Insulated surgical scissors including cauterizing tip

Abstract

An insulated surgical scissors including a cauterizing tip that permits a surgeon the ability to mechanically cut tissue that is purchased between the cutting blades of the scissors and to apply a cauterization current to a precise portion of the seized tissue, thereby minimizing inadvertent burning of surrounding tissue. Both monopolar and bipolar configurations of the insulated surgical scissors are provided.

I claim:  
     
         1 . An apparatus for cutting and cauterizing tissue during surgery while minimizing electrical and thermal contact of said apparatus with surrounding tissue, said apparatus comprising: 
 a pair of opposing electrically conductive cutting blades pivotally connected to allow for shearing action of any tissue confined between opposed cutting edges of said cutting blades, said blades having blunted tips, said pair of opposing cutting blades being entirely covered with an electrically and thermally insulative material except at said blunted tips;    each of said cutting blades comprising an inner surface, an outer surface, an outer edge, the cutting edge and a distal edge surface, said blunted tip comprising said distal edge surface and forming a portion of said inner surface, said outer surface, said outer edge, and said cutting edge, said distal edge surface and said portions of said inner surface, said outer surface, said outer edge, and said cutting edge being uninsulated; and    a power source coupled to at least one of said pair of opposing cutting blades for electrically and thermally energizing at least one of said pair of blades.    
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said uninsulated portions of said inner surface, said outer surface, said outer edge and said cutting edge forming said blunted tip comprise lengths of less than 5 millimeters from said distal edge surface.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said uninsulated portions of said inner surface, said outer surface, said outer edge and said cutting edge forming said blunted tip comprise lengths of between 1 and 3 millimeters from said distal edge surface.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said cutting blades comprise respective confronting surfaces, said apparatus including a closed condition wherein said confronting surfaces form overlapping surfaces when the tissue being cut is trapped therebetween.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said apparatus includes a closed condition whereby said respective cutting edges of said cutting blades lie in a common plane and do not pass each other.  
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5  wherein each of said cutting blades comprises a stop surface along said cutting edge, said stop surfaces of said cutting blades contacting to prevent said cutting blades from passing each other during closure of said apparatus.  
     
     
         7 . An apparatus for cutting and cauterizing tissue during surgery while minimizing electrical and thermal contact of said apparatus with surrounding tissue, said apparatus comprising: 
 a pair of opposing electrically conductive cutting blades pivotally connected to allow for shearing action of any tissue confined between opposed cutting edges of said cutting blades, said blades having blunted tips, said pair of opposing cutting blades being entirely covered with an electrically and thermally insulative material except along predetermined segments of said cutting blades;    each of said cutting blades comprising an inner surface, an outer surface, an outer edge, the cutting edge and a distal edge surface, said predetermined segment comprising said outer surface closely adjacent said cutting edge; and    a power source coupled to at least one of said pair of opposing cutting blades for electrically and thermally energizing at least one of said pair of blades.    
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7  wherein said predetermined segments further comprise said inner surface closely adjacent said cutting edge.  
     
     
         9 . An apparatus for cutting and cauterizing tissue during surgery while minimizing electrical and thermal contact of said apparatus with surrounding tissue, said apparatus comprising: 
 a pair of opposing electrically conductive cutting blades pivotally connected to allow for shearing action of any tissue confined between opposed cutting edges of said cutting blades, said blades having blunted tips, said pair of opposing cutting blades being entirely covered with an electrically and thermally insulative material except along predetermined segments of said cutting blades;    each of said cutting blades comprising an inner surface, an outer surface, an outer edge, the cutting edge and a distal edge surface, said predetermined segment comprising said inner surface closely adjacent said cutting edge; and    a power source coupled to at least one of said pair of opposing cutting blades for electrically and thermally energizing at least one of said pair of blades.    
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein said predetermined segments further comprise said inner surface closely adjacent said cutting edge.  
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said power source is coupled to the other one of said pair of opposing cutting blades for electrically and thermally energizing the other one of said pair of blades.  
     
     
         12 . An apparatus for cutting and cauterizing tissue during surgery while minimizing electrical and thermal contact of said apparatus with surrounding tissue, said apparatus comprising: 
 a pair of opposing electrically conductive cutting blades pivotally connected to allow for shearing action of any tissue confined between opposed cutting edges of said cutting blades, said blades having blunted tips, said pair of opposing cutting blades being entirely covered with an electrically and thermally insulative material except on segments of confronting surfaces at said blunted tips;    each of said cutting blades comprising an inner surface, an outer surface, an outer edge, the cutting edge and a distal edge surface, said blunted tip comprising said distal edge surface and forming a portion of said inner surface, said outer surface, said outer edge, and said cutting edge, each of said segments comprising the distal end of said inner surface and being uninsulated; and    a power source having a power side that is electrically coupled to one of said pair of opposing cutting blades and having a ground side that is electrically coupled to the other one of said pair of opposing cutting blades for generating a cauterization current that flows through tissue trapped between said confronting surfaces at said blunted tips.    
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12  wherein said pivotal connection is electrically insulated to prevent the passage of current from one of said opposing cutting blades into the other one of said opposing cutting blades.  
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 12  wherein said segment comprises a length of less than 5 millimeters from said distal edge surface.  
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 12  wherein said confronting surface at said blunted tip comprises lengths of between 1 and 3 millimeters from said distal edge surface.  
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 13  wherein each of said pair of opposing blades is formed so that when said apparatus is closed said cutting edges make contact nearly simultaneously along the length of said cutting edges.  
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 12  wherein said apparatus includes a elongate axis and wherein said cutting blades purchase tissue along a plane that is obliquely oriented to said elongate axis.  
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 12  wherein said apparatus comprises a pivot axis and wherein said cutting blades purchase tissue along a plane that is substantially perpendicular to said pivot axis.  
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 12  wherein said apparatus comprises a pivot axis and wherein said cutting blades purchase tissue along a plane that is substantially parallel to said pivot axis.