GB2551145A - Manufacturing electrosurgical instruments - Google Patents

Manufacturing electrosurgical instruments Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2551145A
GB2551145A GB1609915.2A GB201609915A GB2551145A GB 2551145 A GB2551145 A GB 2551145A GB 201609915 A GB201609915 A GB 201609915A GB 2551145 A GB2551145 A GB 2551145A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
jaw members
jaw
pivot hole
jaws
sealing surface
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
GB1609915.2A
Other versions
GB201609915D0 (en
GB2551145B (en
Inventor
Tomás Brennan Neill
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Gyrus Medical Ltd
Original Assignee
Gyrus Medical Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Gyrus Medical Ltd filed Critical Gyrus Medical Ltd
Priority to GB1609915.2A priority Critical patent/GB2551145B/en
Publication of GB201609915D0 publication Critical patent/GB201609915D0/en
Priority to US15/615,445 priority patent/US10751114B2/en
Publication of GB2551145A publication Critical patent/GB2551145A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of GB2551145B publication Critical patent/GB2551145B/en
Active legal-status Critical Current
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical

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Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
    • A61B18/00—Surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body
    • A61B18/04—Surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body by heating
    • A61B18/12—Surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body by heating by passing a current through the tissue to be heated, e.g. high-frequency current
    • A61B18/14—Probes or electrodes therefor
    • A61B18/1442—Probes having pivoting end effectors, e.g. forceps
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
    • A61B18/00—Surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body
    • A61B18/04—Surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body by heating
    • A61B18/12—Surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body by heating by passing a current through the tissue to be heated, e.g. high-frequency current
    • A61B18/14—Probes or electrodes therefor
    • A61B18/1442—Probes having pivoting end effectors, e.g. forceps
    • A61B18/1445—Probes having pivoting end effectors, e.g. forceps at the distal end of a shaft, e.g. forceps or scissors at the end of a rigid rod
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
    • A61B18/00—Surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body
    • A61B18/04—Surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body by heating
    • A61B18/12—Surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body by heating by passing a current through the tissue to be heated, e.g. high-frequency current
    • A61B18/14—Probes or electrodes therefor
    • A61B18/1442—Probes having pivoting end effectors, e.g. forceps
    • A61B18/1445—Probes having pivoting end effectors, e.g. forceps at the distal end of a shaft, e.g. forceps or scissors at the end of a rigid rod
    • A61B18/1447—Probes having pivoting end effectors, e.g. forceps at the distal end of a shaft, e.g. forceps or scissors at the end of a rigid rod wherein sliding surfaces cause opening/closing of the end effectors
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
    • A61B17/00—Surgical instruments, devices or methods, e.g. tourniquets
    • A61B17/28—Surgical forceps
    • A61B17/2812—Surgical forceps with a single pivotal connection
    • A61B17/2816—Pivots
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
    • A61B17/00—Surgical instruments, devices or methods, e.g. tourniquets
    • A61B17/28—Surgical forceps
    • A61B17/29—Forceps for use in minimally invasive surgery
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
    • A61B17/00—Surgical instruments, devices or methods, e.g. tourniquets
    • A61B2017/00526—Methods of manufacturing
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
    • A61B17/00—Surgical instruments, devices or methods, e.g. tourniquets
    • A61B17/28—Surgical forceps
    • A61B17/29—Forceps for use in minimally invasive surgery
    • A61B2017/2926—Details of heads or jaws
    • A61B2017/2932—Transmission of forces to jaw members
    • A61B2017/2933—Transmission of forces to jaw members camming or guiding means
    • A61B2017/2936—Pins in guiding slots
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
    • A61B17/00—Surgical instruments, devices or methods, e.g. tourniquets
    • A61B17/28—Surgical forceps
    • A61B17/29—Forceps for use in minimally invasive surgery
    • A61B2017/2947—Pivots
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
    • A61B18/00—Surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body
    • A61B2018/00571—Surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body for achieving a particular surgical effect
    • A61B2018/0063—Sealing
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
    • A61B90/00—Instruments, implements or accessories specially adapted for surgery or diagnosis and not covered by any of the groups A61B1/00 - A61B50/00, e.g. for luxation treatment or for protecting wound edges
    • A61B90/03—Automatic limiting or abutting means, e.g. for safety
    • A61B2090/033—Abutting means, stops, e.g. abutting on tissue or skin
    • A61B2090/034—Abutting means, stops, e.g. abutting on tissue or skin abutting on parts of the device itself

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a pair of jaws for an electrosurgical instrument comprising the steps of: manufacturing first and second jaw members 2,3, each having a respective planar sealing surface 5,7; assembling jaw members 2,3 in a required orientation so that planar sealing surface 5 of the first jaw member 2 is at a predetermined orientation with respect to the planar sealing surface 7 of the second jaw member; holding both jaw members 2,3 in the required orientation; forming respective pivot holes 12,11 in the first and second jaw members 2,3 whilst the jaw members 2,3 are being held in the required orientation; and inserting a pivot pin through the pivot holes 11,12. The required orientation may be where planar sealing surfaces 5,7 are parallel. Pivot holes 11,12 may be formed in a single operation, possibly by drilling through jaw members 2,3. The method may include a pre-assembly step of forming respective initial holes 14,13,fig.4 through first and second jaw members 2,3 and filling holes 13,14 with a softer material, where pivot holes may be formed through the softer material. The softer material may be a polymetric material.

Description

MANUFACTURING ELECTROSURGICAL INSTRUMENTS
This invention relates to a method for manufacturing a pair of jaw members for an electrosurgical instrument, particularly a forceps instrument for sealing tissue. Such systems are commonly used for the treatment of tissue in surgical intervention, most commonly in “keyhole” or minimally invasive surgery, but also in “open” surgery.
It is known to manufacture jaw members for electrosurgical instruments by an overmoulding process, in which components are assembled into a mould and flowable material is introduced into the mould to surround the components and form the completed jaw member. US patents 7,150,097 & 7,922,953 are examples of such manufacturing methods. However, unless the manufacturing tolerances for the jaws are strictly controlled, there is a chance that when the jaws are assembled together to form a pair of jaws, the tissue-contacting surface on one jaw may not be exactly in the required orientation with respect to the tissue-contacting surface on the other jaw. The present invention attempts to avoid this problem.
Accordingly, a method for manufacturing a pair of jaws for an electrosurgical instrument, comprises the steps of: manufacturing first and second jaw members, each jaw member including a planar sealing surface, assembling the first and second jaw members in a required orientation such that the planar sealing surface of the first jaw member is at a predetermined orientation with respect to the sealing surface of the second j aw member, holding the first and second jaw members in the required orientation, forming a pivot hole in the first and second jaw members while they are held in the required orientation, and inserting a pivot pin through the pivot hole in the first and second jaw members to assemble the first and second jaw members into a pair of jaws.
By assembling the jaws into a required orientation before forming the pivot hole in both jaw members, it ensures that when the jaws are assembled with the pivot pin through the pivot holes, the jaw members will lie with respect to one another in the aforesaid required orientation. Preferably, the required orientation is such that the planar sealing surface of the first jaw member is parallel to the planar sealing surface of the second jaw member.
Typically, the pivot hole is formed in the first and second jaw members in a single operation, with the forming member passing through both jaw members as they are held one against the other. The step of forming the pivot hole preferably comprises drilling through the first and second jaw members with a drill bit. To maintain the jaw members in their required orientation, they are typically clamped together while the drilling is being carried out. In this arrangement, the formed pivot holes are of a diameter only slightly larger than the pivot pin, such that the pin can pass through the pivot holes, but with limited clearance such that the slack does not allow any significant variation in the orientation of one jaw member with respect to the other.
According to an alternative arrangement, the method includes the initial steps of forming an initial hole in the first and second jaw members before the assembly step, and filling the holes with a softer material before assembling the first and second jaw members. By “softer material”, this material is relatively soft as compared with the material from which the remainder of the jaw members, typically stainless steel, is formed. According to this arrangement, the step of forming the pivot hole in the first and second jaw members while they are held in the required orientation comprises forming the hole through the softer material. Typically, the diameter of the pivot hole is less than the diameter of the initial hole in each of the first and second jaw members. In this way, a relatively large hole is initially formed in the jaw members, these holes are filled with the softer material, and the final pivot hole is then formed through the softer material when the jaw members are held in their required orientation. This means that the drilling, or other means of hole formation, is carried out through the softer material rather than through the metallic material of the jaw members themselves. Thus, the hole formation during the time that the jaw members are clamped together is made easier. Typically, this softer material is a polymeric material, such as polypropylene.
The invention further resides in a method of manufacturing a pair of jaws for an electrosurgical instrument, comprising the steps of: manufacturing first and second jaw members, each jaw member including a planar sealing surface, and an initial pivot hole, filling the initial pivot hole in each of the first and second jaw members with a softer material, assembling the first and second jaw members in a required orientation such that the planar sealing surface of the first jaw member is at a predetermined orientation with respect to the sealing surface of the second jaw member, holding the first and second jaw members in the required orientation, forming a final pivot hole in the softer material while the first and second jaw members are held in the required orientation, and inserting a pivot pin through the final pivot hole in the first and second jaw members to assemble the first and second jaw members into a pair of jaws.
As described previously, the diameter of the final pivot hole is typically less than the diameter of the initial pivot hole in each of the first and second jaw members. As before, the softer material is typically a polymeric material.
The invention will now be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a schematic side view of a pair of jaws as part of a manufacturing method according to the present invention,
Figure 2 is a side view of the jaws of Figure 1 shown in a subsequent manufacturing step,
Figure 3 is a side view of the jaws of Figures 1 & 2 shown in a further manufacturing step,
Figure 4 is a side view of a pair of jaws as part of an alternative embodiment of manufacturing method according to the present invention,
Figure 5 is a side view of the jaws of Figure 4 shown in a subsequent manufacturing step,
Figure 6 is a side view of the jaws of Figures 4 & 5 shown in a further manufacturing step, and
Figure 7 is a side view of the jaws of Figures 4 to 6 shown in a subsequent manufacturing step.
Referring to Figure 1, an end effector shown generally at 1 comprises an upper jaw 2 and a lower jaw 3. Upper jaw 2 has a jaw body 4 and a substantially planar tissue sealing surface 5, while lower jaw 3 has a jaw body 6 and a corresponding planar tissue sealing surface 7. The sealing surfaces 5 & 7 are substantially parallel one to the other, and are separated by a plurality of stop members 8 located on one or both of the jaws.
Lower jaw body 6 is provided with an angled cam slot 9, while upper jaw body 6 has a corresponding oppositely angled cam slot 10, shown in dotted line detail. The jaws 2 & 3 are shown in Figure 1 located together in a desired orientation with the sealing surfaces 5 & 7 parallel to one another, but the jaws are not at this stage connected to each other.
The jaws 2 & 3 are shown in Figure 2 clamped in position, with clamps (not shown) engaging the jaw bodies 4 & 6 to hold them in the desired position. While clamped in position, a drill bit (not shown) drills a pivot hole 11 in jaw body 6, as shown in Figure 3. The drill bit continues through jaw body 6 to drill a corresponding pivot hole 12 (though not directly visible in Figure 3 as behind hole 11) in the jaw body 4. Pivot holes 11 & 12 are aligned such that when a pivot pin (not shown) is inserted through holes 11 & 12 the jaws 2 & 3 are assembled in their desired orientation with the sealing surfaces 5 & 7 parallel to one another.
Figure 4 shows an alternative arrangement in which the jaws 2 & 3 are shown as before, with sealing surfaces 5 & 7 shown parallel one to another. The jaws of Figure 4 are different from those of Figure 1 in that they have been pre-drilled with initial large diameter holes 13 & 14. The jaws 2 & 3 are then placed into moulds and injection moulded such that the holes 13 & 14 are filled with a polymeric material to form polypropylene inserts 15, as shown in Figure 5. Once the polypropylene material of the inserts 15 has hardened, the jaws are clamped in position as before, as shown in Figure 6. While clamped in position, a drill bit (not shown) drills a pivot hole 16 through the polypropylene insert 15 in the lower jaw body 6, as shown in Figure 7. The drill bit then continues through jaw body 6 to drill a corresponding pivot hole 17 (again not directly visible in Figure 7 as behind hole 16) through the insert 15 in the jaw body 4. As the drill bit is drilling through polymeric material rather than through the metallic jaw bodies, the process is easier and with less vibration. Once again, pivot holes 16 & 17 are aligned such that when a pivot pin (not shown) is inserted through holes 16 & 17 the jaws 2 & 3 are assembled in their desired orientation with the sealing surfaces 5 & 7 parallel to one another.
Those skilled in the art will appreciate that modifications to the above can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention, and that alternative configurations of components can be employed. For example, although the desired orientation of the sealing surfaces 5 & 7 in the illustrated embodiments is with the sealing surfaces parallel to one another, this may not necessarily be the case. There may be circumstances where a desired orientation is with the sealing surfaces not parallel, but with the jaws 2 & 3 either “toed-in” (such that the distance between the sealing surfaces is greater towards the rear of the jaws as compared with the front), or “toed-out” (such that the distance between the sealing surfaces is greater towards the front of the jaws as compared with the rear). The key element is the formation of the pivot holes with the jaws already in their desired orientation, as opposed to pre-forming the pivot holes and then assembling the jaws.

Claims (11)

1. A method of manufacturing a pair of jaws for an electrosurgical instrument, comprising the steps of: manufacturing first and second jaw members, each jaw member including a planar sealing surface, assembling the first and second jaw members in a required orientation such that the planar sealing surface of the first jaw member is at a predetermined orientation with respect to the sealing surface of the second jaw member, holding the first and second jaw members in the required orientation, forming a pivot hole in the first and second jaw members while they are held in the required orientation, and inserting a pivot pin through the pivot hole in the first and second jaw members to assemble the first and second jaw members into a pair of jaws.
2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the required orientation is such that the planar sealing surface of the first jaw member is parallel to the planar sealing surface of the second jaw member.
3. A method according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the pivot hole is formed in the first and second jaw members in a single operation.
4. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the step of forming the pivot hole comprises drilling through the first and second jaw members with a drill bit.
5. A method according to any preceding claim, including the initial steps of forming an initial hole in the first and second jaw members before the assembly step, and filling the holes with a softer material before assembling the first and second jaw members.
6. A method according to claim 5, wherein the step of forming the pivot hole in the first and second jaw members while they are held in the required orientation comprises forming the hole through the softer material.
7. A method according to claim 6, wherein the diameter of the pivot hole is less than the diameter of the initial hole in each of the first and second jaw members.
8. A method according to any of claims 5 to 7, wherein the softer material is a polymeric material.
9. A method of manufacturing a pair of jaws for an electrosurgical instrument, comprising the steps of: manufacturing first and second jaw members, each jaw member including a planar sealing surface, and an initial pivot hole, filling the initial pivot hole in each of the first and second jaw members with a softer material, assembling the first and second jaw members in a required orientation such that the planar sealing surface of the first jaw member is at a predetermined orientation with respect to the sealing surface of the second jaw member, holding the first and second jaw members in the required orientation, forming a final pivot hole in the softer material while the first and second jaw members are held in the required orientation, and inserting a pivot pin through the final pivot hole in the first and second jaw members to assemble the first and second jaw members into a pair of jaws.
10. A method according to claim 9, wherein the diameter of the final pivot hole is less than the diameter of the initial pivot hole in each of the first and second jaw members.
11. A method according to claim 9 or claim 10, wherein the softer material is a polymeric material.
GB1609915.2A 2016-06-07 2016-06-07 Manufacturing electrosurgical instruments Active GB2551145B (en)

Priority Applications (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB1609915.2A GB2551145B (en) 2016-06-07 2016-06-07 Manufacturing electrosurgical instruments
US15/615,445 US10751114B2 (en) 2016-06-07 2017-06-06 Manufacturing electrosurgical instruments

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB1609915.2A GB2551145B (en) 2016-06-07 2016-06-07 Manufacturing electrosurgical instruments

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB201609915D0 GB201609915D0 (en) 2016-07-20
GB2551145A true GB2551145A (en) 2017-12-13
GB2551145B GB2551145B (en) 2021-09-22

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GB1609915.2A Active GB2551145B (en) 2016-06-07 2016-06-07 Manufacturing electrosurgical instruments

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US (1) US10751114B2 (en)
GB (1) GB2551145B (en)

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US11382685B2 (en) * 2019-06-27 2022-07-12 Covidien Lp Electrosurgical forceps

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20120259331A1 (en) * 2011-04-05 2012-10-11 Tyco Healthcare Group Lp. Electrically-insulative hinge for electrosurgical jaw assembly, bipolar forceps including same, and methods of jaw-assembly alignment using fastened electrically-insulative hinge
US20130138101A1 (en) * 2011-11-29 2013-05-30 Tyco Healthcare Group Lp Open Vessel Sealing Instrument and Method of Manufacturing the Same

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1329827A (en) * 1918-11-21 1920-02-03 Crittall Mfg Co Ltd Process for applying hinges to casement-windows
US8292886B2 (en) * 2009-10-06 2012-10-23 Tyco Healthcare Group Lp Apparatus, system, and method for performing an electrosurgical procedure
US8430877B2 (en) * 2010-06-02 2013-04-30 Covidien Lp Apparatus for performing an electrosurgical procedure

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20120259331A1 (en) * 2011-04-05 2012-10-11 Tyco Healthcare Group Lp. Electrically-insulative hinge for electrosurgical jaw assembly, bipolar forceps including same, and methods of jaw-assembly alignment using fastened electrically-insulative hinge
US20130138101A1 (en) * 2011-11-29 2013-05-30 Tyco Healthcare Group Lp Open Vessel Sealing Instrument and Method of Manufacturing the Same

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB201609915D0 (en) 2016-07-20
GB2551145B (en) 2021-09-22
US20170348045A1 (en) 2017-12-07
US10751114B2 (en) 2020-08-25

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