The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 10, 2004
Filed:
Aug. 15, 2002
Scott Ciarrocca, Stockton, NJ (US);
Ethicon, Inc., Somerville, NJ (US);
Abstract
A surgical instrument is provided having a shaft with a handpiece at a proximal end and a grasping device at the distal end. The grasping device has a first jaw element and a second jaw element pivotably coupled thereto and selectively pivotable between open and closed positions. The instrument also includes a cutting device having a first cutting element and a second cutting element pivotably coupled to the first cutting element. The cutting device is movable between a retracted position wherein it is positioned within the shaft and an extended position wherein it is disposed at the distal end of the shaft. When in the extended position, the cutting elements are coupled to the respective jaw elements for movement therewith between open and closed positions. Also provided is a method for surgically manipulating tissue using such a device.