VESSEL SEALING AND CUTTING DEVICES, METHODS AND SYSTEMS

摘要

A vessel sealing tip for surgical forceps is provided, which allows both sealing a vessel section and cutting therethrough without extracting the tip out of the body or exchanging the tip. Either a single action yields the sealing and the cutting or two or more tip actions may be carried out sequentially to perform the sealing and cutting operations. In addition, the tip may be used for cutting through tissue. Embodiments of the tip may utilize any energy source, in particular optical laser energy but also RF or ultrasound energy. The different effects (sealing, cutting) may be achieved by varying the emitted energy spatially, by manipulating the vessel prior or during energy delivery, by changing a configuration of the tip during operation and by combining tensile forces or ablation at appropriate locations of the vessel.

主权项

1. A vessel sealing tip for surgical forceps, the vessel sealing tip comprising at least one optical fiber arranged to deliver, upon actuation, electromagnetic radiation to a vessel to yield a vessel welding effect in a specified sealing section of the vessel and optionally to cut the vessel within the specified sealing section.