Vessel sealer and divider for use with small trocars and cannulas

Abstract

An endoscopic bipolar forceps includes a housing and a shaft affixed to the housing. The shaft includes a longitudinal axis defined therethrough and a pair of jaw members attached to a distal end thereof. The forceps also includes a drive assembly for moving one of the jaw members relative to the other jaw member from a first position wherein the movable jaw members are disposed in spaced relation relative to each other to a second position wherein the jaw members are closer one another for manipulating tissue. A movable handle is included which is rotatable about a pivot to force a drive flange of the movable handle into mechanical cooperation with the drive assembly to move the jaw members from the open and closed positions. The pivot is located a fixed distance from the longitudinal axis and the drive flange is located generally along the longitudinal axis. The forceps is connected to a source of electrosurgical energy connected to each jaw member such that the jaw members are capable of conducting bipolar energy through tissue held therebetween to effect a tissue seal.

1 - 13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . A vessel sealer and divider, comprising:
 a housing;   a handle movable relative to the housing about a pivot;   a shaft extending distally from the housing;   first and second jaw members extending distally from the shaft, the first jaw member pivotable with respect to the shaft and the second jaw member;   a drive assembly having a drive sleeve configured to pivot the first jaw member relative to the shaft and the second jaw member from a first position wherein the first and second jaw members are disposed in spaced relation to a second position wherein the first and second jaw members are closer together, the drive assembly including a proximal stop disposed about and fixed relative to the drive sleeve, a distal stop disposed about and movable relative to the drive sleeve, and a spring disposed about the drive sleeve between the proximal stop and the distal stop; and   a drive flange disposed distally of the distal stop, the drive flange including a contact portion in contact with the distal stop, wherein proximal actuation of the handle about the pivot causes proximal movement of the contact portion, which, as a result, causes proximal movement of the distal stop to urge the spring into the proximal stop to move the proximal stop proximally which, in turn, moves the drive sleeve proximally to thereby pivot the first jaw member towards the second position.   
     
     
         15 . The vessel sealer and divider according to  claim 14 , wherein the proximal movement of the distal stop compresses the spring against the proximal stop. 
     
     
         16 . The vessel sealer and divider according to  claim 15 , wherein the compression of the spring imparts a closure force within a predetermined range to the first jaw member. 
     
     
         17 . The vessel sealer and divider according to  claim 16 , wherein the predetermined range is about 3 kg/cm2 to about 16 kg/cm2. 
     
     
         18 . The vessel sealer and divider according to  claim 14 , wherein at least one of the first or second jaw members is adapted to connect to a source of electrosurgical energy to enable the conduction of energy through tissue held between the first and second jaw members to effect a tissue seal. 
     
     
         19 . The vessel sealer and divider according to  claim 14 , further comprising a selectively advancable knife assembly including a knife blade that is configured to cut tissue as the knife assembly is advanced distally. 
     
     
         20 . The vessel sealer and divider according to  claim 19 , wherein the handle includes a lockout flange configured to impede selective advancement of the knife assembly when the handle is disposed in an un-actuated position and wherein the lockout flange is repositioned to permit selective advancement of the knife assembly when the handle pivots towards an actuated position. 
     
     
         21 . The vessel sealer and divider according to  claim 14 , further comprising a hand switch coupled to the housing, the hand switch operable to allow a user to selectively supply energy to at least one of the first or second jaw members. 
     
     
         22 . The vessel sealer and divider according to  claim 21 , wherein, upon electrical activation of the hand switch, the first jaw member includes a first electrical potential and the second jaw member includes a second electrical potential, wherein the second electrical potential is conducted to the second jaw member by a conductive tube. 
     
     
         23 . The vessel sealer and divider according to  claim 21 , wherein, upon electrical activation of the hand switch, the first jaw member includes a first electrical potential and the second jaw member includes a second electrical potential, wherein the first electrical potential is conducted to the first jaw member by a lead wire. 
     
     
         24 . The vessel sealer and divider according to  claim 14 , wherein at least one of the first or second jaw members includes at least one stop member disposed thereon configured to regulate a distance between the first and second jaw members in the second position. 
     
     
         25 . The vessel sealer and divider according to  claim 14 , wherein the second jaw member is fixed with respect to the shaft. 
     
     
         26 . A vessel sealer and divider, comprising:
 a housing;   a shaft extending distally from the housing;   first and second jaw members extending distally from the shaft, the first jaw member pivotable with respect to the shaft and the second jaw member;   a drive assembly having a drive sleeve configured to pivot the first jaw member relative to the shaft and the second jaw member from a first position wherein the first and second jaw members are disposed in spaced relation to a second position wherein the first and second jaw members are closer together, the drive assembly including a proximal stop disposed about and fixed relative to the drive sleeve, a distal stop disposed about and movable relative to the drive sleeve, and a spring disposed about the drive sleeve between the proximal stop and the distal stop; and   a drive flange disposed distally of the distal stop, the drive flange including a contact portion in contact with the distal stop, wherein proximal movement of the contact portion causes proximal movement of the distal stop to urge the spring into the proximal stop to move the proximal stop proximally which, in turn, moves the drive sleeve proximally to thereby pivot the first jaw member towards the second position.   
     
     
         27 . The vessel sealer and divider according to  claim 26 , wherein the proximal movement of the distal stop compresses the spring against the proximal stop. 
     
     
         28 . The vessel sealer and divider according to  claim 27 , wherein the compression of the spring imparts a closure force within a predetermined range to the first jaw member. 
     
     
         29 . The vessel sealer and divider according to  claim 28 , wherein the predetermined range is about 3 kg/cm2 to about 16 kg/cm2. 
     
     
         30 . The vessel sealer and divider according to  claim 26 , further comprising a handle operably coupled with the drive flange such that actuation of the handle effects the proximal movement of the contact portion. 
     
     
         31 . The vessel sealer and divider according to  claim 26 , further comprising a selectively advancable knife assembly including a knife blade that is configured to cut tissue as the knife assembly is advanced distally. 
     
     
         32 . The vessel sealer and divider according to  claim 26 , further comprising a hand switch coupled to the housing, the hand switch operable to allow a user to selectively supply energy to at least one of the first or second jaw members. 
     
     
         33 . The vessel sealer and divider according to  claim 26 , wherein at least one of the first or second jaw members includes at least one stop member disposed thereon configured to regulate a distance between the first and second jaw members in the second position.