
In aspects, the energy-delivering component is an ultrasonic blade.
The above and other aspects and features of the present disclosure will become more apparent in view of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
Jaw members and surgical instruments including such jaw members are provided in accordance with the present disclosure and detailed hereinbelow. Referring to
Ultrasonic surgical instrument 10 generally includes a handle assembly 12, an elongated body portion 14, and an end effector 16. Handle assembly 12 supports a power supply, e.g., a battery assembly 18, and an ultrasonic transducer and generator assembly (“TAG”) 20, although ultrasonic surgical instrument 10 may alternatively be configured as a tethered instrument wherein the power supply and generator are remote components coupled to handle assembly 12 via one or more surgical cables (not shown). Handle assembly 12 includes a rotation wheel 22, an activation button 24, and a clamp trigger 26. Battery assembly 18 and TAG 20 are each releasably coupled to handle assembly 12 and are removable therefrom to facilitate disposal of any disposable components, e.g., handle assembly 12, elongated body portion 14, and/or end effector 16, and reprocessing of any reusable components, e.g., battery assembly 18 and TAG 20.
With additional reference to
Elongated body portion 14 further includes an inner tube 40 disposed about waveguide 30 and extending between handle assembly 12 and end effector 16. Inner tube 40, more specifically, includes a proximal end portion that extends into handle assembly 12. Inner tube 40 further includes a distal end portion including a pair of spaced-apart support arms 42 (only one of which is illustrated in
An outer tube 50 is slidably disposed about inner tube 40 and similarly extends between handle assembly 12 and end effector 16. Outer tube 50, more specifically, includes a proximal end portion that extends into handle assembly 12 and operably couples to clamp trigger 26 by way of a drive assembly (not shown), and a distal end portion defining a cut-out (not shown) that operably receives legs 116 of proximal flanges 112 of structural body 110 of jaw member 100. As a result of this configuration, clamp trigger 26 may be manipulated between an un-actuated position and an actuated position to translate outer tube 50 between an advanced position and a retracted position, thereby pivoting jaw member 100 between an open position (
Rotation wheel 22 is operably coupled to waveguide 30, inner tube 40, and outer tube 50 such that rotation of rotation wheel 22 relative to handle assembly 12 similarly rotates waveguide 30, inner tube 40, and outer tube 50 relative to handle assembly 12, thereby also rotating blade 32 and jaw member 100 relative to handle assembly 12 in a similar manner. Activation button 24 is configured to selectively activate battery assembly 18 and TAG 20 to produce ultrasonic energy that is transmitted along waveguide 30 to blade 32 of end effector 16.
As detailed above, jaw member 100 includes a structural body 110 including a pair of proximal flanges 112 which enable pivotable coupling of jaw member 100 with inner tube 40 and operable coupling of jaw member 100 with outer tube 50. Structural body 110 of jaw member 100 further includes an elongated distal portion 118 extending distally from the pair of proximal flanges 112. A jaw liner 130 is engaged with elongated distal portion 118 of structural body 110 and is positioned to oppose blade 32 such that blade 32 is inhibited from contacting structural body 110 of jaw member 100. As a result, the transfer of ultrasonic vibrations and/or thermal energy from blade 32 to structural body 110 during use is reduced. Jaw liner 130 may be formed from a compliant material, e.g., PTFE, or maybe otherwise formed.
With general reference to
With reference to
Referring to
Elongated distal portion 218 of structural body 210 of jaw member 200, as noted above, extends distally from the pair of proximal flanges 212. Elongated distal portion 218 may define a curved configuration, as illustrated, or may define a linear configuration or a different curved configuration. Elongated distal portion 218, more specifically, includes a base 219a and first and second sidewalls 219b, 219c disposed on either side of base 219a. Base 219a is configured to engage jaw liner 230, e.g., in complementary-fit engagement therewith.
Sidewalls 219b, 219c of elongated distal portion 218 of structural body 210 of jaw member 200 extend beyond a tissue-contacting surface 232 of jaw liner 230 on either side thereof, define gripping teeth 240, and extend along a distal portion of the length of elongated distal portion 218. More specifically, sidewalls 219b, 219c extend along a distal portion of elongated distal portion 218, for example, no more than a distal 50% of the length thereof, no more than a distal 40% of the length thereof, or no more than a distal 30% of the length thereof, in embodiments, although other configurations are also contemplated. The other portions of sidewalls 219b, 219c do not extend beyond tissue-contacting surface 232 of jaw liner 230, in embodiments. Gripping teeth 240 of sidewalls 219b, 219c may taper in height in the proximal-to-distal direction and/or may define decreased spacing therebetween in the proximal-to-distal direction, although other configurations are also contemplated.
By extending beyond tissue-contacting surface 232 of jaw liner 230, gripping teeth 240 facilitate maintaining tissue in position between jaw member 200 and an opposing structure, e.g., blade 32 (
Referring to
Elongated distal portion 318 of structural body 310 of jaw member 300 includes a base 319a and first and second sidewalls 319b, 319c disposed on either side of base 319a. Base 319a is configured to engage jaw liner 330. Sidewalls 319b, 319c of elongated distal portion 318 of structural body 310 of jaw member 300 extend beyond a tissue-contacting surface 332 of jaw liner 330 on either side thereof, define gripping teeth 340, and extend along a substantial portion of the length of elongated distal portion 318, for example, at least 70% of the length thereof, at least 80% of the length thereof, or at least 90% of the length thereof, in embodiments, although other configurations are also contemplated. Gripping teeth 340 of sidewalls 319b, 319c may include a proximal portion of teeth 342, wherein the teeth 342 define substantially similar heights and spacing therebetween (within manufacturing tolerances), and a distal portion of teeth 344 that generally taper in height in the proximal-to-distal direction and/or may define decreased spacing therebetween in the proximal-to-distal direction, although other configurations are also contemplated.
Referring to
Elongated distal portion 418 of structural body 410 of jaw member 400 includes a base 419a and first and second sidewalls 419b, 419c disposed on either side of base 419a. Base 419a is configured to engage jaw liner 430. Sidewalls 419b, 419c of elongated distal portion 418 of structural body 410 of jaw member 400 extend beyond a tissue-contacting surface 432 of jaw liner 430 on either side thereof, define gripping teeth 440, and extend along a proximal portion of the length of elongated distal portion 418, for example, no more than a proximal 750% of the length thereof, no more than a proximal 60% of the length thereof, or no more than a proximal 50% of the length thereof, in embodiments, although other configurations are also contemplated. Gripping teeth 440 of sidewalls 419b, 419c may define substantially similar heights and spacings therebetween (within manufacturing tolerances), although other configurations are also contemplated.
While several embodiments of the disclosure have been described above and illustrated 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.
