Patent ID: 7806894

Claim:
A laparoscopic cautery instrument comprising: an elongate shaft that: is sized and shaped for passage through a laparoscopic trocar port; defines at least one lumen along its length; and defines an aperture at a distal end of the shaft; a handle coupled to the shaft and moveable with respect to the shaft; an insulation ring that: has a ribbon shape; is formed at least in part by an electrical insulator; extends in a loop emanating from the shaft distal end; and is so operatively coupled to the handle as to be progressively expandable from and retractable into the shaft as the handle is moved with respect to the shaft, thereby increasing and decreasing the loop's size, respectively; and a monopolar cautery wire that: comprises an electrical conductor; has connector ends extending from a proximal end of the shaft and through the shaft lumen to form a wire loop emanating from the shaft distal end; is selectively operably coupled to the handle such that: when coupled to the handle: the wire loop is progressively expandable from and retractable into the shaft as the handle is moved with respect to the shaft, thereby increasing and decreasing the wire loop's size, respectively; and the wire loop contacts an inward-facing side of the ring loop during such progressive expansion and retraction; and when not coupled to the handle, at least one of the wire's ends is progressively retractable through the shaft, thereby decreasing the wire loop's size independently of movement of the ring loop.