Instrument for fusing and severing tissue
AssigneeErbe Elektromedizin GmbH
InventorWaldemar Wandel
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An instrument (10) for fusing and severing vessels in accordance with the invention comprises a first branch (19) with a first electrode (33) and a second branch 20 that is supported so as to be movable toward and away from the first electrode (33), wherein the second branch (20) has a longitudinal slit (31). A knife (21) is arranged in said slit so as to be movable longitudinally relative to the shaft (11). The knife (21) is associated with a vertical adjustment mechanism (54) for adjusting the knife (21) perpendicularly to the longitudinal movement as a function of the longitudinal movement of said knife. As a result of this, a premature dulling of the tip (28b) or the sliding edge (28a) of the knife 21 due to contact with the ceramic base body (23) or the edges or the step (55) is avoided.
Claims20
Instrument (10) for fusing and severing vessels, the instrument comprising:
- an elongated shaft (11) extending away from a housing (12),
- a first branch (19) with a first electrode (33) and having a step (55) at an end of the first electrode (33),
- a second branch (20) that is supported so as to be movable toward and away from the first electrode (33), wherein the second branch (20) has a longitudinal slit (31),
- a knife (21) that is arranged so as to be movable with a longitudinal movement along the shaft (11) and arranged so as to extend into or be movable into the longitudinal slit (31),
- wherein the knife (21) is associated with a vertical adjustment mechanism (54) for adjusting the knife (21) perpendicularly to the longitudinal movement as a function of the longitudinal movement of said knife;
- wherein the vertical adjustment mechanism (54) comprises a cam surface (56) arranged stationarily relative to the shaft (11) and with a cam follower surface (57) arranged stationarily relative to the knife (21);
- and
- wherein the vertical adjustment mechanism (54) defines an adjustment path (H1) that is greater than a height (H3) of the step (55) such that the knife's cutting edge moves in a contactless manner longitudinally toward the first electrode before moving vertically toward the first electrode.
A method of operation of an instrument, the method comprising:
- moving a knife along a shaft extending from a housing, the shaft including a first branch with an electrode and having a step on an end of the electrode and a second branch that defines a longitudinal slit such that the knife moves with a longitudinal movement into the longitudinal slit;
- moving the knife with a vertical adjustment mechanism comprising a cam surface arranged stationarily relative to the shaft and a cam follower surface arranged stationarily relative to the knife to adjust the knife perpendicularly to the longitudinal movement as a function of the longitudinal movement of the knife wherein the knife moves with a perpendicular component of an adjustment path (H1) that is greater than a height (H3) of the step such that the knife's cutting edge moves in a contactless manner longitudinally toward the first electrode before moving vertically toward the first electrode.
Instrument (10) for fusing and severing vessels, the instrument comprising:
- an elongated shaft (11) extending away from a housing (12),
- a first branch (19) with a first electrode (33),
- a second branch (20) that is supported so as to be movable toward and away from the first electrode (33), wherein the second branch (20) has a longitudinal slit (31),
- a knife (21) that is arranged so as to be movable with a longitudinal movement along the shaft (11) and arranged so as to extend into or be movable into the longitudinal slit (31),
- wherein the knife (21) is associated with a vertical adjustment mechanism (54) configured to adjust the knife (21) perpendicularly to the longitudinal movement as a function of the longitudinal movement of said knife such that the knife's cutting edge moves in a contactless manner longitudinally toward the first electrode before moving vertically toward the first electrode;
- wherein the vertical adjustment mechanism (54) comprises a cam surface (56) arranged stationarily relative to the shaft (11) and with a cam follower surface (57) separate from and arranged stationarily relative to the knife's (21) cutting edge.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.