Ultrasonic surgical instruments

Abstract

An ultrasonic surgical instrument is provided. The ultrasonic surgical instrument includes a housing having an elongated shaft extending therefrom. The shaft defines a longitudinal axis therethrough and has at least one jaw member disposed at a distal end thereof. The jaw member(s) is movable between open and clamping configurations. A probe extends through the shaft and operably couples to the housing. The probe includes a cutting blade at a distal end thereof adjacent the jaw member(s) to treat tissue of interest. The jaw member(s) and cutting blade are configured such that heat damage to tissue adjacent tissue of interest that has been treated by the cutting blade is reduced and/or eliminated.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . An ultrasonic surgical instrument, comprising:
 a housing having an elongated shaft extending therefrom, the shaft defining a longitudinal axis therethrough and having a first jaw member and a second jaw member disposed at a distal end thereof, the first jaw member movable between an open configuration and a clamping configuration; and   a cutting blade extending at a distal end of the shaft and operably coupled to the housing and adjacent the first jaw member, the cutting blade translatable along the longitudinal axis of the shaft from a retracted configuration positioned within the shaft to an extended configuration positioned outside the shaft to treat tissue of interest,   wherein the cutting blade is moveable to the retracted configuration within the shaft to reduce heat damage to tissue adjacent the tissue of interest, and   wherein the first jaw member or the second jaw member comprise a first portion made of a material having relatively high thermal conductivity and a second portion made of a thermally insulative material.   
     
     
         22 . The ultrasonic surgical instrument according to  claim 21 , wherein a switching mechanism disposed on the housing is configured to actuate the cutting blade and move the cutting blade from the retracted configuration to the extended configuration. 
     
     
         23 . The ultrasonic surgical instrument according to  claim 21 , wherein an interior surface of the shaft includes at least one temperature sensor thereon configured to detect a temperature of the cutting blade. 
     
     
         24 . The ultrasonic surgical instrument according to  claim 23 , wherein the at least one temperature sensor is selected from the group consisting of a thermocouple and a thermistor. 
     
     
         25 . The ultrasonic surgical instrument according to  claim 21 , wherein the second jaw member is pivotably coupled to the first jaw member and configured to move between an open and a clamping configurations to facilitate clamping tissue. 
     
     
         26 . The ultrasonic surgical instrument according to  claim 21 , wherein the cutting blade is coupled to a probe that extends within the shaft.