Thermal cautery surgical forceps

Abstract

A portable, thermal cauterizing forceps device for use in surgery. The device incorporates a pair of ceramic heater elements mounted within the tips of the tines of a forceps. The forceps is used to grasp tissue or blood vessels and apply heat to effect cauterization. The forceps instrument can incorporate a battery and control electronics. The thermal-forceps is of a self-contained wireless, handheld disposable design. The forceps handpiece can be connected to an external power source. The forceps can incorporate a set of rapidly heating ceramic heater elements that may be composed of silicon nitride. An LED provides the operator feedback as to the operating level of the heaters and/or battery reserve. The forceps can include a rechargeable power supply, variable control of the heater temperature, as well as a, digital display of the tip temperature.

1 . A method for thermocauterizing tissue, comprising the steps of:
 squeezably grippingly engaging tissue to be cauterized or a blood vessel to be sealed between tip portions of a thermocautery surgical forceps including a pair of spaced and opposed tine members each having tip portions, each tip portion including a heater element with a flat gripping and heating surface; and   activating the heater elements to heat the flat gripping and heating surfaces thereof to tissue cauterizing or blood vessel sealing temperature and thereby applying substantially uniform pressure and heat to a tissue gripped between the gripping and heating surfaces.