Surgical tissue fusion instrument and support structure for same

US11246652B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Aesculap AG · DE

Inventors

• Rainer Bargon · Tuttlingen, DE
• Bernd Blender · Hohentengen, DE
• Stefan Eick · Tuttlingen, DE
• Nikolaus Hafner · Tuttlingen, DE
• Patrick Heizmann · Leonberg, DE
• Eugen Herner · Balingen, DE
• Christian Huber · Zwingenberg, DE
• Christof Merckle · Mannheim, DE
• Erich Odermatt · Schaffhausen, CH
• Christoph Rothweiler · Donaueschingen, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 18, 2016
• Grant date: Feb 15, 2022
• Expiry date: Sep 20, 2036

Classification

• Technology area (CPC A): Human Necessities
• CPC primary: A61B2018/145
• WIPO field: Medical technology
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

Surgical tissue fusion instrument and support structure having two gripping structures which are movable relative to each other and which are designed to bring together biological tissue sections that are to be connected to each other, with heat-generating means which are assigned to the gripping structures and, during tissue fusion, cause heat to be introduced in the area of a connection site of the biological tissue sections, and also with a support structure which is held between the gripping structures and, during tissue fusion, is operatively connected to the tissue sections. The support structure has at least one additional physical functional structure for aiding or promoting the tissue fusion.