# Patent

## Title
Apparatus, system, and method for performing an electrosurgical procedure

## Abstract

A bipolar forceps includes a housing having a shaft extending therefrom including an end effector assembly at a distal end thereof. The end effector assembly has a wheel assembly opposing a jaw member and having a pair of opposing wheels configured to facilitate movement of the wheel assembly relative to the jaw member. A drive rod is operably coupled at a proximal end to a movable handle and at a distal end to the wheel assembly. The movable handle is movable relative to a stationary handle to move the wheel assembly relative to the jaw member. At least one electrically conductive tissue sealing plate is disposed on each of the wheel assembly and the jaw member and is adapted to connect to an electrosurgical energy source configured to deliver electrosurgical energy to tissue held between the wheel assembly and the jaw member to effect a tissue seal.

## Background
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/248,104, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,016,827, filed on Oct. 9, 2008, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein by reference.


BACKGROUND
1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to an apparatus, system, and method for performing an electrosurgical procedure. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to an apparatus, system, and method for performing an electrosurgical procedure that employs an electrosurgical apparatus that includes an end effector assembly configured for use with various size access ports.
2. Description of Related Art
Electrosurgical apparatuses (e.g., electrosurgical forceps) are well known in the medical arts and typically include a handle, a shaft and an end effector assembly operatively coupled to a distal end of the shaft that is configured to manipulate tissue (e.g., grasp and seal tissue). Electrosurgical forceps utilize both mechanical clamping action and electrical energy to effect hemostasis by heating the tissue and blood vessels to coagulate, cauterize, seal, cut, desiccate, and/or fulgurate tissue.
As an alternative to open electrosurgical forceps for use with open surgical procedures, many modern surgeons use endoscopes and endoscopic electrosurgical apparatus (e.g., endoscopic forceps) or laparoscopic forceps for remotely accessing organs through smaller, puncture-like incisions. As a direct result thereof, patients tend to benefit from less scarring and reduced healing time. Typically, the forceps are inserted into the patient through one or more various types of cannulas or access ports (typically having an opening that ranges from about five millimeters to about twelve millimeters) that has been made with a trocar; as can be appreciated, smaller cannulas are usually preferred.
Forceps that are configured for use with small cannulas (e.g., cannulas less than five millimeters) may present design challenges for a manufacturer of electrosurgical instruments.
SUMMARY
According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a bipolar forceps includes a housing having a shaft extending therefrom including an end effector assembly at a distal end thereof. The end effector assembly has a wheel assembly opposing a jaw member and having a pair of opposing wheels configured to facilitate movement of the wheel assembly relative to the jaw member. A drive rod is operably coupled at a proximal end to a movable handle and at a distal end to the wheel assembly. The movable handle is movable relative to a stationary handle to move the wheel assembly relative to the jaw member. At least one electrically conductive tissue sealing plate is disposed on each of the wheel assembly and the jaw member and is adapted to connect to an electrosurgical energy source configured to deliver electrosurgical energy to tissue held between the wheel assembly and the jaw member to effect a tissue seal.
According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, a bipolar forceps includes a housing having a shaft that extends therefrom including an end effector assembly at a distal end thereof. The end effector assembly has a wheel assembly opposing a jaw member. The wheel assembly has a pair of opposing wheels configured to facilitate movement of the wheel assembly relative to the jaw member. A drive rod is operably coupled at a proximal end to a movable handle disposed within a housing and at a distal end to a mechanical interface disposed between the pair of wheels. The movable handle is movable relative to a stationary handle disposed within the housing to cause proximal and distal movement of the drive rod. The pair of wheels is configured to rotate about the mechanical interface such that proximal movement of the drive rod causes rotation of the pair of wheels in a first direction to move the wheel assembly proximally relative to the jaw member, and distal movement of the drive rod causes rotation of the pair of wheels in a second direction to move the wheel assembly distally relative to the jaw member. At least one electrically conductive tissue sealing plate is disposed on each of the wheel assembly and the jaw member. The at least one electrically conductive tissue sealing plate is adapted to connect to an electrosurgical energy source configured to deliver electrosurgical energy to tissue held between the wheel assembly and the jaw member via the at least one electrically conductive tissue sealing plate to effect a tissue seal.



BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Various embodiments of the present disclosure are described hereinbelow with references to the drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a right perspective view of an endoscopic bipolar forceps showing a housing, a shaft, and an end effector assembly in accordance with the present disclosure;
FIG. 2 is an enlarged, right perspective view of the end effector assembly of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is an enlarged, left perspective view of the end effector assembly of FIG. 1;
FIGS. 4A and 4B are enlarged, side views of the end effector assembly of FIG. 1; and
FIG. 5 is an enlarged, rear perspective view of the end effector shown grasping tissue.



DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Detailed embodiments of the present disclosure are disclosed herein; however, the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the disclosure, which may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present disclosure in virtually any appropriately detailed structure.
As noted above, it may prove useful in the arts to provide an electrosurgical apparatus that is suitable for use with various access ports, including but not limited to those that are greater than and/or less than five millimeters. With this purpose in mind, the present disclosure includes an electrosurgical forceps that includes a drive rod operably coupled to a wheel assembly. The wheel assembly is associated with a jaw member such that the wheel assembly and jaw member are configured to move relative to each other to selectively form a closed loop electrical circuit such that a desired tissue effect (e.g., tissue seal) may be achieved.
Turning now to FIGS. 1 and 2, an embodiment of an laparoscopic bipolar forceps 10 is shown for use with various surgical procedures and generally includes a housing 20, a handle assembly 30, a rotating assembly 80, a trigger assembly 70, a shaft 12, a drive rod 150 (shown in phantom), and an end effector assembly 100. The end effector assembly 100 includes a wheel assembly 110 having opposing wheels 110a and 110b configured to engage a jaw member 120 such that wheels 110a, 110b rotate to facilitate movement of wheel assembly 110 and jaw member 120 relative to each other to mutually cooperate to grasp, seal, and divide large tubular vessels and large vascular tissues. As best shown in FIG. 2, wheels 110a and 110b include electrically conductive seal plates 112a and 112b circumferentially disposed thereon, respectively, for purposes of sealing tissue. Each of wheels 110a and 110b also includes an aperture 101a and 101b, respectively, defined therethrough that secures a rotation pin 103 therebetween. As will be discussed in further detail below, wheels 110a and 110b rotate about rotation pin 103 to facilitate movement of wheel assembly 110 relative to jaw member 120. Although the majority of the figure drawings depict a bipolar forceps 10 for use in connection with laparoscopic surgical procedures, the present disclosure may be used for more traditional open surgical procedures or endoscopic procedures. For the purposes herein, the forceps 10 is described in terms of an laparoscopic instrument; however, it is contemplated that an open version or endoscopic version of the forceps may also include the same or similar operating components and features as described below.
Handle assembly 30 includes a fixed handle 50 and a movable handle 40. Fixed handle 50 is integrally associated with housing 20 and handle 40 is movable relative to fixed handle 50 as explained in more detail below with respect to the operation of the forceps 10. Rotating assembly 80 is operatively connected to the housing 20 and is rotatable approximately 180 degrees in either direction about a longitudinal axis “A” (See FIG. 1).
Shaft 12 has a distal end 14 configured to mechanically engage the end effector assembly 100 and a proximal end 16 which mechanically engages the housing 20. In the drawings and in the descriptions that follow, the term “proximal”, as is traditional, will refer to the end of the forceps 10 that is closer to the user, while the term “distal” will refer to the end that is further from the user.
Drive rod 150 is slidably disposed in shaft 12. A proximal end of drive rod 150 is operatively coupled to handle assembly 30 and a distal end of drive rod 150 is operatively coupled to end effector assembly 100. More specifically, wheel assembly 110 is anchored to a distal end of drive rod 150 via the rotation pin 103, as best shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B. Actuation of movable handle 40 relative to stationary handle 50 imparts proximal and distal movement of drive rod 150, which, in turn, urges wheel assembly 110 proximally and distally, respectively, relative to jaw member 120, to grasp tissue therebetween. End effector assembly 100 is configured to grasp tissue between wheel assembly 110 and jaw member 120 when wheel assembly 110 is in a substantially distal position relative to jaw member 120 (see FIG. 4B), in a substantially proximal position relative to jaw member 120 (see FIG. 4A), and/or in any position disposed therebetween relative to jaw member 120.
More specifically, and with reference to FIGS. 4A and 4B, wheel assembly 110 is operable by the drive rod 150 such that drive rod 150 urges wheel assembly 110 in the proximal and distal directions, as indicated by directional arrows P and D′, respectively. More specifically, distal movement of drive rod 150 causes wheels 110a, 110b to rotate clock-wise to facilitate distal movement of wheel assembly 110 relative to jaw member 120. Conversely, proximal movement of drive rod 150 causes wheels 110a, 110b to rotate counter-clock-wise to facilitate proximal movement of wheel assembly 110 relative to jaw member 120.
In some embodiments, actuation of handle assembly 30 is configured to translate proximal and distal movement of jaw member 120 to facilitate functionality substantially as described above with respect to proximal and distal movement of wheel assembly 100. More specifically, proximal and distal movement of jaw member 120 relative to wheel assembly 110 may be imparted via actuation of moveable handle 40 relative to stationary handle 50. With this purpose in mind, forceps 10 may include any number of electrical connections, configurations, and/or components (e.g., resistors, capacitors, inductors, rheostats, etc.), mechanical connections, configurations, and/or components (e.g., gears, links, springs, rods, etc.), and/or electro-mechanical connections, configurations, and/or components such that forceps 10 may function as intended.
More specifically, and with continued reference to FIGS. 4A and 4B, proximal and distal movement of jaw member 120 relative to wheel assembly 110 may be imparted via actuation of moveable handle 40 relative to stationary handle 50, as indicated by directional arrows P′ and D, respectively. More specifically, distal movement of jaw member 120 causes wheels 110a, 110b to rotate counter clock-wise to facilitate proximal movement of wheel assembly 110 relative to jaw member 120. Conversely, proximal movement of jaw member 120 causes wheels 110a, 110b to rotate clock-wise to facilitate distal movement of wheel assembly 110 relative to jaw member 120.
Forceps 10 includes an electrosurgical cable 310 that connects the forceps 10 to a source of electrosurgical energy, e.g., a generator (not shown). One such source of electrosurgical energy is described in commonly-owned U.S. Pat. No. 6,033,399 entitled “ELECTROSURGICAL GENERATOR WITH ADAPTIVE POWER CONTROL”. Cable 310 is internally divided into cable leads 310a, 310b, and 310c, which are designed to transmit electrical potentials through their respective feed paths through the forceps 10 to the end effector assembly 100. More specifically, the source of electrosurgical energy transmits electrosurgical energy, which may be in the form of a wave or signal/pulse, via one or more cables (e.g., cable 310) to the end effector assembly 100.
For a more detailed description of handle assembly 30, movable handle 40, rotating assembly 80, and electrosurgical cable 310 (including line-feed configurations and/or connections) reference is made to commonly owned Patent Publication No., 2003-0229344, filed on Feb. 20, 2003, entitled VESSEL SEALER AND DIVIDER AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME.
As noted above, movable handle 40 of handle assembly 30 is operatively coupled to drive rod 150 which, together, mechanically cooperate to impart proximal and distal movement of the wheel assembly 110 relative to jaw member 120 such that wheel assembly 110 and jaw member 120 cooperate to grasp tissue therebetween (see FIG. 5). With this purpose in mind, drive rod 150 may be configured to incorporate any number of electrical connections, configurations, and/or components (e.g., resistors, capacitors, inductors, rheostats, etc.), mechanical connections, configurations, and/or components (e.g., gears, links, springs, rods, etc.), and/or electro-mechanical connections, configurations, and/or components such that forceps 10 may function as intended.
Jaw member 120 includes an insulative jaw housing 124 and an electrically conductive seal plate 118. Insulator 124 is configured to securely engage the electrically conductive seal plate 118. Seal plates 112a, 112b of wheels 110a, 110b and seal plate 118 may be manufactured from stamped steel. The may be accomplished by stamping, by overmolding, by overmolding a stamped electrically conductive seal plate and/or by overmolding a metal injection molded seal plate. All of these manufacturing techniques produce an electrode having a seal plate 118 that is substantially surrounded by the insulating substrate.
The insulator 124, seal plates 112a, 112b, 118, and the wheels 110a, 110b may be configured to limit and/or reduce many of the known undesirable effects related to tissue sealing, e.g., flashover, thermal spread and stray current dissipation. In other embodiments, wheels 110a, 110b and jaw member 120 may be manufactured from a ceramic-like material and the electrically conductive surface 112a, 112b, and 118 are coated onto the ceramic-like wheels 110a, 110b and jaw member 120, respectively.
To prevent short-circuiting from occurring between the seal plates 112a, 112b, and 118 and either or both of the rotation pin 103 and the drive rod 150, the rotation pin 103 and/or drive rod 150 may be provided with an insulative material (not explicitly shown) applied thereto and/or may be formed of a non-conductive material.
FIG. 5 shows the forceps 10 grasping tissue. In one embodiment, and as noted hereinabove, actuation of moveable handle 40 causes distal and proximal movement of drive rod 150, which, in turn, causes corresponding distal and proximal movement of wheel assembly 110 relative to jaw member 120 to grasp and seal tissue disposed therebetween, as shown in FIG. 5. In another embodiment and as noted hereinabove, actuation of moveable handle causes distal and proximal movement of jaw member 120 relative to wheel assembly 110, via any suitable configuration discussed hereinabove with respect to jaw member 120, to grasp and seal tissue therebetween.
The wheel assembly 110 configuration of end effector assembly 100 allows the wheels 110a, 110b to be rotated to manipulate tissue until sealing is desired. This enables the user to position and re-position the forceps 10 prior to activation and sealing. Once tissue is fully compressed between wheels 110a, 110b and jaw member 120, or more specifically between sealing surfaces 112a, 112b, and 118, the forceps 10 are now ready for selective application of electrosurgical energy and subsequent separation of the tissue. More specifically, the source of electrosurgical energy, discussed hereinabove, transmits electrosurgical energy, which may be in the form of a wave or signal/pulse, via one or more cables (e.g., cable 310) to one or both of seal plates 112a, 112b and 118. For example, a first electrical potential (e.g., “+”) may be transmitted to sealing surfaces 112a, 112b and a second electrical potential (e.g., “−”) may be transmitted to sealing surface 118. Electrosurgical energy may be transmitted to each of the seal plates simultaneously or consecutively.
As best shown in FIG. 3, a knife channel 115 runs through the center of jaw member 120 such that a blade 122 may cut tissue grasped between wheel assembly 110 and jaw member 120. More specifically, the blade 122 advances through knife channel 115 when activated (e.g., via the trigger assembly 70) to progressively and selectively divide tissue along an ideal tissue plane in a precise manner to effectively and reliably divide the tissue. In embodiments, forceps 10 may be configured such that blade 122 may only be advanced through knife channel 115 to cut tissue when wheel assembly 110 is positioned at certain locations along jaw member 120 (e.g., in a grasping position, a distal most position, a proximal most position, etc.) thus preventing accidental or premature activation of the blade 122 through tissue.
While several embodiments of the disclosure have been shown in the drawings, it is not intended that the disclosure be limited thereto, as it is intended that the disclosure be as broad in scope as the art will allow and that the specification be read likewise. Therefore, the above description should not be construed as limiting, but merely as exemplifications of particular embodiments. Those skilled in the art will envision other modifications within the scope and spirit of the claims appended hereto.

## Claims

1. A bipolar forceps, comprising:
a housing having a shaft extending therefrom defining a longitudinal axis;
an end effector assembly disposed at a distal end of the shaft including a wheel assembly disposed in opposed relation to a jaw member, the wheel assembly having a pair of opposing wheels configured to move along the longitudinal axis relative to the opposing jaw member; and
a first electrically conductive tissue sealing surface disposed on the jaw member and at least one second electrically conductive tissue sealing surface disposed on at least one of the opposing wheels of the wheel assembly, each of the electrically conductive tissue sealing surfaces adapted to connect to an electrosurgical energy source configured to deliver electrosurgical energy to tissue disposed between the jaw member and the pair of opposing wheels.

2. A bipolar forceps according to claim 1, further comprising:
a drive rod operably coupled at a proximal end to an actuation mechanism and at a distal end to the wheel assembly, wherein movement of the actuation mechanism relative to the housing moves the pair of opposing wheels along the longitudinal axis relative to the jaw member.

3. A bipolar forceps according to claim 1, wherein the electrosurgical energy source is adapted to deliver a first electrical potential to the first electrically conductive tissue sealing surface and a second electrical potential to the at least one second electrically conductive tissue sealing surface.

4. A bipolar forceps according to claim 1, wherein the end effector assembly is configured to selectively conduct energy through tissue disposed between the jaw member and the pair of opposing wheels when the pair of opposing wheels are disposed in a predetermined position along the longitudinal axis.

5. A bipolar forceps according to claim 1, further comprising:
a drive rod operably coupled at a proximal end to an actuation mechanism and at a distal end to the wheel assembly, the actuation mechanism movable relative to the housing to cause movement of the drive rod along the longitudinal axis such that the pair of opposing wheels rotate about a rotation pin and move along the longitudinal axis relative to the jaw member.

6. A bipolar forceps according to claim 1, further comprising:
a rotating assembly for rotating the end effector assembly about the longitudinal axis.

7. A bipolar forceps according to claim 1, further comprising:
a knife actuatable along the longitudinal axis and configured to cut tissue disposed between the wheel assembly and the jaw member.

8. A bipolar forceps according to claim 7, wherein the jaw member includes a longitudinal knife channel disposed therein and configured to receive the knife therethrough.

9. A bipolar forceps according to claim 8, wherein the opposing wheels of the wheel assembly are disposed on opposing sides of the longitudinal knife channel.

10. A bipolar forceps, comprising:
a housing having a shaft extending therefrom and defining a longitudinal axis;
an end effector assembly disposed at a distal end of the shaft and including a pair of opposing circular electrically conductive tissue sealing surfaces rotatable about a rotation pin and movable along the longitudinal axis relative to a stationary electrically conductive tissue sealing surface; and
an actuation mechanism operably coupled to the rotation pin and configured to move the pair of opposing circular electrically conductive tissue sealing surfaces along the longitudinal axis relative to the stationary electrically conductive tissue sealing surface, each of the electrically conductive tissue sealing surfaces adapted to connect to an electrosurgical energy source and configured to deliver electrosurgical energy to tissue disposed between the circular electrically conductive tissue sealing surfaces and the stationary electrically conductive tissue sealing surface.

11. The bipolar forceps of claim 10 further comprising:
a drive rod operably coupled at a proximal end to the actuation mechanism and at a distal end to the rotation pin, the actuation mechanism movable relative to the housing to cause movement of the drive rod along the longitudinal axis such that the pair of opposing circular electrically conductive tissue sealing surfaces rotate about the rotation pin and move along the longitudinal axis relative to the stationary electrically conductive tissue sealing surface.

12. A bipolar forceps according to claim 10, wherein the electrosurgical energy source is adapted to deliver a first electrical potential to the pair of opposing circular electrically conductive tissue sealing surfaces and a second electrical potential to the stationary electrically conductive tissue sealing surface.

13. A bipolar forceps according to claim 10, wherein the end effector assembly is configured to conduct energy through tissue held between the pair of opposing circular electrically conductive tissue sealing surfaces and the stationary electrically conductive tissue sealing surface when the pair of opposing circular electrically conductive tissue sealing surfaces is in a predetermined position along the longitudinal axis.

14. A bipolar forceps according to claim 10, further comprising:
a knife actuatable along the longitudinal axis and configured to cut tissue disposed between the pair of opposing circular electrically conductive tissue sealing surfaces and the stationary electrically conductive tissue sealing surface.

15. A bipolar forceps according to claim 14, wherein the stationary electrically conductive tissue sealing surface includes a longitudinal knife channel disposed therein and configured to receive the knife therethrough.

16. A bipolar forceps according to claim 15, wherein the circular electrically conductive tissue sealing surfaces are disposed on opposing sides of the longitudinal knife channel.