Shielded energy transmitting surgical instrument and methods therefor

Abstract

A shielded energy transmitting surgical instrument for treating anatomical tissue with energy includes an energy transmitting member having a distal end for contacting tissue to be treated, a shield for shielding the distal end of the energy transmitting member and a hub mounting the energy transmitting member and the shield. The shield is movable, automatically in response to a force from tissue contact or manually, between an extended position protecting the distal end of the energy transmitting member and a retracted position wherein the distal end of the energy transmitting member is exposed for contact with the tissue. A source of energy supplies energy to the distal end of the energy transmitting member to treat the tissue, and the shield is movable thereafter toward the extended position to remove tissue from and protect the distal end of the energy transmitting member. A method of treating anatomical tissue with energy incudes the steps of moving the shield of the energy transmitting surgical instrument from the extended position to the retracted position to expose the distal end of the energy transmitting member, positioning the distal end of the energy transmitting member adjacent tissue to be treated, transmitting energy to the distal end of the energy transmitting member to treat the tissue and moving the shield to the extended position to remove tissue from and protect the distal end of the energy transmitting member.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.