Patent ID: 9724116
Date: 2017-08-08
CPC Classifications: A61B

Claim:
1. An endoscopic forceps, comprising: an elongated shaft including a distal end and a proximal end, the elongated shaft defining a longitudinal instrument axis; an end effector adjacent the distal end of the elongated shaft, the end effector including first and second jaw members each supporting a corresponding sealing surface thereon configured to clamp tissue therebetween, at least one of the first and second jaw members movable relative to the instrument axis such that the first and second jaw members are movable between a first spaced-apart configuration and a second closed configuration for grasping tissue; a cutting instrument including a reciprocating blade translatable relative to the sealing surfaces to sever tissue clamped between the first and second jaw members, the reciprocating blade including a tubular member extending proximally through the elongated shaft, the cutting instrument configured to contact an undersurface of one of the first and second jaw members when the first and second jaw members are disposed in the closed configuration to define a gap distance between the sealing surfaces, the tubular member including a circumferential cross-section at a distal end portion thereof, the distal end portion of the tubular member continuously tapering along a plane from the circumferential cross-section to form a cutting edge, the cutting edge having a length approximately perpendicular to the instrument axis along a substantial length thereof greater than a diameter of the circumferential cross-section; a handle adjacent the proximal end of the elongated shaft, the handle operable to induce motion in at least one of the first and second jaw members to move the first and second jaw members between the first spaced-apart configuration and second closed configuration; and an actuator operable to selectively translate the reciprocating blade.