Surgical forceps

Abstract

A forceps includes a pair of shafts each having a jaw member disposed at a distal end thereof. One (or both) of the shafts is moveable relative to the other about a pivot pin between a spaced-apart position and an approximated position to move the jaw members between an open position and a closed position. A knife assembly includes a knife blade mechanically keyed to the pivot pin and moveable between an initial position, wherein the knife blade is disposed within one of the jaw members, and an extended position, wherein the knife blade extends between the jaw members. An actuator arm(s) is mechanically keyed to the pivot pin and extends therefrom. The actuator arm(s) is moveable between an un-actuated position and an actuated position to rotate the pivot pin relative to the jaw members to move the knife blade between the initial position and the extended position.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A surgical instrument, comprising:
 an end effector including a first cavity and a second cavity;   a first optical fiber disposed within the first cavity and configured to provide a first signal;   a second optical fiber disposed within the second cavity and configured to provide a second signal; and   a controller coupled to the first and second fibers and configured to determine temperature and strain of the end effector based on the first and second signals, respectively.   
     
     
         22 . The surgical instrument according to  claim 21 , wherein each of the first and second optical fibers includes at least one Bragg grating. 
     
     
         23 . The surgical instrument according to  claim 21 , wherein the first optical fiber is secured within the first cavity. 
     
     
         24 . The surgical instrument according to  claim 21 , wherein the second optical fiber is unsecured within the second cavity. 
     
     
         25 . The surgical instrument according to  claim 21 , wherein the first and second cavities contain a thermally and electrically conductive material. 
     
     
         26 . The surgical instrument according to  claim 25 , wherein the electrically conductive material is saline. 
     
     
         27 . The surgical instrument according to  claim 21 , wherein the first optical fiber is configured to provide a first signal including a first component corresponding to a temperature measurement. 
     
     
         28 . The surgical instrument according to  claim 27 , wherein the second optical fiber is configured to provide a second signal including a first component corresponding to the temperature measurement and a second component corresponding to a strain measurement, and the first component of the first signal is substantially identical to the first component of the second signal. 
     
     
         29 . The surgical instrument according to  claim 28 , wherein the controller is configured to determine the strain measurement by removing the first component of the first signal from the second signal. 
     
     
         30 . The surgical instrument according to  claim 21 , wherein the end effector includes a first jaw member and a second jaw member, at least one of the first jaw member or the second jaw member including the first and second cavities, the first and second jaw members movable relative to one another between a first, spaced-apart position and a second proximate position to grasp tissue therebetween. 
     
     
         31 . A surgical instrument, comprising:
 an end effector including a first cavity and a second cavity;   a first optical fiber unsecuredly mounted within the first cavity and configured to provide a first signal;   a second optical fiber securedly mounted within the second cavity and configured to provide a second signal; and   a controller coupled to the first and second fibers and configured to determine temperature and strain of the end effector as a function of the first and second signals.   
     
     
         32 . The surgical instrument according to  claim 31 , wherein each of the first and second optical fibers includes at least one Bragg grating. 
     
     
         33 . The surgical instrument according to  claim 31 , wherein the first optical fiber is configured to provide a first signal including a first component corresponding to a temperature measurement. 
     
     
         34 . The surgical instrument according to  claim 33 , wherein the second optical fiber is configured to provide a second signal including a first component corresponding to the temperature measurement and a second component corresponding to a strain measurement, and the first component of the first signal is substantially identical to the first component of the second signal. 
     
     
         35 . The surgical instrument according to  claim 34 , wherein the controller is configured to determine the strain measurement by removing the first component of the first signal from the second signal. 
     
     
         36 . A method for determining temperature and strain of a surgical end effector, comprising:
 detecting a first signal from a first optical fiber unsecuredly mounted within a first cavity of a surgical end effector;   detecting a second signal from a second optical fiber securedly mounted within a second cavity of the surgical end effector;   determining a temperature of the surgical end effector based on the first signal; and   determining strain of the surgical end effector based on the first and second signals.   
     
     
         37 . The method according to  claim 36 , wherein detecting the first signal includes:
 detecting a first component of the first signal corresponding to a temperature measurement; and   detecting a first component of the second signal corresponding to the temperature measurement and a second component of the second signal corresponding to a strain measurement, the first component of the first signal being substantially identical to the first component of the second signal.   
     
     
         38 . The method according to  claim 37 , further comprising
 removing the first component of the first signal from the second signal to determine the strain of the end effector.