Covidien LP

C. R. Bard, Inc.

Jianjiang Chen

Weijiang Ding

Kai Liu

William H Nau, Jr

Daniel A Joseph

Arlen K Ward

William Ross Whitney

Heqing Huang

Peng Fei Yi

Weisheng Lu

Weng K Chan

Weng Khuen Adrian Chan

An end effector assembly includes a first jaw member having a first tissue contact surface and a second jaw member having a second tissue contact surface. The second jaw member is pivotally coupled to the first jaw member. The tissue contact surfaces may include raised steps that define an exhaust channel. A longitudinally extending knife slot may be defined in one or both of the tissue contact surfaces. One or more exhaust slots, which may be defined in one or both of the tissue contact surfaces, are in communication with the knife slot. The exhaust channel and the exhaust slots direct fluid away from the jaw members to minimize thermal damage risks associated with tissue sealing.

Electrosurgical instruments for controlling thermal damage

A tool for inserting a catheter into a body of a patient is provided. The tool comprises: a housing in which at least a portion of the catheter is initially disposed; a needle distally extending from the housing, at least a portion of the catheter disposed over the needle; a guidewire initially disposed within the needle partially; and an advancement assembly for distally advancing the catheter. The housing comprises: a first portion comprising a distal part and a proximal part; and a second portion engaged with the first portion, wherein the distal part of the first portion is configured to be able to distally slide with respect to the second portion to release the engagement between the first portion and the second portion. The advancement assembly includes a safety cap which is initially disposed over the needle and is configured to be locked to the housing when distally sliding to a position of isolating the tip of the needle within the safety cap.

Catheter insertion device

A surgical instrument includes a housing, a shaft coupled to and extending distally from the housing, an end effector assembly disposed at a distal end of the shaft, a movable handle coupled to the housing, a drive assembly coupled to the end effector assembly, and an extension mechanism disposed within the housing. The extension mechanism is configured to couple to the shaft and between the movable handle and the drive assembly for moving the shaft and drive assembly between a retracted position and an extended position relative to the housing. The extension mechanism is coupled between the movable handle and the drive assembly in each of the retracted and extended positions such that the movable handle is operable to effect manipulation of the end effector assembly in each of the retracted and extended positions.

Extendable length surgical instruments

A tool () for inserting a catheter () into a body of a patient is provided. The tool () comprises: a housing () in which at least a portion of the catheter () is initially disposed; a needle () distally extending from the housing (), at least a portion of the catheter () disposed over the needle (); a guidewire () initially disposed within the needle () partially; and an advancement assembly () for distally advancing the catheter (). The housing () comprises: a first portion (A,) comprising a distal part (A,A) and a proximal part (B); and a second portion (B,) engaged with the first portion (A,), wherein the distal part (A,A) of the first portion (A,) is configured to be able to distally slide with respect to the second portion (B,) to release the engagement between the first portion (A,) and the second portion (B,). The advancement assembly () includes a safety cap () which is initially disposed over the needle () and is configured to be locked to the housing () when distally sliding to a position of isolating the tip of the needle () within the safety cap ().

An end effector assembly () includes a first jaw member () having a first tissue contact surface () and a second jaw member () having a second tissue contact surface (). The second jaw member () is pivotally coupled to the first jaw member (). The tissue contact surfaces () may include raised steps () that define an exhaust channel (). A longitudinally extending knife slot () may be defined in one or both of the tissue contact surfaces (). One or more exhaust slots (), which may be defined in one or both of the tissue contact surfaces (), are in communication with the knife slot (). The exhaust channel () and the exhaust slots () direct fluid away from the jaw members () to minimize thermal damage risks associated with tissue sealing.

An end effector assembly () of an electrosurgical forceps (') includes first and second jaw members (). At least one of the jaw members () is movable relative to the other between a spaced-apart position and an approximated position. At least one of the jaw members () includes an electrically-conductive inner member () defining an outer surface, a first electrically-insulative layer () disposed on a portion of the outer surface of the electrically-conductive inner member (), a second electrically-insulative layer () disposed on another portion of the outer surface of the electrically-conductive inner member (), and an electrode () disposed on the second electrically-insulative layer () and electrically coupled to the electrically-conductive inner member (). The electrode () defines a tissue-treating surface of the corresponding jaw member (). The first electrically-insulative layer () has a thermal conductivity greater than that of the second electrically-insulative layer ().

Growing community of inventors

Shanghai, China

Jianjiang Chen