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US 10,327,837 B2Granted
Vessel sealing instrument with stepped jaw
AssigneeIntuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.
InventorsJoseph P. Orban, III, Amy E. Kerdok, Hubert Stein
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A vessel sealer has a stepped jaw that allows the jaw to have an overall shape and a width that provides desired strength, shape, and functionality while permitting a smaller raised portion to apply the sealing pressure. The smaller area applying the sealing pressure allows an actuating mechanism to apply a clinically desired sealing pressure without exceeding the force or torque limitations of the actuating mechanism and can limit thermal spread during a sealing procedure.
Claims11
A vessel sealing instrument, comprising:
- a first jaw including a metal portion having a first face with a raised portion and a recessed portion;
- a second jaw including a metal portion having a second face;
- an actuating mechanism coupled to the first and second jaws and operable to bring the first face and the second face together and to apply sealing pressure to tissue between the first and second jaw, wherein shapes of the first face and the second face limit the sealing pressure to an area of the raised portion;
- and
- an electrical system coupled to drive an electrical current between the first jaw and the second jaw;
- wherein:
- a force limit of the actuating mechanism is greater than a force applied by the sealing pressure across the area of the raised portion;
- and simultaneously applying the sealing pressure across both the raised portion and the recessed portion of the first face would exceed the force limit of the actuating mechanism.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.