Patent ID: 6443970
Filing Date: 2002-09-03
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
A surgical instrument for cutting tissue comprising:a handle having a distal end, a proximal end, a top, and a bottom; a shaft having a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis, wherein the proximal end of the shaft is mounted to the proximal end of the handle; a first jaw and an opposed second jaw mounted to the distal end of the shaft, the first and second jaws movable relative to each other from an open position for positioning tissue therebetween in a tissue grasping region, to a closed position for approximating tissue, each jaw having a proximal end and a distal end, the first jaw having a first channel and the second jaw having a second channel, wherein the first and second channels form a cutting tunnel when the first and second jaws are in the closed position; an elongated member slidably mounted to the shaft, said elongated member having a proximal end and a distal end; a cutting element movable within the cutting tunnel to cut tissue positioned between the first and second jaws in the tissue grasping region, the cutting element mounted to the distal end of the elongated member, the cutting element having a first blade and a second blade, the cutting element movable in the cutting tunnel from a central position to a proximal position proximal to the tissue grasping region and a distal position distal to the tissue grasping region, wherein the first blade cuts tissue positioned between the first and second jaws when the cutting element moves from the central position to a proximal position, and the second blade cuts tissue positioned between the first and second jaws when the cutting element moves from the proximal position to the central position; an actuating member mounted to the handle, wherein the proximal end of the elongated member is mounted to the actuating member; and a dissecting tip is formed by the distal ends of the first and second jaws, the dissecting tip having a distal end and covering the cutting element when the cutting element is in the central position so that adjacent tissue is shielded from the first and second cutting blades, and wherein the cutting tunnel extends through the distal end of the dissecting tip and is in communication with an opening in the distal end of the dissecting tip, such that when the cutting element is moved from the central position to the distal position, at least a section of the second cutting blade extends out through the dissecting tip and out of the cutting tunnel such that the second cutting blade may engage tissue.