Surgical Forceps Including Geared Blade Reverser Mechanism

A forceps comprising:

• first and second shaft members each having a jaw member disposed at a distal end thereof, at least one of the jaw members moveable from an open position to a closed position for grasping tissue therebetween, at least one of the jaw members including a blade slot extending longitudinally therethrough, the blade slot configured for reciprocation of a blade therethrough;
• and
• an actuation assembly disposed within one of the shaft members, the actuation assembly configured for selectively translating the blade between a retracted position and an extended position wherein the blade extends at least partially through the blade slot in the extended position, the actuation assembly including:
• an actuator mechanically engaging an actuator rack;
• a gear member mechanically coupled to the actuator rack, the gear member having a pin disposed therethrough such that the gear member is rotatable with respect to the pin;
• a blade rack mechanically coupled to the gear member, the blade rack having the blade disposed at a distal end thereof;
• and
• a gear box configured to house the gear member and at least a portion of the actuator rack and the blade rack therein, the actuator rack and the blade rack being at least partially longitudinally translatable through the gear box, wherein the gear box maintains the gear member, the actuator rack, and the blade rack in a fixed spatial relation relative to one another.