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:
Jun. 12, 2012
Filed:
Mar. 25, 2005
Liming Lau, Mountain View, CA (US);
Arnold M. Escano, Santa Clara, CA (US);
Jerry Jarrard, San Jose, CA (US);
Samuel Ho, Foster City, CA (US);
Ryan C. Abbott, San Jose, CA (US);
Arthur M. Lin, Fremont, CA (US);
Jesse Mcquiston, San Carlos, CA (US);
Kelly L. Dang, Laguna Niguel, CA (US);
Liming Lau, Mountain View, CA (US);
Arnold M. Escano, Santa Clara, CA (US);
Jerry Jarrard, San Jose, CA (US);
Samuel Ho, Foster City, CA (US);
Ryan C. Abbott, San Jose, CA (US);
Arthur M. Lin, Fremont, CA (US);
Jesse McQuiston, San Carlos, CA (US);
Kelly L. Dang, Laguna Niguel, CA (US);
Maquet Cardiovascular, LLC, San Jose, CA (US);
Abstract
A surgical apparatus and methods for severing and welding tissue, in particular blood vessels. The apparatus includes an elongated shaft having a pair of relatively movable jaws at a distal end thereof. A first heating element on one of the jaws is adapted to heat up to a first temperature and form a welded region within the tissue, while a second heating element on one of the jaws is adapted to heat up to a second temperature and sever the tissue within the welded region. The first and second heating elements may be provided on the same or opposite jaws. A control handle provided on the proximal end of the elongated shaft includes controls for opening and closing the jaws, and may include an actuator for sending current through the first and second heating elements. The first and second heating elements may be electrically connected in series, and the first heating element may be bifurcated such that it conducts about one half of the current as the second heating element. A force-limiting mechanism provided either within the control handle, in the elongated shaft, or at the jaws limits the pressure applied to the tissue by the jaws to ensure that the tissue is severed and the ends effectively welded within a short amount of time.