Covidien LP

Monte S Fry

James D Allen, Iv

John R Twomey

Grant T Sims

Kim V Brandt

William E Robinson

Jennifer R McHenry

Todd Boucher

Duane E Kerr

Glenn A Horner

Peter Michael Mueller

Daniel A Joseph

Keir Hart

Jessica E C Olson

Jeffrey R Unger

David Nichols Heard

Michael B Lyons

David J Van Tol

Arlan James Reschke

Kenneth E Netzel

Daniel W Mercier

Robert F McCullough, Jr

Stephen John Stamm

Terry M Duffin

Ken Netzel

Loren Toth

Todd W Boucher

James D Allen Iv

An electrosurgical system includes an electrosurgical instrument having an electrode with a polymeric dielectric coating; and an electrosurgical generator, which includes a power converter configured to generate RF energy; a sensor coupled to the power converter and configured to sense a parameter of the RF energy; and a controller coupled to the sensor and the power converter. The controller is configured to control the power converter to output an RF waveform to achieve conductor breakthrough through the polymeric dielectric coating. The controller is further configured to determine whether the conductor breakthrough occurred based on the parameter; and execute a treatment algorithm based on a determination of the conductor breakthrough.

Electrosurgical system for use with non-stick coated electrodes

A method of manufacturing a two-part sealing plate of a jaw member of an end effector assembly includes: fabricating a series of grooves through an upper plate of a two-part sealing plate of a jaw member; securing a lower plate to a non-tissue engaging side of the upper plate such that an upper surface of the lower plate defines a corresponding bottom surface of at least one of the series of grooves; and securing the seal plate to a support base of the jaw member.

Two-part seal plate for vessel sealer and method of manufacturing same

An energy generator includes a connector port configured to couple to an electrosurgical instrument including an electrode having a polymeric dielectric coating; a power converter configured to generate energy; and a sensor coupled to the power converter and configured to sense a parameter of the energy. The energy generator also includes a controller coupled to the sensor and the power converter. The controller is configured to: control the power converter to output energy to modify an electrical property of the polymeric dielectric coating; and determine whether the electrical property of the polymeric dielectric coating has been sufficiently modified by the energy.

System and method of manufacturing non-stick coated electrodes

A surgical instrument is provided. The surgical instrument includes a housing. A movable handle is coupled to the housing and is configured to approximate a pair of jaw members toward and away from one another. A latch mechanism operably couples to the movable handle and includes one or more mechanical interfaces configured to selectively engage a corresponding mechanical interface disposed within the housing to lock and unlock the jaw members in an approximated configuration. When the movable handle is in a jammed position, the mechanical interface(s) of the latch mechanism is/are configured to deform and separate from the corresponding mechanical interface disposed within the housing when the movable handle is moved from the jammed position.

Surgical instrument

A method of manufacturing a jaw member of an end-effector assembly includes forming one or more stress-relief cavities within a sealing plate. Each one of the one or more stress-relief cavities defines a pad portion of an electrically-conductive surface of the sealing plate. The method also includes forming a stop member on each pad portion of the electrically-conductive surface of the sealing plate, performing an overmolding operation wherein the one or more stress-relief cavities is configured to prevent force applied to a bottom surface of the sealing plate during the overmolding operation from stressing each pad portion to avoid compromising adhesion between the stop member and the electrically-conductive surface of the sealing plate.

Methods of manufacturing jaw members of an end-effector assembly for a surgical instrument

An electrosurgical instrument includes a housing including an elongated shaft. A stationary actuation member is axially disposed within the elongated shaft and includes a cam pin. An actuating mechanism is operably coupled to the elongated shaft and is moveable relative to the housing to selectively cause movement of the elongated shaft. An end effector includes a pair of opposing first and second jaw members operably coupled about a common pivot. One or both of the jaw members includes a camming slot configured to engage the cam pin. Each jaw member includes an electrically conductive tissue sealing surface adapted to connect to a source of electrosurgical energy. A knife blade is supported in the elongated shaft and moveable in a longitudinal direction to cut tissue disposed between the jaw members. A wire retention unit is supported within the housing and includes a plurality of wire clasps and a plurality of guide ribs configured to define at least one wire path.

Wire retention unit for a surgical instrument

An assembly tool for facilitating assembly of a surgical instrument includes a handle, a neck extending from the handle, and a portion of or an entire pivot pin engaged with the neck via a frangible connection. The pivot pin is engagable with the surgical instrument. The frangible connection is configured to break upon application of stress thereto above a threshold, thereby separating the pivot pin (or portion thereof) from the neck. A method of assembling using such an assembly tool includes positioning a component of a surgical instrument for receipt of a pivot pin, manipulating the assembly tool to operably engage the pivot pin with the component, and manipulating the assembly tool to apply stress to the frangible connection to break-off the pivot pin (or portion thereof) from the assembly tool along the frangible connection.

Surgical instruments and devices and methods facilitating the manufacture of the same

A method of manufacturing a shaft of a surgical instrument including forming a proximal segment of the shaft to include one or more features for operably engaging the shaft to a first component of the surgical instrument, forming a distal segment of the shaft to include one or more features for operably engaging the shaft to a second component of the surgical instrument and forming an intermediate segment of the shaft. The proximal segment is welded to a proximal end of the intermediate segment; and the distal segment is welded to a distal end of the intermediate segment. The proximal and distal segments are welded to the intermediate segment such that the one or more features thereof are aligned in a pre-determined orientation relative to one another.

Surgical instrument shafts and methods of manufacturing shafts for surgical instruments

A forceps includes an end effector assembly having first and second jaw members. Each jaw member includes an elongated proximal segment and a distal segment. The distal segments are configured to grasp tissue therebetween. The jaw members are biased towards a spaced-apart position relative to one another. A sliding unit is disposed about the first and second jaw members and is slidable relative to the jaw members between a first position, wherein the sliding unit is disposed about the elongated proximal segments of the jaw members, and a second position, wherein the sliding unit is disposed about the distal segments of the jaw members. The sliding unit is configured to transition the jaw members against the bias from the spaced-apart position to an approximated position for grasping tissue therebetween upon sliding of the sliding unit from the first position to the second position.

Surgical vessel sealer and divider

The present disclosure relates to electrosurgical devices having a plurality of hand-accessible variable controls. An electrosurgical device configured for connection to a source of electrosurgical energy is provided and includes a housing; an electrical circuit supported within the housing, the electrical circuit being connectable to the source of electrosurgical energy; and a controller slidably supported on the housing, wherein the controller is configured to exert a force on the electrical circuit to affect a change in the electrical circuit and to exert a force on a surface of the housing to provide a tactile feedback to a user of the electrosurgical device as the controller is moved relative to the housing.

Electrosurgical pencil including improved controls

The present disclosure relates to electrosurgical devices having a plurality of hand-accessible variable controls. An electrosurgical device configured for connection to a source of electrosurgical energy is provided and includes a housing; an electrical circuit supported within the housing, the electrical circuit being connectable to the source of electrosurgical energy; and a controller slidably supported on the housing, wherein the controller is configured to exert a force on the electrical circuit to affect a change in the electrical circuit and to provide a tactile feedback to a user of the electrosurgical device as the controller is moved relative to the housing.

Growing community of inventors

Longmont, CO, United States of America

Monte S Fry