Surgical instrument with variable clamping force
AssigneeCilag GmbH International
InventorsAshvani K. Madan, David C. Groene, Benjamin M. Boyd, Craig N. Faller, Jacob S. Gee, Paul F. Riestenberg
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An ultrasonic instrument includes a body and a shaft assembly extending distally from the body. The shaft assembly includes an acoustic waveguide. The instrument further includes an end effector including an ultrasonic blade. The ultrasonic blade is in acoustic communication with the acoustic waveguide. The instrument further includes a sensor configured to sense at least one characteristic of the shaft assembly and/or the end effector. The end effector is configured to be activated at varying power levels based on the at least one characteristic sensed by the sensor.
Claims21
1-16. (canceled)
An ultrasonic instrument comprising:
- (a) a body;
- (b) a shaft assembly extending distally from the body, wherein the shaft assembly comprises an acoustic waveguide;
- (c) an end effector, comprising:
- (i) an ultrasonic blade, wherein the ultrasonic blade is in acoustic communication with the acoustic waveguide, and
- (ii) a clamp arm, wherein the clamp arm is pivotable toward and away from the ultrasonic blade in order to clamp tissue between the end effector and ultrasonic blade;
- and
- (d) a toggle switch, wherein the toggle switch is configured to adjust a level of clamp force associated with the clamp arm upon movement of the toggle switch.
An ultrasonic instrument comprising:
- (a) a body;
- (b) a shaft assembly extending distally from the body, wherein the shaft assembly comprises an acoustic waveguide;
- (c) an end effector, comprising:
- (i) an ultrasonic blade, wherein the ultrasonic blade is in acoustic communication with the acoustic waveguide, and
- (ii) a clamp arm, wherein the clamp arm is pivotable toward and away from the ultrasonic blade in order to clamp tissue between the end effector and ultrasonic blade;
- and
- (d) a sensor, wherein the sensor is not positioned on the end effector, wherein the sensor is configured to sense a clamp force associated with the clamp arm.
An ultrasonic instrument comprising:
- (a) a body;
- (b) a shaft assembly extending distally from the body, wherein the shaft assembly comprises a clamp arm and an acoustic waveguide;
- (c) an end effector comprising an ultrasonic blade, wherein the ultrasonic blade is in acoustic communication with the acoustic waveguide;
- (e) a sensor configured to sense a clamping force of the clamp arm, wherein the end effector is configured to be activated at varying ultrasonic power levels based on the sensed clamping force;
- and
- (f) a preload mechanism configured to adjust a maximum clamping force of the clamp arm.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.