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US 4,198,957 AGranted
Method of using an electrically heated surgical cutting instrument
AssigneeRobert F. Shaw
InventorsJohn M. Cage, Robert F. Shaw, Paul E. Stoft
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A surgical cutting instrument includes an electrically heated cutting edge and an automatic control system for maintaining the cutting edge at a constant high temperature for sterilizing the blade, cutting tissue, and cauterizing the incised tissue to reduce hemorrhage from the cut surfaces of the tissues (hemostasis).
Claims1
A method of hemostatic cutting using a blade means having a cutting edge operating at an elevated temperature, the method comprising:
- heating the cutting edge by conducting an electrical current in a conduction path along the cutting edge including a conductive means having a negative temperature coefficient of resistance;
- and
- self regulating the heating of the cutting edge by increasing the electrical resistance of those portions of the electrical conduction path that are cooled.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.