Patent ID: 8632564
Filing Date: 2014-01-21
Classification: A61B,C08L

Abstract:
1. An electrosurgical forceps adapted to connect to an electrosurgical energy source for performing an electrosurgical procedure, comprising: a housing having a shaft that extends therefrom that defines a longitudinal axis therethrough; and an end effector assembly operatively connected to a distal end of the shaft having a pair of first and second jaw members, each of the jaw members having a seal plate disposed on an inner surface thereof, and at least one jaw member being partially manufactured from a shape memory alloy (SMA), the seal plates configured to communicate with a heat source via a heating cable extending the length of the shaft, the heat source configured to heat each of the seal plates, such that the at least one jaw member moves relative to the other from a normally open configuration to a closed configuration for grasping tissue therebetween upon transition of the SMA from a martensite phase to an austenite phase as a result of selectively supplying heat from the heat source thereto.