Covidien Ag

Curt D Hammill

Ronald J Podhajsky

Philip Mark Tetzlaff

David Abraham Schechter

Jeffrey M Roy

Chelsea Shields

Darren Odom

Troy J Chapman

An electrode sealing assembly for use with an electrosurgical instrument for sealing tissue includes first and second jaw members which are movable from a first position in spaced relation relative to one another to at least one second position for grasping tissue. The jaw members include electrically conductive sealing plates designed to selectively transmit electrosurgical energy to tissue disposed between the sealing plates. The jaw members also include a thermoelectric cooling plate having a first surface in direct contact with an outer surface of the sealing plate. The thermoelectric cooling plate includes first and second electrical connections on opposite sides of the jaw member. The first connection is configured to selectively transmit a first electrical potential and the second connection is configured to selectively transmit a second electrical potential such that heat generated by the sealing plates is transferred away from the tissue via the thermoelectric cooling plate.

Incorporating rapid cooling in tissue fusion heating processes

Electrosurgical bipolar forceps for sealing tissue is disclosed. The forceps includes a shaft member having an end effector assembly disposed at a distal end thereof. The end effector assembly includes jaw members movable from a first position in spaced relation relative to one another to at least one subsequent position wherein the jaw members cooperate to grasp tissue therebetween. Each of the jaw members includes a sealing plate that communicates electrosurgical energy through tissue held therebetween. One or more of the sealing plates includes one or more springs, the sealing plate is configured to slowly flex to accommodate pressure applied to the tissue until a specified closure pressure is obtained based upon at least one of tissue type and tissue thickness.

Electrosurgical forceps with slow closure sealing plates and method of sealing tissue

An Electrosurgical bipolar forceps for sealing tissue is disclosed which includes at least one shaft member having a jaw member disposed at a distal end thereof. The jaw members are movable from a first position in spaced relation relative to one another to at least one subsequent position wherein the jaw members cooperate to grasp tissue therebetween. Each of the jaw members including a sealing plate which communicates electrosurgical energy through tissue held therebetween. At least one of the sealing plates includes one or more adjustable stop members coupled to one or more controllers. The adjustable stop member(s) are adapted for separating the sealing plates by a predetermined gap distance and the controller(s) adapted for adjusting the adjustable stop member(s) to close the sealing plates at a predetermined rate.

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Erie, CO, United States of America

Curt D Hammill