US 12,402,934 B2
Electrosurgical instrument for grasping, treating, and/or dividing tissue incorporating thermal management feature
Kelley D. Goodman, Erie, CO (US); Craig V. Krastins, Arvada, CO (US); Grant T. Sims, Boulder, CO (US); Daniel W. Mercier, Erie, CO (US); and Jennifer L. Rich, Parker, CO (US)
Assigned to Covidien LP, Mansfield, MA (US)
Filed by Covidien LP, Mansfield, MA (US)
Filed on Sep. 8, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/014,002.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/900,573, filed on Sep. 15, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2021/0077178 A1, Mar. 18, 2021
Int. Cl. A61B 18/14 (2006.01); A61B 18/00 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 18/1442 (2013.01) [A61B 2018/00023 (2013.01); A61B 2018/00077 (2013.01); A61B 2018/00589 (2013.01); A61B 2018/00595 (2013.01); A61B 2018/0063 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An electrosurgical instrument, comprising:
at least one shaft member;
an end effector assembly extending distally from the at least one shaft member, the end effector assembly including first and second jaw members, each of the first and second jaw members including an electrically-conductive tissue-contacting surface, at least one of the first or second jaw members movable relative to the other about a pivot between a spaced-apart position and an approximated position for grasping tissue between the electrically-conductive tissue-contacting surfaces; and
a heat pipe including a proximal body portion having a first cross-sectional configuration and a flattened distal portion having a second cross-sectional configuration that is flattened relative to the first cross-sectional configuration, the proximal body portion extending through at least 40% of the at least one shaft member, and the flattened distal portion extending through at least a substantial portion of the first jaw member, the heat pipe defining an internal lumen configured to circulate a cooling fluid between the proximal body portion and the flattened distal portion to facilitate drawing heat proximally from the end effector assembly,
wherein the second cross-sectional configuration constricts the internal lumen in the flattened distal portion of the heat pipe to reduce or inhibit flow of the cooling fluid through the flattened distal portion relative to flow of the cooling fluid through the proximal body portion.