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OwnerMichael R. Treat, Fred H, Co +5inventors
InventorsMichael R. Treat, Fred H, Co, George D. Hermann, Thomas A. Howell, Theodore R. Kucklick, Michelle Y. Monfort, Kenneth H. Mollenauer
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An instrument and method are provided for sealing and joining or hemostatically dividing tissue, which is particularly suitable for laparoscopic and endoscopic surgery. The instrument makes use of the controlled application of a combination of heat and pressure to seal adjacent tissues, to join adjacent tissues, or to anastomose tissues, whereby tissue is heated for an optimal time and at an optimal temperature under optimal pressure to maximize tissue seal strength while minimizing collateral tissue damage. The instrument of the present invention is lightweight and therefore portable, and is particularly useful in field conditions where a source of external power may not be readily available.
A surgical instrument which comprises two oppositely-positioned working members each having proximal and distal ends and each having a working surface, wherein at least one working surface has a heating element comprising an electrically resistant wire to seal and cut or cut tissue and the heating element loops around the distal end of a working surface.
A surgical instrument which comprises two oppositely-positioned working members each having proximal and distal ends and each having a working surface, wherein each working surface has a heating element comprising an electrically resistant wire to seal and cut or cut tissue.
A surgical instrument which comprises two oppositely-positioned working members each having proximal and distal ends and each having a working surface, wherein at least one working surface has a heating element comprising an electrically resistant wire to seal and cut or cut tissue and wherein a primary switch is actuated when the working surfaces are approximated and a secondary switch is manually activated to apply energy to each heating element.
A surgical instrument which comprises two oppositely-positioned working members each having proximal and distal ends and each having a working surface and a heating element actuator responsive to a predetermined pressure to activate the heating element, wherein at least one working surface has a heating element comprising an electrically resistant wire to seal and cut or cut tissue.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.