Electrosurgical instrument employing pressure-variation electrodes

US8790342B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Foster B. Stulen · Mason, US
• Jeffrey S. Swayze · Hamilton, US
• Prasanna Malaviya · Huangpu District, CN
• Gregory W. Johnson · Milford, US
• Jason L. Harris · Lebanon, US
• Paul Guerra · Boulder, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 9, 2010
• Grant date: Jul 29, 2014
• Expiry date: Mar 26, 2033

Classification

• Technology area (CPC A): Human Necessities
• CPC primary: A61B2018/1455
• WIPO field: Medical technology
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A surgical instrument can comprise a handle, a first conductor, a second conductor, and an end effector. The end effector can comprise a first jaw, a second jaw, wherein the first jaw is movable relative to the second jaw in order to capture tissue intermediate the first jaw and the second jaw, a first electrode electrically coupled with the first conductor, and a second electrode electrically coupled with the second conductor, wherein the second electrode is comprised of a material configured to have a first electrical resistance when a first pressure is applied to the material, and wherein the material is configured to have a second electrical resistance when a second pressure is applied to the material. In various circumstances, the material can be configured such that, once the applied pressure has exceeded a switching pressure, the resistance of the material can switch from the first resistance to the second resistance.